How much do you know about the steel industry or the production of steel? For companies that manufacture and supply steel, there are many improvements being made to the way steel is produced and used throughout the country. In comparison to steel products of the past, steel products today like stainless strapping and galvanized steel are better quality and are less of an issue in regards to the environment. There?s quite a bit of research, knowledge, design, and consideration that goes into the production of steel products and tools.
Interested in learning more about the steel industry and how it has developed and changed over time? Keep reading for more information about how progressive steel is today.
4 Ways Steel Has Developed Over the Decades
The industry is one that?s worked on innovation and development over the years. Instead of producing the product the same way time and time again and using the same types of products, the industry has adapted where it needed to in order to remain a valuable product. Here?s four ways the steel industry has changed and become even better over the decades.
1. Steel has become more recyclable
One of the biggest benefits to relying on steel for different tools and products like stainless strapping and sign banding is that it is a very recyclable material. In fact, it?s known for being one of the most recycled materials on the planet. For all the steel produced and used throughout the world, nearly 88% of it is recycled, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.
When steel is recycled, it can be reused in a variety of ways. For instance, when a ton of steel is recycled, you can turn that into 2,500 pounds of iron ore. Instead of iron ore, you could turn the recycled steel into 1,400 pounds of coal or 120 pounds of limestone.
2. Development of new steel from recycled items
In addition to steel itself being recyclable, you can turn other items instead steel once they are recycled. For example, if you have old stock or byproducts, they can be recycled and turned into steel eventually. Stock or byproducts can be in the form of processing liquids, steelmaking slags, and steelmaking dust. Nearly two out of every three tons of steel is produced from one of these recycled items. If steel is made from recycled products and can also be recycled into other products, that makes it a very efficient product. Efficient products are worth investing in because they can usually do more work for less cost.
3. Steel is more durable
Nowadays, steel is more durable than it was in the past. The durability of steel or any type of steel product or tool is essential as most products using steel need to be able to withstand a lot of weight and pressure. Any given steel product like stainless strapping can be up to 30% stronger than it was a decade ago. A stronger product is a more valuable product when durability and strength are some of the key reasons why someone may purchase steel or steel products. In addition to being stronger, it is now more dent resistant than it used to be. An example of steel and its strength are the steel hinges on refrigerators. They are capable of supporting a 140-pound door without sagging.
4. Energy needed to produce steel decreased
Another benefit to the advancements of the steel industry over the years is that steel requires less energy to produce now. In 1972, it required 32% more energy to produce the same amount of steel. Less energy means less harm on the environment and less costs in time and money for any company supplying, distributing, or manufacturing steel products like stainless strapping.
Do you know any other interesting ways that the steel industry has improved over time? Let us know in the comments about your thoughts on steel, its advancements, and different ways to recycle steel products.