Is Steel Going Green?

Strapping suppliers

For all kinds of industries from drilling and mining to telecommunications, stainless steel strapping provides the strength and security needed for heavy usage. Steel is highly versatile and the combination of strength and flexibility has made it one of the most important metals of our times. Steel is also recyclable, and is in fact one of the most recycled materials in the world.

Steel is preferred for its strength and versatility
With its strength and flexibility, steel is one of the most important metals in construction and industry. The technology keeps improving, and steel today is as much as 30% stronger than it used to be just ten years ago. Steel parts are also more resistant to dents now. Steel can support and hold heavy weights, and withstand stresses. It is one of the strongest materials that can be used for construction.
Builders do need to remember however that steel expands and shrinks as the temperature rises and falls. In fact the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, built in the nineteenth century, is six inches shorter in the winter than its official height of 984ft. Steel has a higher resistance than other metals, and its toughness makes it a preferred material for construction and many other purposes.

Steel strapping for industry
From steel strapping to tools, stainless steel is preferred as being one of the strongest materials available. Stainless steel strapping comes in various sizes from 3/8″ x .015 to 3/4″ x 0.30. It has a wide range of applications in a number of industries, where it is used for clamping and securing cables, pipes and hoses.
Some applications for stainless steel strapping are:

  • Commercial and Industrial Clamping
  • Drilling and Mining Industry
  • Hazardous Environment Applications
  • Marine
  • Municipal
  • Oil and Gas/Petroleum
  • Sign Mounting
  • Telecommunications

Strapping suppliers keep a number of significant industries rolling.

Steel goes green
Even while supporting crucial industrial processes, steel is following trends in technology and industry by going green. Steel is one of the most recycled materials on earth. In fact, the American Iron and Steel Institute estimates that about 88% of all the steel used worldwide ends up being recycled.
In North America alone, 69% of the steel used each year is recycled. This means that two thirds of all new steel comes from old recycled stock. The recycling process also produces byproducts like processing liquids and steelmaking slags, and dust, which have commercial value.

New technology has a smaller carbon footprint
For everything from stainless steel strapping to bridges, the technology has advanced to the point where there is much less waste. Not only is less material needed for construction, it is stronger and uses less energy to produce. For example, today it would take only half of the 83,000 tons of steel that were used to build the Golden Gate Bridge back in the 1930s.
Recycling steel eliminates the need for more production, conserving the raw materials used in the process. This can mean saving 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone each time a ton of recycled steel is used. Steel production processes are also greener now and the energy used to produce a ton of steel is about a third less than it was in 1972.

Improvements in technology and design have made steel a much greener metal. It remains one of the strongest and most versatile materials used in construction and industry. With applications ranging from stainless steel strapping to building bridges, it continues to serve a number of industries.

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