Stainless Steel Companies and Suppliers

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a widely used and versatile metal distinguished by its composition, which includes at least 10% chromium—a highly valuable element—along with other metals such as nickel. Also referred to as corrosion-resistant steel or chromium steel, stainless steel is known for its resistance to staining, corrosion, and rust.

In contrast, regular steel, such as carbon steel, may contain small amounts of chromium but lacks the same level of durability and strength. While chromium enhances the hardness and strength of regular steel, it does not provide the same level of protection as stainless steel. What sets stainless steel apart is its ability to form a passivation layer of chromium oxide on its surface. This protective layer prevents oxidation by shielding the metal from exposure to air and moisture. Even when scratched, the chromium oxide layer regenerates, ensuring continued resistance to corrosion. This self-repairing feature makes stainless steel a highly durable, scratch-resistant, and long-lasting material, ideal for a variety of applications.

The History of Stainless Steel

The first known observation of chromium-alloyed iron’s resistance to corrosion was made in 1821 by French metallurgist Pierre Berthier. He suggested using these alloys for cutlery, but at the time, metallurgists were unable to produce what we now recognize as stainless steel. Instead, 19th-century researchers could only create brittle, high-chromium alloys.

A breakthrough came in 1872 when scientists developed an alloy closer to modern stainless steel. Two decades later, German chemist Hans Goldschmidt refined the thermite process to produce carbon-free chromium, a crucial step toward improving stainless steel manufacturing. Between 1904 and 1911, researchers made significant advancements, learning how to create more durable and effective stainless steel.

One of the first major applications of stainless steel was a German sailing yacht built in 1908. Then, in 1912, British metallurgist Harry Brearley industrialized martensitic stainless steel while searching for a corrosion-resistant alloy for gun barrels. His discovery led to the creation of "Staybrite," patented by the company Firth Vickers in England. When Brearley applied for a U.S. patent, he found that American inventor Elwood Haynes had already secured one. Rather than competing, the two joined forces, pooled their resources, and formed the American Stainless Steel Corporation.

Despite early challenges in naming, stainless steel quickly became an industrial staple. Today, manufacturers use it in various forms sheets, bars, and custom shapes—to create an extensive range of products.

Advantages of Stainless Steels

Stainless steel offers numerous advantages, making it a preferred material across industries. Its versatility is unmatched, with over a hundred different grades tailored to specific applications, strengths, and temperature resistances. Regardless of the grade, stainless steel is known for its exceptional durability and strength compared to most other metals.

One of its most valuable properties is its resistance to corrosion, rust, and staining. Additionally, stainless steel is easy to sterilize, making it ideal for food-grade and medical applications, such as plates, tubes, and surgical instruments. Unlike other metals, it does not require special coatings or finishes to maintain performance, reducing costs for manufacturers and consumers alike.

Another major benefit is its sustainability. Stainless steel is both reusable and recyclable, allowing manufacturers to lower production costs while minimizing environmental impact. Products like tubes and plates are especially useful for upcycling, further enhancing sustainability efforts. By recycling stainless steel, both manufacturers and consumers contribute to a more eco-friendly future.

Production Process of Stainless Steel

The production of stainless steel involves a 7-step process, transforming raw materials into a wide range of products, including sheets, tubes, and tri-ply cookware.

Step 1: Melting Raw Materials
The process begins by melting raw materials in an electric furnace, where they are heated for 8 to 12 hours until they reach the recrystallization temperature.

Step 2: Casting Molten Steel
Next, the molten steel is cast into semi-finished forms such as blooms, billets, slabs,rods, and tube rounds.

Step 3: Hot Roll Forming
The semi-finished shapes then undergo hot roll forming. Blooms and billets are transformed into bars, wire, and coils, while slabs are shaped into plates, tubes, strips, sheets, and foil. In this context, "plate" refers to flat sheets of steel used for products like countertops, tabletops, and even parts of ships and buildings.

Step 4: Annealing
The steel is then heat treated through annealing, a process where it is heated and subsequently cooled by quenching or air hardening. The duration of cooling determines whether the steel will harden or soften.

