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IMOA meet in-person for first time since pandemic
15/09/2022
IMOA was pleased to welcome 142 attendees from 50 member companies to their 34th AGM in Geneva last week, during which four new members formally joined the Association.
Following the first in-person AGM since 2019, Secretary-General Eva Model said:
"There were several take-aways from our expert speakers across the two days. One key highlight, which came through in many of the presentations, was that molybdenum is clearly essential in so many aspects of our modern world and in our drive for increased sustainability.
"I felt this was epitomized in Markus Moll from SMR's presentation on the future of moly demand: "We have not yet seen the best for moly, the best is yet to come". This sentiment was echoed in Professor Hardy Mohrbacher's presentation when we heard how wind turbines alone have the potential to consume 400 million tons of steel and 65 million tons of cast iron between now and 2050. Molybdenum of course plays an important role in the gear steels for such application.
"Looking at broader applications, we gained a fascinating insight into ArcelorMittal Industeel's various molybdenum-containing steel grades, illustrating that even small amounts of molybdenum have a big impact on the material's properties, while Hempel metals & more shared how molybdenum enhances the strength and corrosion resistance of many famous Swiss-produced high-performance products.
"Jim Lennon provided his usual insight into current and future demand, particularly regarding post-pandemic recovery, reporting that while demand in 2022 has been uncertain, the outlook is looking more positive for 2023/24.
"Against this backdrop, TDi Sustainability emphasized the growing ESG expectations of the industry and downstream users. In his words, "the ESG tsunami has now landed" so it's reassuring to know that following our focused work on responsible sourcing we are ahead of the game as we move closer to the establishment of the Molybdenum Mark with pilots planned for later in the year."
IMOA's market development work is delivering positive results. For example, IMOA played an integral role in type 316 stainless steel being designated as the material of choice for secondary water conveying systems in Shenzhen. Should this be replicated in other cities around the globe, it will be positive for the consumption of molybdenum in such applications. Also in the water space but in a different application area – managing water loss through leakage prevention - our market development work on stainless steel service water lines, in conjunction with Team Stainless, is underway with trials in Malta and hopefully shortly to be followed by trials in Italy, and with successful trials already performed in Shoalhaven, Australia.
The tightening of international chemicals legislation, and the recent raft of new polices to include sustainability considerations within those regulations, is further ramping up the pressure on operating environments. The relentless work of the HSE Committee in monitoring and responding to the ever-changing regulatory landscape, ensures IMOA makes a positive difference in maintaining appropriate access to markets based on sound science.
Eva Model concluded:
"It has been another successful year for IMOA, with progress being made in all our work streams and many notable successes. It was also a great pleasure to see everyone in person again, at the largest gathering of the molybdenum industry, while enjoying good hospitality and great company in such beautiful surroundings. I would like to thank Glencore for hosting a very memorable AGM.
"I am excited for the coming year as we continue with our important work and our drive to encourage more organizations to join our global community."
Our annual review gives you further insight into our work and achievements in 2021/2022 undertaken on behalf of our members.
General information for media
IMOA is a non profit trade association, representing the majority of the molybdenum industry worldwide. It works to raise awareness about the unique properties of molybdenum, its beneficial effects on materials performance, its safety in use and its contribution to sustainable development.
Molybdenum is added to alloy steels to improve strength, toughness, hardenability and weldability for numerous applications in the automotive, shipbuilding, construction, mining, chemical, oil & gas and energy generation industries. In stainless steels and superalloys, it improves corrosion resistance and high-temperature performance and finds uses in many industrial applications. It is also used in a variety of products from catalysts and lubricants to pigments and paint.
IMOA has a strict antitrust compliance policy which delegates of all meetings are required to observe. All such meetings are observed by legal counsel.
For more information please email the communications team at media@imoa.info.
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