EPD-IES-0023949:002

Seamless flux cored wire

Seamless flux cored wires from NIPPON STEEL WELDING & ENGINEERING are applied to joining a wide range of carbon steel alloys and comply with numerous standards worldwide. Seamless flux cored wire has high moisture absorption resistance, and its typical segment is general construction work. There is a variety of diameters, spools and drums produced dedicated to different applications and welding processes.

General information

EPD OwnerNIPPON STEEL WELDING & ENGINEERING CO.,LTD.
Registration numberEPD-IES-0023949:002
PCR2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) 1.3.4
StatusValid
Publication date2025-06-06
Valid until2030-06-05
EN 15804 compliantYes
Geographical scopeGlobal

Product images

Programme information

ProgrammeInternational EPD System
AddressEPD International AB Box 210 60 SE-100 31 Stockholm Sweden
Websitewww.environdec.com
E-mailsupport@environdec.com

Product category rules

CEN standard EN 15804 serves as the Core Product Category Rules (PCR)
Product Category Rules (PCR)2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) 1.3.4
PCR review was conducted byThe Technical Committee of the International EPD System. See www.environdec.com for a list of members. Review chair: Claudia A. Peña, University of Concepción, Chile. The review panel may be contacted via the Secretariat www.environdec.com/support.

Verification

LCA accountabilityRuru Sakamoto, sakamoto.ruru@tco2.com, NIPPON STEEL WELDING & ENGINEERING CO.,LTD.
Independent third-party verification of the declaration and data, according to ISO 14025:2006, via
Third-party verifierMamoru Yanagisawa (柳澤衛) (EPA Corporation)
Approved byInternational EPD System
Procedure for follow-up of data during EPD validity involves third party verifier
*EPD Process Certification involves an accredited certification body certifying and periodically auditing the EPD process and conducting external and independent verification of EPDs that are regularly published. More information can be found in the General Programme Instructions on www.envrondec.com.

Ownership and limitation on use of EPD

Limitations

EPDs within the same product category but registered in different EPD programmes may not be comparable. For two EPDs to be comparable, they shall be based on the same PCR (including the same version number up to the first two digits) or be based on fully-aligned PCRs or versions of PCRs; cover products with identical functions, technical performances and use (e.g. identical declared/functional units); have equivalent system boundaries and descriptions of data; apply equivalent data quality requirements, methods of data collection, and allocation methods; apply identical cut-off rules and impact assessment methods (including the same version of characterisation factors); have equivalent content declarations; and be valid at the time of comparison.

Ownership

The EPD Owner has the sole ownership, liability, and responsibility for the EPD.

Information about EPD Owner

EPD OwnerNIPPON STEEL WELDING & ENGINEERING CO.,LTD.
Contact person nameKIMIHIRO TSUJI
Contact person e-mailtsuji.2g.kimihiro@weld.nipponsteel.com
Organisation addressJapan Narashino City, Chiba Pref 275-0001 Higashinarashino 7-chome 6-1

Description of the organisation of the EPD Owner

We, NIPPON STEEL WELDING & ENGINEERING CO., LTD. are a subsidiary company of Nippon Steel Corporation which is Japan’s largest steelmaker and one of the world’s leading steel producers.Over 90 years, our company supply the breakthrough welding consumables used for FCAW, SMAW, SAW, GMAW, GTAW, and various welding equipment included plasma welding to match or also enhance your welding technique.There has been the first and only Japanese manufacturer to mass produce the Seamless Flux Cored Wire since 1981, which has excellent performance, quality for low temperature service steel, and high-tensile strength steel use.In 2002, NIPPON STEEL WELDING & ENGINEERING was established through the business integration of group companies that inherit the history with traditions of the welding divisions of both NIPPON STEEL and SUMITOMO METAL.We promise to provide appropriate solutions and create an advancement for your welding situation.