Step 5: Pickling or Electro-Cleaning
After cooling, the stainless steel undergoes descaling through either pickling or electro-cleaning to remove any surface buildup.

Step 6: Cutting Steel
The steel is then cut into its final desired shapes and sizes through processes such as shearing, blanking, nibbling, or flame cutting.

Step 7: Finishing Stainless Steel
If a specific finish, such as a dull or shiny appearance, is required, further processing is done through hot rolling, cold rolling, annealing, or descaling. Manufacturers may use any combination of these processes to achieve the desired result. Stainless steel products are made from stock shapes like cold-rolled sheet, stainless steel plate, pipe, and tubing.

Note: All stainless steel must meet strict quality and safety standards, including toughness and corrosion resistance, as defined by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

The majority of stainless steel manufacturing utilizes three main types, each combining different proportions of nickel alloy, carbon, and molybdenum to achieve specific properties.

Stainless Steel Classifications

Austenitic Stainless Steel
Austenitic stainless steel contains the highest levels of chromium, nickel, and molybdenum, making up about 70% of fabricated stainless steel. The most common grade is 18/10 stainless steel, a hard, durable, and corrosion-resistant alloy. This type offers a superior strength-to-weight ratio compared to other materials, providing impact resistance and toughness in extreme temperatures. As a result, it is ideal for applications involving cryogenic products and environments.

Ferritic Stainless Steel
Ferritic stainless steel has low nickel content, higher carbon content, and excellent corrosion resistance. However, it is less strong and durable than austenitic stainless steel.

Martensitic Stainless Steel
Martensitic stainless steel features higher carbon levels, nickel, and often molybdenum, making it strong and durable but with lower corrosion resistance. Under heat treatment or when chromium is added, some martensitic steels can transform into austenitic alloys. For example, maraging steel, a low-carbon, ultra-high-strength alloy, becomes martensitic when part of its nickel content is replaced with chromium to improve corrosion resistance and hardness.

Duplex Stainless Steel
Duplex stainless steel is a blend of austenitic and ferritic grains, offering about twice the strength of both regular austenitic and ferritic stainless steel.

There are 150 grades of steel alloys, divided into four main categories based on their corrosion resistance and mechanical properties.

200 Series
Non-magnetic and austenitic, 200-series steels offer the highest resistance to corrosion. They typically contain 17% chromium, 4% nickel, and 7% manganese, making them suitable for a range of stainless steel products, including sheets.

300 Series
Very similar to the 200 series, the 300-series steels have slightly less corrosion resistance but contain more chromium and 8% nickel. The 316 stainless steel grade is one of the most popular within this series, known for its superior corrosion resistance due to its high nickel content.

400 Series
Magnetic and martensitic, the 400-series steels are generally less corrosion-resistant. Some, like stainless steel 408, contain nickel, but they typically offer poor corrosion resistance compared to other series. These alloys contain 11% chromium and 1% manganese.

600 Series
These steels can be heat-treated to achieve high strength levels. Known as precipitation hardening, this treatment makes 600-series stainless steels highly resistant to water and chloride-related attacks.

Stainless Steel Types

303 Stainless Steel

An austenitic alloy with added sulfur and/or selenium to improve machinability. 303 stainless steel reduces machining time, leading to longer tool life and lower production costs.

304 Stainless Steel

An austenitic alloy that is easy to form and weld but does not offer free-machining properties. Commonly used for sheet metal applications in non-harsh environments.

304L Stainless Steel

One of the most widely used austenitic alloys, often chosen for welded parts, especially in situations where the weld might be exposed to chlorinated water.

305 Stainless Steel

An austenitic alloy with high corrosion resistance and increased nickel content. 305 stainless steel is less likely to work-harden during the cold heading process.

316 Stainless Steel

A non-magnetic austenitic alloy containing molybdenum and higher nickel content. Known for excellent corrosion resistance, 316 stainless steel can still be vulnerable to prolonged exposure to high chlorine levels.

316L Stainless Steel

An austenitic alloy with high corrosion resistance and higher tensile strength at elevated temperatures. It is commonly used in heavy-gauge welded components and is second in importance to 304 stainless steel.

