United States Steel Corporation has acquired the flat rolled sheet patents and trademarks of The NanoSteel Company, Inc. (earlier post) as part of US Steel’s ongoing commitment to offer customers the world’s best selection of advanced high-strength steels, which now includes the most formable high-strength steel available.

The superior strength and elongation performance of US Steel’s NanoSteel and XG3 steel is reflected in the diagram depicting global formability of automotive steel.

The NanoSteel Company designed and developed patented proprietary alloys which derive exceptional mechanical properties from their nano-scale microstructure, which creates a unique combination of extreme strength with the enhanced formability normally found only in low-strength mild steels.

The NanoSteel grades can be rolled thicker than other high-strength grades and are designed for automotive and heavy industrial applications where higher strength-to-weight ratios are essential.

We are pleased to offer our customers yet another set of advanced high-strength steel grades that move beyond the boundaries of what was previously possible. These products are in line with our Best of Both strategy and complement and expand our already strong offering of advanced high-strength steels like our proprietary 980 XG3 steel.

We are already in discussions with customers around the world, looking at new applications where this combination of high formability and high strength was not available on a commercial scale until now.

—US Steel President and CEO David B. Burritt

US Steel’s Best of Both strategy intends to bring the best of integrated and mini-mill capabilities to its customers. In January, US Steel closed its acquisition of the remaining equity of Big River Steel.

We are creating the first ‘Best of Both’ integrated and mini mill steel company. Taking a page from the Big River Steel playbook, we are closing on this world competitive green steel asset purchase under budget and ahead of schedule. Our customers now have access to a truly sustainable source of the most advanced high strength steels. Our customer-centric organization will provide customers, employees, communities and investors with the world competitive advantages from the most advanced process technology and the intellectual capital necessary to produce the most advanced products.

—David Burritt

US Steel’s XG3 steel delivers high strength and high formability, and adapts to current processes without compromising weldability. It’s designed specifically to provide automakers with the most cost-effective material to design safer and lighter vehicles.

US Steel has acquired the majority of The NanoSteel Company’s intellectual property and becomes the sole owner and producer of its internationally recognized high-strength steel grades. Other terms of the transaction were not disclosed.