EPDs help steel manufacturer Canam take sustainability to the next level

"Publishing our first EPD with One Click LCA gave us a baseline of where we stand with specific products and opened our eyes to aspects we hadn’t considered before, like insulation materials and coatings. The EPD serves as a trustworthy resource for specifiers and sets the stage for further sustainability improvements across our divisions – it's beneficial in many ways."

–Marc Dutil, CEO of Canam Group

Canam — paving the way for sustainable manufacturing

Founded in 1960, Canam Group now employs around 3,500 people worldwide, with ten manufacturing plants in Canada and the United States. The company also operates engineering offices in Canada, Romania, India, and the Philippines. With an annual production capacity exceeding 380,000 tons, Canam is equipped to meet the diverse needs of its clients, regardless of project size. Specializing in the design and manufacturing of steel components, Canam is known for its expertise in the building and structural steel sectors.

Interview with Canam CEO: How circularity and innovation drive sustainability in manufacturing.

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After conducting a materiality analysis to improve sustainability, Canam now focuses on three key areas:

1. Minimizing environmental impact: Reducing the company's carbon footprint, developing low-impact products, adopting circular economy practices, and improving responsible sourcing across the supply chain.
2. Caring for people: Committing to health and safety, advancing DEI initiatives, and continuing a strong tradition of community involvement.
3. Building a sustainable future: Adapting to climate change, investing in R&D for product offerings, and strengthening organizational resilience.

Boosting sustainability efforts by publishing EPDs

Canam began using One Click LCA just as customer demand for EPDs and the internal efforts to understand the environmental impact of products began to grow. Publishing EPDs has provided the company with valuable insights into the environmental impact of their products throughout the production chain. These measurements are the basis for Canam’s eco-design workshops and initiatives, which, although relatively new, are generating significant interest among teams.

"EPDs have given us a clearer understanding of the environmental impact of our products throughout their production life-cycle. They have also highlighted data challenges that we aim to address as we continue to develop our sustainability strategies."

–Léontine du Reau, Environmental and Sustainable Development Advisor at Canam Group

The benefits of using One Click LCA for gaining insights into the carbon footprint of products

After evaluating several options, Canam chose One Click LCA because it allowed the company to develop its own in-house expertise in life-cycle analysis while ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards. This year, Canam published its first EPD on its Murox Prefabricated Steel Building System and has since continued to add EPD creation to its overall strategy. 

According to Canam's Technical Team, the benefits of One Click LCA include:

• User-friendly software that simplifies life-cycle analysis, even for non-specialists
• Easy generation of EPDs and visualization of the impacts of potential process changes
• A user-oriented experience with responsive support, ensuring quick answers to any questions
• A helpful results page that allows easy comparison of different standards, such as TRACI 2.1 and EN15804, offering flexibility in assessing environmental impacts and resource usage
• A comprehensive and large EPD database

Staying competitive in a fast-moving industry 

Léontine notes that the demand for low-carbon products is increasing rapidly, especially in public procurement, which is leading the shift towards sustainability. 

"While not everyone fully understands the importance of EPDs yet, it's clear that the public sector's commitment to decarbonizing by 2050 is driving this change," she said. "As a result, we expect to see increasing demand for low-impact products across both public and private sectors. This shift is happening faster than expected, so staying proactive will be key to success."

To remain ahead of these changes, Canam is committed to building data, expertise, and improving products now. By doing so, the company will be prepared to meet the growing demand for low-impact materials and provide the necessary data to show customers where it stands in terms of carbon reduction and environmental performance. 

Working toward a more sustainable future

Publishing EPDs with One Click LCA helps Canam understand material purchasing in a broader context, beyond just the carbon footprint. The software delivers valuable insights that enable architects and specifiers to make more informed decisions and manufacturers to impact their product marketing strategy. It has also revealed aspects of the supply chain that were previously overlooked, fostering greater collaboration within the team and across the entire supply chain.