384 Stainless Steel

This austenitic alloy features a high nickel content and outstanding corrosion resistance to chlorides. It is also known for its good performance during cold heading.

420 Stainless Steel

A group of high-carbon steels with at least 12% chromium content, classified under the judgment of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). These steels are known for their strength and corrosion resistance.

Austenitic Stainless Steel

Composed of chromium and nickel, this type is used in both mild and corrosive environments. It represents about 70% of the stainless steel family.

Duplex Stainless Steel

Combining iron, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, nitrogen, and copper with low carbon content, duplex stainless steel has double the strength of austenitic stainless steel and superior corrosion resistance compared to martensitic steels.

Ferrite Stainless Steel

Consisting primarily of iron and chromium, ferritic stainless steel is magnetic, cannot be hardened, and is primarily used for decorative trim and vehicle mufflers.

Martensitic Stainless Steels

Characterized by low chromium levels and high carbon content, martensitic steels are magnetic and have reduced corrosion resistance. However, they can be heat-treated for high strength and toughness.

Precipitation-Hardened Stainless Steels

Chromium-nickel grades that can be strengthened by adding elements like copper and aluminum, which are hardened in an aging treatment at elevated temperatures.

Stainless Steel Alloys

These alloys exhibit enhanced corrosion resistance by forming a protective chromium oxide layer on the surface, preventing oxidation and protecting the steel from rusting.

Stainless Steel Bars

Solid pieces of stainless steel rolled from billets, available in various grades. These bars can be hot or cold finished and formed into rounds, squares, hexagons, octagons, or flats.

Stainless Steel Coil

A rolled product made from stainless steel strips, typically used in various industrial applications

Stainless Steel Foil

Provides superior corrosion resistance, strength, and electrical resistance compared to traditional metals like aluminum and copper foil.

Stainless Steel Grades

Stainless steel is categorized into six series: 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600.

Stainless Steel Pipes

Tubes used for transporting gases or liquids, known for their durability and long lifespan due to the material's corrosion resistance.

Stainless Steel Plates

Large, flat pieces of stainless steel, typically over eight inches wide, with thicknesses ranging from a quarter inch to more than a foot.

Stainless Steel Rods

Long, cylindrical pieces of stainless steel.

Stainless Steel Sheets

Thin, large rectangular or square pieces of stainless steel, offering flexibility for custom fabrication or molding.

Stainless Steel Suppliers

Companies that provide stainless steel rods, sheets, and plates used in the manufacturing of various products.

Stainless Steel Strip

A very thin, flat-rolled sheet of stainless steel.

Stainless Steel Tubing

Available in sizes ranging from less than 0.01 inches to over six inches in diameter.

Stainless Steel Wires

Known for their excellent strength-to-weight ratio and rustproof properties, stainless steel wires come in diameters ranging from 0.01 inches to 1-1/16 inches.

Stainless Steel Grades

*These figures are guidelines based on industry research; they should not be presumed accurate under all circumstances and are not a substitute for certified measurements. The information is not to be interpreted as absolute material properties nor does it constitute a representation or warranty for which we assume legal liability. User shall determine suitability of the material for the intended use and assumes all risk and liability whatsoever in connection therewith.

Stainless Steel Applications

Manufacturers favor stainless steel for its exceptional resistance to corrosion, durability, strength, inertness, and versatility—properties that outshine those of other metal alloys. This makes stainless steel a preferred material in various industries, including aerospace, architecture, automotive, cookware, healthcare, military and defense, jewelry, HVAC, general manufacturing, 3D printing, and more.

Stainless Steel Products Produced

Steel service centers process stainless steel into a wide range of products, such as foil, strip, wire, tube, tubing, plate, bars, pipe, rods, coil, and sheet. Additionally, stainless steel is used in consumer goods like kitchenware, sinks, laundry equipment, flatware, and electronic appliances. In the food and beverage industry, it is found in silos, wire mesh strainers, vats, kegs, and large kitchen equipment. It also plays a key role in construction and engineering for roofing, gutters, elevator doors, public seating, and skyscrapers. Stainless steel is commonly used in automotive parts, bus frames, pipes, valves, pumps, and industrial mixers. For sanitation purposes, stainless steel countertops are popular, and tube and pipe products are essential in appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, and water systems.