Organisation logo

Product information

Product nameSeamless flux cored wire
Product identificationSF, SM, SX, CF, ABREX series
Product descriptionSeamless flux cored wires from NIPPON STEEL WELDING & ENGINEERING are applied to joining a wide range of carbon steel alloys and comply with numerous standards worldwide. Seamless flux cored wire has high moisture absorption resistance, and its typical segment is general construction work. There is a variety of diameters, spools and drums produced dedicated to different applications and welding processes.
Product information from external sourceshttps://www.weld.nipponsteel.com/en/
Technical purpose of productThis product is used to join two or more steel materials together to create a continuous connection. In addition, the scope of application is wide-ranging, including general structures, ships, and bridges.
Manufacturing or service provision descriptionSeamless flux-cored wires are manufactured starting from a hot-rolled steel strip and a mixture of different metallic or mineral powders in a precise ratio and percentage that ensures the product's mechanical and operational performance properties. The powders are mixed together at the beginning of the process to produce a homogeneous flux. The steel strip is then filled with flux at the proper filling rate and formed into a pipe shape. Then, with a drawing step, the diameter of the pipe filled with the flux is gradually reduced to the final wire diameter. Copper plating is also applied before reaching the final diameter. Finally, customizing is done by spooling on different spool types or drums.
Material propertiesConversion factor to mass: 1 LCA results per 1 kg
Production siteNarashino Plant Japan Narashino City, Chiba Pref 275-0001 Higashinarashino 7-chome 6-1
Production site 2Hikari Plant Japan Hikari City, Yamaguchi Pref 743-0021 Asae 4-chome 2-1
UN CPC code42950. Wire, rods, tubes, plates, electrodes and similar products, of base metal or of metal carbides, coated or cored with flux material, of a kind used for soldering, brazing, welding or deposition of metal or of metal carbides; wire and rods, of agglomerated
Geographical scopeGlobal
Geographical scope descriptionOur own process is in the Narashino plant and Hikari plant in Japan and the product group is supplied to customers globally.
Actual or technical lifespan3 year(s)

Content declaration

Content declaration of multiple productsThe product does not contain the substances included in the "Candidate List of SVHC" document issued by the European Chemicals Agency (http://echa.europa.eu/candidate-list-table).
Hazardous and toxic substancesThe product does not contain any substances from the SVHC candidate list in concentrations exceeding 0.1% of its weight.
Product content
Content nameWeight, kgPost-consumer recycled material, weight-% of productBiogenic material, weight-% of productBiogenic material1, kg C/declared unit
Steel strip0.8700.01
Flux0.1300.01
Total100.020
Note 11 kg biogenic carbon is equivalent to 44/12 kg of CO2
Packaging materials
Material nameWeight, kgWeight-% (versus the product)Biogenic material1, kg C/declared unit
Individual stretch film Polyethylene0.011.190.04
Cardboard box K60.2200.05
Spool PS material0.044.20
Pallet larch0.022.30.58
Total0.2727.690.67
Note 11 kg biogenic carbon is equivalent to 44/12 kg of CO2

LCA information

EPD based on declared or functional unitDeclared unit
Declared unit and reference flowSeamless Flux Cored Wire Mass: 1 kg
Conversion factor to mass1
Are infrastructure or capital goods included in any upstream, core or downstream processes?
Datasources used for this EPDecoinvent database (general) ecoinvent 3.10 database
LCA SoftwareSimaPro SimaPro 9.6
Additional information about the underlying LCA-based informationWe actually used SimaPro 10.1, but chose 9.6 because it was not among the options. The version of ecoinvent DB that can be used with both 9.6 and 10.1 is the same.
Version of the EN 15804 reference packageEF Reference Package 3.1
Technology description including background systemSeamless flux cored wires from NIPPON STEEL WELDING & ENGINEERING are applied to joining a wide range of carbon steel alloys and comply with numerous standards worldwide. Seamless flux cored wire has high moisture absorption resistance, and its typical segment is general construction work. There is a variety of diameters, spools and drums produced dedicated to different applications and welding processes.
Scrap (recycled material) inputs contribution levelLess than 10% of the GWP-GHG results in modules A1-A3 come from scrap inputs

Data quality assessment and reference years

Description of data quality assessment and reference yearsThe time representativeness of the primary data used in this study is 2023-2024 (April 2023 to March 2024).
Data quality assessment and reference years
Process nameSource typeSourceReference yearData categoryShare of primary data, of GWP-GHG results for A1-A3
Amount of a raw materials for productCollected dataEPD ownerMar 31 202 - Mar 30 202Primary data64%
Amount of packagingCollected dataEPD ownerMar 31 202 - Mar 30 202Primary data7%
Transportation distance to the manufacturing siteCollected dataEPD ownerMar 31 202 - Mar 30 202Primary data/secondary data4%
Manufacturing of productCollected dataEPD ownerMar 31 202 - Mar 30 202Primary data25%
Total share of primary data, of GWP-GHG results for A1-A3100%
The share of primary data is calculated based on GWP-GHG results. It is a simplified indicator for data quality that do not capture all relevant aspects of data quality. The indicator is not comparable across product categories.
Electricity data
Electricity used in the manufacturing process in A3
Type of electricity mixSpecific electricity mix as generated, or purchased from an electricity supplier, demonstrated by a contractual instrument
Energy sourcesHydro7.6%
Wind1.1%
Solar9.8%
Biomass4.1%
Geothermal0.3%
Waste0%
Nuclear8.5%
Natural gas32.9%
Coal28.5%
Oil7.3%
Peat0%
Other0%
GWP-GHG intensity (kg CO2 eq./kWh)4.22 kg CO2 eq./kWh

System boundary

Description of the system boundaryd) Cradle to gate (A1-A3).
Excluded modulesYes, there is an excluded module, or there are excluded modules
Justification for the omission of modulesAt the end-of-life stage, the product cannot be separated from the bearer material it has been welded onto, and the used product does not contain biogenic carbon. Therefore, for the scope of the study, A1-A3 has been chosen following Section 2.2.2 in PCR 2019:14. Module A5 has been added solely to balance out biogenic carbon in the packaging.

