- Corrosion-resistant

- High tensile strength

- Very durable

- Temperature resistant

- Easy formability and fabrication

- Little to no maintenance costs

- Expected life cycle duration: 20 years

- Variety of finishes

- Alloy of iron and carbon

- Other added elements include chromium

   (minimum 10.5%), nickel, magnesium,

   molybdenum, and nitrogen

1. Melting/Casting: elements melted

    together in a large furnace and cast into

    desired forms (commonly slabs, blooms,

    billets, rods, and tubes)

2. Forming: hot rolled into strips or sheets,

    or formed into bar or wire

3. Heat Treatment: heated and cooled to

    relieve stress and soften it to make it

    usable for different applications

4. Descaling: the film that formed on the

    surface is removed through a variety of

    processes

5. Cutting: forms are cut into desired

    shapes using guillotine knives, blanking,

    nibbling, and/or high-speed blades

6. Finishing: the final product is finished to

    create its attractive appearance - can be

    coated, polished, or brushed

- 100% recyclable

- Scrap can be reused to make products of

   the same quality

- No limit of recycled content

- No toxic coatings or runoff

- No effect on soil or groundwater

- 70% sourced from recycled materials

- Life Cycle Costs:

         - High initial purchasing price ($1.25 

            per pound)

         - Duration of life cycle: 20 years

         - Maintenance Costs: little to none