Applications

Stainless steel is not one material with one answer. A kitchen sink, a coastal facade, a reactor vessel and an exhaust manifold all want different grades, finishes and thicknesses — and the difference between the right and wrong choice usually shows up years later as pitting, staining or a failed inspection.

These five pages are written the way we actually quote: start from the application, then work back to the grade. Each one lists what we normally supply, why that grade, and the mistakes we see most often.

Choose your application

• Kitchenware & Food Equipment — sinks, worktops, catering and food-processing lines
• Construction & Architecture — facades, cladding, balustrades and roofing
• Chemical & Pharmaceutical — reactors, tanks, pipework and hygienic process equipment
• Marine & Coastal — ship fittings, port equipment and offshore structures
• Automotive & Transport — exhaust systems, trim, tanks and rail components

The one question that decides most of it

Before anything else: will this part see chlorides? Seawater, road salt, pool water, bleach, CIP chemicals — anything with chloride in it pushes you from 304 to 316L, and sometimes to duplex. If the answer is no, 304 is usually both correct and 25–40% cheaper.

After that, it is finish and thickness. Our weight and unit calculators will get you from dimensions to tonnes, and the 304 vs 316L guide covers the grade decision in more depth.

Not sure which page fits? Send us the part drawing or describe the environment — we will tell you what we would specify, in writing, before you commit.