Things to Consider When Purchasing Stainless Steel

With numerous suppliers—both local and international—offering stainless steel products at similar prices and lead times, choosing the right manufacturer can be challenging. Key factors to consider include:

• Does the supplier understand your specifications?
• Can they produce the required quantity of parts or products?
• Do they meet regional and industry standards and regulations?
• Can they work within your budget and timeline?
• Are they capable of producing custom products?
• Most importantly, do they genuinely have your best interests in mind?
• Choosing a supplier who focuses on helping you succeed rather than just making a profit is crucial. Opt for a company that is invested in bringing your vision to life.

The Global Stainless Steel Market

Stainless steel is in high demand globally, with significant production and trade occurring both in the U.S. and abroad. While American companies often engage with contract manufacturers overseas, experts predict that global consumption of stainless steel will continue to rise. As of 2015, North America was the third-largest steel producer, trailing behind Asia, Oceania, and the European Union. This global market expansion has led to rising domestic prices, prompting many to seek imported steel for their applications.

Why Choose Local Suppliers?

Although international trade may offer cost savings, it’s important to remember that stainless steel produced outside the U.S., especially in countries like China, may not meet the same stringent standards and regulations. Importing stainless steel could result in subpar products that fail to meet industry requirements. Additionally, local suppliers provide the advantage of direct communication, allowing you to discuss your project in detail and ensure it meets local industry standards. American companies are also more likely to be familiar with and adhere to U.S. regulations. By choosing a reputable local supplier, you gain access to excellent customer service and timely delivery, making it a wise choice for your stainless steel needs.

Stainless Steel Terms

Age Hardening
A heat treatment process applied to martensitic stainless steels to increase hardness. The material is heated above its critical temperature, held at that temperature to ensure uniform heat distribution, and then rapidly cooled by quenching in air or oil.

Alloy
A solid mixture of two or more metals. Stainless steel, in all its forms, is an alloy.

Annealing
A process where a cold-rolled steel coil is heated to a specific temperature and then cooled. Annealing softens the steel, making it easier to bend and shape.

Argon-Oxygen Decarburization (AOD)
A low-temperature, quick process used to reduce the carbon content in stainless steel during its refinement.

Billet
A short, solid piece of metal.

Blank
A flat piece of stainless steel with the exact outer dimensions of a finished part but not yet stamped or shaped. Blanks reduce labor and transportation costs for stainless steel processors.

Blast Furnace
A large cylinder lined with heat-resistant bricks used in steel mills to smelt iron from ore. The name comes from the hot air blasted through the ore during the smelting process.

Bloom
A semi-finished stainless steel product with a cross-section greater than 36 square inches. Blooms are further processed into final mill products.

Burr
A raised edge or ridge on stainless steel strips caused by cutting operations such as blanking, trimming, shearing, or slitting.

Chromium (Cr)
An element added to stainless steel to enhance its corrosion resistance, making it more durable.

Cold Forming
Also known as "cold working," it refers to any mechanical operation done at room temperature that permanently deforms stainless steel. This includes bending, rolling, and drawing, which increase the material's hardness and strength.

Continuous Casting
A method of directly pouring molten stainless steel from the furnace into a billet, bloom, or slab, eliminating the need for large and expensive mills and speeding up production.

Ductility
The ability of steel to undergo permanent deformation, such as stretching or bending, without breaking.

Galvanized
Coated with zinc to enhance corrosion resistance. Galvanizing is commonly used for automotive parts, storage tanks, garbage cans, and other applications.

Grade
A designation indicating a specific type of steel, with each grade having unique characteristics and compositions.

Oscillating
A technique for winding narrow strips of steel over a wider roll, similar to how fishing line is wound onto a spool.

Reinforcing Bar (Rebar)
Steel bars used to strengthen concrete structures. Rebars are essential in highway construction and building foundations.

More Stainless Steel Information