Declared modules

Product stageConstruction process stageUse stageEnd of life stageBeyond product life cycle
Raw material supplyTransportManufacturingTransport to siteConstruction installationUseMaintenanceRepairReplacementRefurbishmentOperational energy useOperational water useDe-construction demolitionTransportWaste processingDisposalReuse-Recovery-Recycling-potential
ModuleA1A2A3A4A5B1B2B3B4B5B6B7C1C2C3C4D
Modules declaredXXXNDXNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
GeographyJapanJapanJapanN/AGlobalN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Share of specific data90%--------------
Variation - products10%--------------
Variation - sites10%--------------

Default scenario

Name of the default scenarioIncineration of packaging
Description of the default scenarioIn A5, all packaging materials are assumed to be incinerated.

Module A5: Installation in the building

Explanatory name of the default scenario in module A5Incineration
Brief description of the default scenario in module A5Module A5 has been added solely to balance out biogenic carbon in the packaging.
Module A5 informationValueUnit
Waste of packagingIncineration
N/A

Additional scenario 1

Name of the additional scenarioDisposal Transportation
Description of the additional scenarioValues from the Annual Survey of Vehicle Transport Statistics conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (2023 Annual Report of Vehicle Transport Statistics) were used. The transport distance was obtained by dividing the transport tkm of waste items written in the document by the number of tons transported.

Module A5: Installation in the building

Description of the additional scenario in module A5This scenario is only used in A3.
Module A5 informationValueUnit
Transportation48
km

Environmental performance

The estimated impact results are only relative statements, which do not indicate the endpoints of the impact categories, exceeding threshold values, safety margins and/or risks.

Mandatory environmental performance indicators according to EN 15804

Impact categoryIndicatorUnitA1-A3A4A5B1B2B3B4B5B6B7C1C2C3C4D
Climate change - totalGWP-totalkg CO2 eq.4.36E+0ND2.36E-1NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Climate change - fossilGWP-fossilkg CO2 eq.5.03E-3ND9.16E-2NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Climate change - biogenicGWP-biogenickg CO2 eq.4.34E+0ND1.44E-1NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Climate change - land use and land-use changeGWP-luluckg CO2 eq.8.80E-3ND2.91E-6NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Ozone depletionODPkg CFC-11 eq.8.38E-8ND1.29E-10NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
AcidificationAPmol H+ eq.2.03E-2ND8.45E-5NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Eutrophication aquatic freshwaterEP-freshwaterkg P eq.1.34E-3ND1.26E-5NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Eutrophication aquatic marineEP-marinekg N eq.3.87E-3ND4.54E-5NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Eutrophication terrestrialEP-terrestrialmol N eq.4.10E-2ND3.91E-4NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Photochemical ozone formationPOCPkg NMVOC eq.1.49E-2ND1.02E-4NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Depletion of abiotic resources - minerals and metalsADP-minerals&metals1kg Sb eq.5.13E+1ND9.13E-2NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Depletion of abiotic resources - fossil fuelsADP-fossil1MJ, net calorific value5.71E-5ND2.37E-8NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Water useWDP1m3 world eq. deprived1.05E+0ND1.79E-2NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
AcronymsGWP-fossil = Global Warming Potential fossil fuels; GWP-biogenic = Global Warming Potential biogenic; GWP-luluc = Global Warming Potential land use and land use change; ODP = Depletion potential of the stratospheric ozone layer; AP = Acidification potential, Accumulated Exceedance; EP-freshwater = Eutrophication potential, fraction of nutrients reaching freshwater end compartment; EP-marine = Eutrophication potential, fraction of nutrients reaching marine end compartment; EP-terrestrial = Eutrophication potential, Accumulated Exceedance; POCP = Formation potential of tropospheric ozone; ADP-minerals&metals = Abiotic depletion potential for non-fossil resources; ADP-fossil = Abiotic depletion for fossil resources potential; WDP = Water (user) deprivation potential, deprivation-weighted water consumption
Disclaimer 1The results of this environmental impact indicator shall be used with care as the uncertainties of these results are high or as there is limited experience with the indicator

