industrial metal scrap recycling

Steel Grades and Industrial Scrap Metal Recycling

Do you own and operate a manufacturing business within the Maricopa county community? 

It’s important for businesses in Glendale, Mesa, Scottsdale, Surprise,Peoria to understand the details of metals to take advantage of scrap metal recycling.  It’s always a win-win to bring metal recycling into your organization.  By recycling your scrap metal, your business can make money, help to keep landfills clear, and contribute to the economy.  By purchasing recycled metal, your business will save money on manufacturing materials.  You will also make an eco-friendly decision as new, raw ore will not need to be mined in order to create new products. 

So let’s take a look at what scraps you may be producing in Phoenix to get a sense of what’s recyclable and what grades of steel are out there.

There are over 3,500 different grades of steel according to the World Steel Association.  Steel is the most recycled metal in the world.  It’s found everywhere, including automobiles, food packaging, and office furnishings. In larger industrial and manufacturing capacities, steel can be found in commercial buildings, machinery, bridges, and pipelines. 

Recycling Carbon Steels

Carbon steel makes up 90% of total steel production.  There are three main categories of carbon steels including low, medium, and high carbon steel.  The level of impurities, the amount of carbon, and the additional alloying elements determine the properties of each steel grade.  Carbon steel is widely used within the construction industry and can be found in anything from kitchen knives to buildings and bridges.

Scrap Metal Alloy Steels

Known for strength, durability, and corrosion resistance, alloy steels can be found in pipelines, power generators, electric motors, and auto parts.  Alloy steel contains alloying elements (titanium, copper, manganese, silicon, nickel, chromium, and aluminum).

Stainless Steel Scrap Metal

Stainless steel is valued for high corrosion resistance and contains between 10-20% chromium as the main alloying element.  Based on their crystalline structure, this type of steel can be categorized as the following: austenitic, ferritic, and martensitic.  The largest portion of the stainless steel market comes from the non-magnetic austenitic steels which are found in restaurant equipment, kitchen utensils, and piping.  The ferritic stainless steels are magnetic and cannot be hardened by heat treatment.  These can also be found in restaurant equipment, sinks, and autoparts.  Martensitic steels are magnetic and heat-treatable.  It can be found in knives, cutting tools, as well as medical equipment.

Tool Steel Metal Scrap

Tool steels provide heat resistance and durability and are made up of molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt and vanadium. Tool steels can be found within drilling equipment, auto and shipbuilding parts, and piping materials.

Learn more about steel grades: https://www.thoughtco.com/steel-grades-2340174

Contact CRI for a Recycling Quote

Comprehensive recycling solutions, customized to meet the specific needs of each customer, is what sets CRI apart. We offer wide-ranging recycling programs and are experts in handling special projects – such as obsolete equipment, over-sized loads and many more. We are very responsive to customer needs and handle scrap recycling programs with precision, integrity, and transparency. Contact us today to get a quote for your company.