ArcelorMittal selected as sole Gen 3 steel supplier for 2021 Ford Bronco

ArcelorMittal’s Fortiform 980 GI has been selected as the sole source of third-generation AHSS for the 2021 Ford Bronco. The Bronco will be the first automobile in the world to incorporate this grade of steel, which is made at AM/NS Calvert in Alabama.

“Ford’s chief engineer gave us a goal to decrease the total vehicle weight by 10%,” said Michael Lizak, global technology coordinator for Ford at Automotive Product Applications R&D. “In terms of safety, we selected a higher-strength material, which gives Ford a huge safety advantage.”

This steel grade combines strength and ductility, and the material welds to itself and to most other steels. The high-strength steel is a lower gauge than the original DP800 and DP600 found in the earlier Bronco, which enables weight savings with complex shape capabilities.