The theme for this year’s competition is “Improve to attract the future,” a theme designed to focus on smart and sustainable solutions.

“With this theme, we want to emphasize the importance of the continuous product development needed to build a more sustainable world,” says Gregoire Parenty, chairman of the Swedish Steel Prize jury and Head of Market Development at SSAB.

“Around the world, we face increasingly higher demands to create lighter, stronger and more sustainable products, and this prize will award a company, institution, organization or individual who has excelled in doing so using high-strength steel.”

Since the competition began in 1999, SSAB has received more than 800 nominations from all over the world. International competition increases each year with more and more countries being represented from Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia.

The panel of judges for this year’s Swedish Steel Prize is comprised of experts and academics in the fields of science and engineering:

  • Gregoire Parenty, Head of Market Development, SSAB
  • Lennart Bergqvist, Management Consultant, LBQ Consulting
  • Sture Hogmark, Professor Emeritus in Materials Science and Tribology, Uppsala University
  • Claes Magnusson, Professor in Production Technology, Kristianstad University
  • Jan Gunnar Persson, Professor in Machine Design, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
  • Jan-Olof Sperle, Professor in Lightweight Construction, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Uppsala University, Sperle Consulting

The 2014 Swedish Steel Prize was awarded to truck manufacturer Belaz from Belarus for its innovative new construction for axle suspension and slewing bearings used to build the world’s largest dump truck.

For complete rules and to apply, visit www.steelprize.com, and follow @steelprize on Twitter for the latest event updates.

For more information, please contact SSAB’s media or events teams:

  • Marie Elfstrand, Director, Media Relations and PR, +46 8-45 45 734
  • Susanne Nordhqwist, Head of Events and Content +46 155-254 381