Stainless Steel: The Friend to All Industries

In the previous edition of the BS Stainless blog, we looked at some of the numerous qualities and properties of stainless steel that have made it such a crucial material in practically any industry that you care to name. In this article, we look at how stainless steel is used in some of these industries. 

Construction
from the moment that stainless steel became available, it has been widely used in the construction industry for a near-infinite variety of applications. Stainless steel is the ideal material for creating beams, columns, sturdy frameworks and other supporting structures for things like balconies and glass curtain walls. It is also perfect for fastening together other structural materials like masonry or timber, as well as support angles and anchoring systems; as these latter components are often difficult to replace and/or inaccessible, the innate durability and low maintenance requirements of stainless steel make it an invaluable material.

In the field of infrastructure, stainless steel is just as versatile and widely used. The material's exceptional strength sees it used to facilitate load-bearing requirements in bridges of all kinds. In tunnels, stainless steel makes an excellent support framing. Many items of street furniture are also made from the ubiquitous material.

Gas and Oil Plants
These environments are notoriously challenging, subject to extremes of temperature and regular exposure to corrosive elements, especially when the facility is located in the harsh offshore environment. The primary use for stainless steel in oil and gas plants is for metal jacketing, which can provide a crucial barrier against moisture, sound and vibration from heavy machinery. Stainless steel is also used for many other purposes in this complex yet vital industry, from creating pipe networks to being used to manufacture components in heat exchangers and storage tanks. 

Automotive
None of the vehicles that you see on the road could exist without stainless steel or, if they could, they would not be remotely as safe or as efficient. In addition to countless fixings and fasteners, stainless steel is used throughout the entirety of any vehicle for a vast array of purposes from creating heat shields, hose clamps, head gaskets and exhaust systems to seatbelt springs, airbag inflation gas containers and windscreen wipers. Some vehicles (we're looking at you Cybertruck!) even have bodies that are made from stainless steel. 

These are just some of the many industries that benefit (indeed couldn't exist without), from the use of stainless steel. Find out more on the BS Stainless website.