Innovation & insights

When an unexpected heat exchanger failure created an urgent replacement need for a refinery in Northern Europe, Alleima and its customer BTR Industry had to move quickly.

Gardening should be joyous and rewarding, not hard and frustrating. That’s the difference the right materials can make, like those developed by Alleima.

The mood at this year’s World Hydrogen Summit was more positive than it has been for some time. After a period of slower momentum, shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, high input costs, hydrogen pricing and policy complexity, conversations at the event pointed to renewed confidence in hydrogen’s role in future energy systems, industrial decarbonization and fuel-flexible applications.

Across refining, chemical processing and emerging low-carbon fuels, investment decisions are being shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, energy security pressures and tighter cost control, even as decarbonisation targets continue to influence long-term strategy.

In November 2025, Alleima celebrated its 40-year heritage in China with the inauguration of our new production mill in Zhenjiang. It will double capacity, broaden the product range, and shorten lead times for customers across China and Asia.

The inauguration of our new production facility was an opportunity to catch up with some of our customers in the chemical and petrochemical, hydrogen, pulp and paper, and medical industries.

We also took time with our customers to hear how they feel Alleima moves them forward.

Most people never think about the tubes inside a fish farm. Yet they play a crucial role in keeping the water clean and the fish alive and healthy, while minimizing the environmental impact.

Today, doctors can perform surgical procedures that were unimaginable just a few decades ago. Behind some of these advances is a little-known but essential innovation in modern medicine: the super-elastic material nitinol.

The disc spring is the unsung hero of the seven seas. This small but vital component helps protect people, goods and ships in some of the harshest conditions imaginable. It’s also a powerful example of Alleima’s innovative capabilities in developing advanced steels built to withstand life at sea.

Alleima attended this year’s Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe in Hamburg, and the conversations across the exhibition floor reflected an industry at a crossroads. While the excitement surrounding hydrogen’s rapid scale-up has eased since its early peak a few years ago, there’s now a more mature, focused approach emerging, one that prioritises cost efficiency, technical reliability, and project realism.

These hidden heroes are driving smarter, lighter, and cleaner solutions, from hydrogen fuel cells to high-performance machinery.

Thermal spraying is an advanced manufacturing method in which material in powder or wire form is melted and sprayed onto a surface to create a coating with specific properties. Alleima is now investing in this technology to develop new products in the field of sustainable energy. For example, the technology can be used in the production of components for green hydrogen through electrolyzers. Alleima is already in dialogue with several interested customers, and the first prototype of the coated material has already been sent to a customer.

At Alleima's Annual General Meeting in Sandviken, the Innovation Prize 2025 was awarded to Thomas Froböse, Chief Technology Officer, and Haydn Eagle, Sales Manager, both from business unit Specialized in the Tube division. They received the prize for their exceptional contribution to a critical component in the steering module of a space application. The component for a rocket exemplifies outstanding innovation and engineering excellence as the material had to withstand very high temperatures in combination with high pressure.

New steel characteristics are required for the electric compressors that will power car air conditioners in electric vehicles. Teru-aki Watanabe at Alleima explains why.

At Alleima, we have been leading advancements in knife steel for decades, optimizing the metallurgical properties that define performance, durability, and customization.