Moving toward industrial operations that meet environmental standards and demonstrate outstanding performance in sustainability is the challenge facing the iron and steel industry for mining, and ME Elecmetal China has successfully made progress in that area.
Specifically, the City of Changzhou has promoted the Green Plant certification —a certification that requires a comprehensive transformation of operations, based on an evaluation across five dimensions: emissions, resource efficiency, clean production, land use, and environmental management.
To this end, companies must demonstrate, through evidence, metrics, and external validation, that the plant operates under an advanced, efficient, and low-carbon manufacturing model. This process is carried out through a three-stage methodology:
Initial self-assessment by the company
On-site verification conducted by independent experts
Comprehensive review of data supporting the declared performance, as demonstrated by the ME Elecmetal China plant.
The team approached this challenge from a systemic perspective, integrating technology, management, and operational culture into a single model, in the same way that ME Elecmetal’s Global Objectives for Decarbonization and Traceability by 2030 and full circularity by 2050 were in the energy sector, the company demonstrated its certifications and the incorporation of clean energy, highlighting the installation of solar panels that cover nearly 50% of the plant and generate more than 1,500 MWh annually, significantly reducing dependence on traditional sources.
It also reported on the control and monitoring of its processes, with real-time measurement systems for electricity, water, and natural gas, which allow for precise operational management and continuous improvement of its environmental performance. Added to this is a robust circular economy approach: optimization of raw material use, recycling rates exceeding 98% for industrial waste, and water reuse in closed-loop systems, minimizing resource waste.
In other words, an integrated model that combines operational efficiency, technological innovation, and sustainable management.
The Changzhou Plant has established a manufacturing model capable of meeting—and exceeding—the most demanding standards in industrial sustainability, combining decarbonization, efficiency, and circularity, while also serving as a key component of ME Elecmetal’s decoupling strategy: growing sustainably, significantly reducing environmental impacts, and ensuring the business’s sustainability and resilience.
The benefits are both strategic and operational. Strategically, this case positions ME Elecmetal as a leader in green manufacturing within the metallurgical industry, fully aligning with the needs of mining clients seeking to reduce their environmental footprint and address the complexity of their value chain. Operationally, it generates concrete efficiencies: lower energy consumption per unit of product, waste reduction, material optimization, and greater process control. This aligns with ME Elecmetal’s global approach, which is focused on offering comprehensive solutions that directly contribute to the mining value chain, including low-carbon products and services.
“"The Green Factory certification not only recognizes years of work in sustainability but also reinforces our commitment to low-carbon development and smart manufacturing."”
In early 2025, the plant gained “Green Plant” certification following a rigorous evaluation process that assessed its performance over the previous year.
In this context, the plant achieved a score of 89 out of 100—well above the 80-point threshold required for certification—establishing itself as a leader in sustainable manufacturing within its industry, with concrete results:
Significant solar energy generation and emissions reduction
High efficiency in Scope 1, achieving an emissions intensity of 0.3 KtCO2eq/t
Over 98% recovery of industrial waste
Highly efficient water use through recirculation systems
Continuous improvement in energy and production efficiency
This achievement recognizes the company’s sustained efforts in low-carbon practices and reinforces one of its core values: its commitment to sustainable development. It also establishes ME Elecmetal China as a model of industrial transformation, demonstrating that it is possible to combine productivity, innovation, and sustainability within a single operating model.
