Chinese Steel vs American Steel Quality

China produces approximately 49 percent of the world’s steel, but does that make Chinese manufactured steel the best in the world?

American steel requires some rigorous testing before it can be sold, but Chinese companies are not required to conduct these tests. These tests help keep buildings standing after a hurricane or earthquake and help prevent the steel from becoming brittle and beginning to crack when it is being welded.

Some Chinese companies were found putting Boron in their steel to earn a tax rebate. This addition to the steel makes the metal crack easier and is an overall safety hazard. While there are some welding methods that can help prevent the metal from cracking during welding, but the exact amount of Boron added to the metal needs to be disclosed, which they often are not.

In addition to testing, American companies are under more strict guidelines for the environment. Carbon emissions in China are two times greater than they are in America for the same amount of steel. Steelmakers in America spend 80 percent more per ton of steel to reduce the pollution levels to both air and water than a steelmaker in China.

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of steelworkers’ union Community, said: “I am very concerned that UK construction workers’ safety is being put at risk by imports. There needs to be clarity throughout the supply chain about the levels of added alloys. Given that there are tens of thousands of tons of Chinese imports at UK ports or in the supply chain, clarity is desperately needed to avoid unnecessary risks.”

The American Iron and Steel Institute is the original manufacturing company in the United States, and they specify many different grades of steel. Their expertise, combined with several other parties, formed the American Standard for Testing and Materials, which is a general standards organization that makes documents about the production and testing across multiple types of manufacturing. These standards are not uniformly global though, and that can lead to problems when purchasing foreign steel.

Buying steel from a trusted steel building supplier who only sources American-made steel means you are getting a quality product. Spending a little extra up front to get your steel from a well-established American company with a good track record is worth it in the long run. Saving money up front is not worth it when safety is involved.

Successful companies like Mas Supply Inc. in Illinois call General Steel when it’s time to expand their business because they know The General supplies nothing less than 100% American-made steel buildings.

Some foreign steel companies have partnered with American companies. Many of these companies have turned to manufacturers in China and other foreign countries because it is cheaper to buy from them; they are choosing profits over quality. These companies often do not disclose where they source their buildings and their websites make it seem as though all steel buildings are the same. It is nearly impossible to find out where your steel is coming from until it is too late.

It is important to purchase your steel from an American company with an excellent track record. General Steel’s buildings are 100 percent pre-fabricated in America, trusted by some of America’s largest corporations and we have hundreds of reviews across multiple 3rd party monitored websites that show our customers find our products to be high quality.