Hardox® celebrates 50 years and goes emission free
22.01.2025The year 1974 saw a breakthrough in steelmaking when steelmaker SSAB introduced the world’s first bendable wear plate. A unique combination of hardness and toughness helped to solve the issue of brittleness in conventional abrasion-resistant steels, which were nearly impossible to bend and could not withstand heavy impact in use.
Bennes Vincent’s first tipper body in France to use Hardox® 450 made from SSAB Zero™ steel in 2024
© SSAB
In 1983, SSAB’s mill in Oxelösund/Sweden, created a truly hard wear plate that was branded as Hardox® – a name that perfectly describes its strength. Today, it’s still proudly produced in Sweden, the USA and Finland.
A long history of a hard-working, hard-wearing steel
It all started with Hardox® 400, launched in 1974. It was the first user-friendly wear plate with mechanical properties that allowed it to be cut, bent, welded and machined without any hassles in the workshop.
Officially launched in 1974 as OX AR 360 S steel, Hardox® 400 is the first user-friendly wear plate that can easily be cut, bent, welded and machined in the workshop
© SSAB
Then came Hardox® 450, further positioning Hardox® as the wear-resistant steel of choice for demanding customers across the world. After this ultimate workhorse came a wide variety of grades to meet almost any conceivable worksite challenge: Hardox® 500 Tuf, Hardox® HiAce and Hardox® HiTemp. When Hardox® 500 Tuf was released, it was rapidly adopted as the new standard for wear plate. With its outstanding hardness and toughness, it delivers unparalleled performance, even in freezing conditions, and can be used in nearly any application. The full product range also includes extra-tough Hardox® HiTuf, and for wear parts and liners that need exceptional hardness, customers can choose from Hardox® 500, Hardox® 550, Hardox® 600 and Hardox® Extreme.
Hardox® wear plate delivers high quality from XS to XL, with a thickness range from 0.8 mm to 160 mm
© SSAB
Pioneering the future of steel – Hardox® 450 made from SSAB Zero™
As we look back on 50 years of progress, we remain firm in our commitment to develop a steel that meets the challenges of a modern world. That’s why we’re thrilled to present our first-ever emission-free steel in the Hardox® range this year: Hardox® 450 made from SSAB Zero™.
The Hardox® wear plate portfolio has expanded during the years; the latest addition is Hardox® HiAce. The launch of Hardox® HiAce complements the Hardox® product range with a wear steel developed to resist wear in acidic and corrosive environments
© SSAB
This new version of Hardox® wear plate retains all the qualities that made Hardox® 450 the global benchmark for premium wear plate, but goes one step further. The ultimate sustainable choice, SSAB Zero™ is produced using recycled steel in a process powered by fossil-free electricity and biogas – resulting in virtually no carbon emissions during the steelmaking (The carbon emissions from fossil fuel sources in SSAB’s production of SSAB Zero™ are less than 0.05 kg CO2e/kg steel in Scope 1 and Scope 2 of the GHG protocol) process. This steel can reduce the environmental load from steel production even more.
Hardox® wear plate celebrates 50 years of being the hardest and toughest wear steel in 2024
© SSAB
With this innovative wear plate, sustainability goals can be taken to the next level.
