The Mont Saint-Michel, a UNESCO-listed tourist spot off the north-west coast of France, has been restored with the contribution of steel from Industeel, a subsidiary of Luxembourg steel and mining company ArcelorMittal.
Silt build-ups caused by canal work at the Couesnon River has caused the spot to mover closer towards the mainland, but the building of a dam on the River has allowed the sediment to be flushed away with water and the site to become an island once more.
The valves of the dam were built with Duplax steel from Industeel, which specialises in the production of hot-rolled steel plates, including stainless steel plates for use in highly specialised industries. The steel for these valves was produced at an Industeel site at Le Creusot.
"Duplex stainless steels are well-known around the world, and have been used for more than 20 years to build seawater desalination plants due to its very strong anti-corrosion properties," explained Jean-Christophe Gagnepin, stainless steel commercial manager, ArcelorMittal. "With such advantages, Duplex steel plates were the ideal product for the valve system of the dam."
"This project will bring long-term positive results to the Mont Saint-Michel," added Vincent Pairet, CEO of Industeel. "ArcelorMittel is very proud to once again see Industeel involved in the preservation of a treasured historical site."
Photo by Wikimedia
