Safety wins Swedish Steel Prize

The Swedish Steel Prize 2006 has been awarded to Italian companies Fiat and Wagon Automotive for developing an advanced safety component for the front doors of the newly launched Fiat Grande Punto. Wagon Automotive specializes in roll forming.

The internal waistline reinforcement is very thin, lightweight, and strong, and is of space-saving design. It performs a vital task, while being suitable for mounting in the confined space just below the windows of the front doors. The designers have put to use the latest developments in materials and production technology, said the prize jury. The Fiat Grande Punto has been awarded highest marks in the Euro NCAP safety test, and the car is characterized by high safety, low fuel consumption, and good environmental properties. The prize-winning safety component of advanced high-strength steel contributes to the car having all of these properties.

The Swedish Steel Prize was founded by the SSAB Tunnplt steelmaking company in order to highlight and acknowledge innovative designs and solutions for which advanced high-strength steels are employed. Over the years, the Prize has been awarded to companies in several parts of the world.

"Advanced high-strength steels are continually gaining ground among designers around the world, and the Swedish Steel Prize has contributed to increasing the interest in the opportunities offered by the steels," says Gran Carlsson, head of division at SSAB Tunnplt and chairman of the Swedish Steel Prize jury. "High-strength steels make it possible to develop products with better properties and at reasonable cost. This is extremely well illustrated by the winning entry, and the two companies have shown great innovativeness in their work. They are both worthy winners of the Swedish Steel Prize."

In addition to the first prize, runner-up prizes were also awarded to the Spanish IMEM lift (elevator) manufacturer for a new, lightweight lift chassis, and to the Canadian company Multina for a new, lighter and more comfortable bus seat. Both companies use advanced high-strength steels in their products.

Any company or individual that uses high-strength steel in the design of a product or has developed a method of working high-strength steel can enter for the Swedish Steel Prize. The Prize is awarded annually and is announced at a banquet in Stockholm.