Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein leads the transition to chrome-free passivated tinplate in Germany

Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein, Germany’s only tinplate manufacturing company, has plans to significantly increase its production of modern CFPA chrome-free passivation raselstein. The company, located in Andernach, aims to gradually develop its capacity from mid-2024 to produce only chrome-free passivated tinplate in the future.

The change to the new passivation was necessary because the use of chromium (VI) in the process is no longer permitted under EU/EEA REACH regulations. Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein has received provisional authorization until October 21, 2027.

The German-based company decided to adopt the requirements of the European Union from the start and now offers its customers rasselstein CFPA, a new passivation that meets all legal requirements, standards and quality. From 2024 onwards, the availability of the old chromium passivation will be significantly reduced.

Therefore, thyssenkrupp Rasselstein recommends that manufacturers of tinplate packaging start using its chrome-free passivation to gain experience with this new material as soon as possible. Heiner Schäfgen, head of technical customer service, emphasized this recommendation.

The chrome-free passivation technology, known as CFPA, was developed in collaboration with APEAL, an association of European packaging steel producers. This technique complies with all European Union and FDA standards for food safety. In fact, it has already been classified as a new standard in the European standard EN10202:2022 and is recognized as an alternative option to tinplate passivation in ASTM A624/A626M and ASTM A626/A2022M since 624.

Instead of using chromium, CFPA uses titanium and zirconium oxides to form a protective layer that prevents oxidation of the steel surface. This technology meets the stringent quality standards set by thyssenkrupp Rasselstein GmbH, who conduct extensive testing to ensure that CFPA performs as well as or better than traditional chrome-based systems.

For many years, innovative passivation has been extensively tested by can manufacturers on hundreds of containers for different types of products such as food and aerosols. The positive results are reflected in customer feedback and tests conducted by thyssenkrupp Rasselstein. The SSICA institute also conducted tests on two commonly canned products (chickpea puree and diced tomatoes with basil) showing that there is no significant difference between Rasselstein’s CFPA and the previous chromium-based standard. In addition, CFPA tinplate is suitable for food contact without restrictions and tests were successful on different types of packaging.

The CFPA provides a safety guarantee for the planning of future coatings and enamels that are being specifically developed for chrome-free passivation. Because it has a higher surface tension than chromium-based passivations, the coating is ideal for the transition to the new BPA-NI lacquers. In addition, CFPA provides tinplate with a superior surface quality that maintains the brightness of the material and allows direct printing on it.

thyssenkrupp Rasselstein uses innovative spray coating methods. As one of the first companies to use the new passivation, the Andernach-based company has extensive experience in the field. Their goal from the beginning was to offer customers a product that would meet all future challenges and, at the same time, ensure a familiar and safe application process. Dr. Schäfgen says they have achieved this goal thanks to their passivation equipment, an engineering innovation that allows precise and stable process control with homogeneous results thanks to its advanced spraying technique.