Why choose stainless steel?

1. High and lasting resistance

Wherever components are required to be extremely durable and inert over a period of years, stainless steel is the material of choice.
Examples: structures for waste water and sewage treatment plants, in the field of environmental technology for hazardous materials, in the foodstuff industry, fastenings and casings.

2. Attractive properties that are ideal for special designs

Architects and designers have long since adopted stainless steel as their material of choice, renaming it "design steel". These days, it is hard to imagine almost any commodity, building component or service facility without design elements made of stainless steel. It does not take many words to describe the aesthetic appeal of stainless steel:

• brilliant and lustrous
• slim and elegant
• strong and functional

3. Ecological advantages of stainless steel production

Compared to rival materials, such as plastic, aluminium etc., steels, and stainless steel in particular, are extremely environmentally friendly. This starts with the considerably superior energy and resource efficiency during production and ends with better recyclability and recovery as a raw material. Choosing stainless steel means taking a decisive step towards a better environment and an enhanced quality of life

4. High strength and toughness

It is not without good reason that the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt) in Berlin (our highest building authority) has declared stainless steel the number 1 material for key load-bearing and fastening situations on building sites. The process of working and shaping stainless steel makes it even harder. This is called strain hardening. At the same time, stainless steel remains tough and does not fracture when subjected to impact.

Examples: in the area of anchor technology; for anchors that have to withstand loads of 30 kN or more; in modern buildings as visible filigree supporting structure for elaborate glass roofs or façades; as mast guys on high sea yachts, able to withstand the heaviest storms. The benefits of such high-strength properties are being increasingly recognised in all areas of industry. Thanks to this increased strength, components are slimmer and lighter. In many areas, stainless steel also offers great potential for cost saving. And it is for these reasons that, together with the Information Office for Stainless Steel in Düsseldorf, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin and a number of universities, training establishments and laboratories for welding, we are endeavouring to introduce new and stronger stainless steel grades.

5. Building for the future with new materials, such as "lean duplex"

As early as 2002, i.e. prior to the big wave of price increases in the stainless steel industry, we had already begun investigating the options for new and stronger stainless steels. By 2006, we were able to obtain construction authority approval, No. Z-30.3.19, for SAF2304, for all fastenings in the construction industry.

The advantages of lean duplex stainless steel, e.g. Mat. 1.4362 compared to 1.4571 (A5) or 1.4404 (A4L), can be summarised in the following brief descriptions:
DUPLEX stainless steel