Additional mandatory environmental performance indicators

Impact categoryIndicatorUnitA1-A3A4A5B1B2B3B4B5B6B7C1C2C3C4D
Climate change - GWP-GHGGWP-GHG1kg CO2 eq.4.22E+0ND1.44E-1NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
AcronymsGWP-GHG = Global warming potential greenhouse gas.
Disclaimer 1The GWP-GHG indicator is termed GWP-IOBC/GHG in the ILCD+EPD+ data format. The indicator accounts for all greenhouse gases except biogenic carbon dioxide uptake and emissions and biogenic carbon stored in the product. As such, the indicator is identical to GWP-total except that the CF for biogenic CO2 is set to zero.

Additional voluntary environmental performance indicators according to EN 15804

Impact categoryIndicatorUnitA1-A3A4A5B1B2B3B4B5B6B7C1C2C3C4D
Particulate matter emissionsPMDisease incidence0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Ionizing radiation - human healthIRP1kBq U235 eq.0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Eco-toxicity - freshwaterETP-fw2CTUe0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Human toxicity - cancer effectsHTP-c2CTUh0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Human toxicity - non-cancer effectsHTP-nc2CTUh0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
Land-use related impacts/soil qualitySQP2Dimensionless0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
AcronymsPM = Potential incidence of disease due to particulate matter emissions; IRP = Potential human exposure efficiency relative to U235; ETP-fw = Potential comparative toxic unit for ecosystems; HTP-c = Potential comparative toxic unit for humans; HTP-nc = Potential comparative toxic unit for humans; SQP = Potential soil quality index.
Disclaimer 1This impact category deals mainly with the eventual impact of low dose ionizing radiation on human health of the nuclear fuel cycle. It does not consider effects due to possible nuclear accidents, occupational exposure nor due to radioactive waste disposal in underground facilities. Potential ionizing radiation from the soil, from radon and from some construction materials is also not measured by this indicator.
Disclaimer 2The results of this environmental impact indicator shall be used with care as the uncertainties of these results are high or as there is limited experience with the indicator.

Resource use indicators according to EN 15804

IndicatorUnitA1-A3A4A5B1B2B3B4B5B6B7C1C2C3C4D
PEREMJ, net calorific value4.07E+0ND-2.55E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
PERMMJ, net calorific value6.17E-1ND2.55E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
PERTMJ, net calorific value4.68E+0ND2.85E-3NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
PENREMJ, net calorific value4.84E+1ND-1.58E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
PENRMMJ, net calorific value2.89E+0ND1.67E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
PENRTMJ, net calorific value5.13E+1ND9.13E-2NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
SMkg2.06E-1ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
RSFMJ, net calorific value0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
NRSFMJ, net calorific value0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
FWm34.48E-2ND3.02E-4NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
AcronymsPERE = Use of renewable primary energy excluding renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials; PERM = Use of renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials; PERT = Total use of renewable primary energy resources; PENRE = Use of non-renewable primary energy excluding non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials; PENRM = Use of non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials; PENRT = Total use of non-renewable primary energy re-sources; SM = Use of secondary material; RSF = Use of renewable secondary fuels; NRSF = Use of non-renewable secondary fuels; FW = Use of net fresh water.

Waste indicators according to EN 15804

IndicatorUnitA1-A3A4A5B1B2B3B4B5B6B7C1C2C3C4D
HWDkg1.87E-3ND6.41E-2NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
NHWDkg2.24E-1ND7.96E-3NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
RWDkg3.26E-5ND3.39E-8NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
AcronymsHWD = Hazardous waste disposed; NHWD = Non-hazardous waste disposed; RWD = Radioactive waste disposed.

Output flow indicators according to EN 15804

IndicatorUnitA1-A3A4A5B1B2B3B4B5B6B7C1C2C3C4D
CRUkg0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
MFRkg0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
MERkg0.00E+0ND0.00E+0NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
EEEMJ, net calorific value1.75E-3ND3.85E-1NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
EETMJ, net calorific value7.20E-3ND7.90E-1NDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDND
AcronymsCRU = Components for re-use; MFR = Materials for recycling; MER = Materials for energy recovery; EEE = Exported electrical energy; EET = Exported thermal energy.
Justification for why this is representativemass

References

General Programme Instructions of the International EPD® System. Version 5.0.

• PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804:A2) (version 1.3.4) 

• ISO 14020:2000 Environmental labels and declarations - General principles. 

• ISO 14040:2006 Environmental management - Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework. 

• ISO 14044:2006 Environmental management - Life Cycle Assessment - Requirements and guidelines.  

Version history

EPD standard format additional registration.