| Whether it is pipe, roof sheeting or fencing, South | | | | expensive cold-rolled products. |
| African buyers can easily find whatever steel | | | | Stainless steel is manufactured by adding chromium |
| products - in any size or shape - they require. | | | | and nickel, leaving the end product resistant to rust, |
| Steel products can be broadly categorized into long | | | | stains and corrosion. |
| or flat products. Long products are typically used in | | | | Galvanised steel products - steel that are covered in |
| construction, for example re-enforcing bar (rebar) or | | | | a layer of zinc - are also widely used in applications |
| pipes, while flat products are most often used in the | | | | where rust resistance is needed, for example roof |
| manufacture of cars, ships and white electric goods | | | | sheeting. Aluminized steel - steel covered with |
| such as fridges and washing machines. Stainless steel | | | | aluminium and silicon - is commonly used for heat |
| is used in the manufacture of cutlery and surgical | | | | exchangers in residential ovens, water heaters, |
| equipment. | | | | fireplaces and baking pans. |
| As these products are used in such a wide variety of | | | | With steel products being used in anything from |
| applications, different types of steel are used to | | | | irrigation to security, steel suppliers offer a wide |
| comply with different requirements. Depending on the | | | | variety of products and value-adding services, |
| production process, steel can be made stronger, | | | | allowing buyers to have products rolled, cut, bent or |
| non-corrosive or more flexible. | | | | welded to specification. |
| Hot-rolled steel - steel that is processed while hot - is | | | | Some of the available products include seamless |
| rougher in appearance than cold-rolled steel and less | | | | piping, valves, gaskets, nuts and bolts, window |
| expensive, but also stronger. High-quality products, | | | | sections, construction bars, beams, palisade and wire |
| such as cars and fridges, are usually made using more | | | | fencing, and walkway grating. |