You may have heard that foreign stainless steel is a lesser quality metal than stainless steel products that are produced domestically. Although there are certainly some advantages to ordering your Fasteners such as Hex Bolts, Hex Head Cap Screws or other Nuts and Bolts from a domestic source, the quality of the steel is not really an issue in this case.                              

Why?

 Did you know that many of the North American fastener fabricators actually use imported stainless steel wire and rods? That means that although their products are in fact produced here on domestic soil, the raw materials come from overseas. These are the same raw materials used by the foreign fabricators.

Any differences will be in the fabrication process and should not be directly related to the quality of steel at all.

What About Recycled Stainless Steel?

There are many statements made in the industry that give rise to the idea that foreign stainless steel is recycled and, as such, of a lesser quality that domestic steel. The main problem with that argument is that nearly all stainless steel is made (at least in part) from recycled materials. The environmentally friendly factor is one of the main selling points of this product, no matter whether it is sourced from overseas or right here at home.

Because of the inherent strength and durability of this product, all stainless steel is recyclable. This allows fabricators access to materials that have reached the end of the useful life, yet can be transformed into new products and put back into the marketplace offering the same quality as before. When done properly this process should not affect the quality of the product and should not cause you to doubt the fabricator or distributor.

Benefits of Domestic Suppliers

Some of the advantages of ordering from a domestic supplier of fasteners include less travel time and cheaper prices. When currency exchange and freight are out of the equation you can experience significant savings. And having a fasteners distributor that is nearby and able to deliver quickly is valuable to businesses of all sizes.

Although the quality of stainless steel tends to be equal no matter where it is sourced from, you may find advantages to buying your fasteners domestically. It will require research and shopping to figure out what the best course of action is for your company.