Raw Materials

Aluminum is a lightweight, corrosion-resistant metal with forms ranging from angles and channels for structural support to foil sheets and rolls for packaging and wrapping. Aluminum bars, plates, and sheet stock supply solid sheets or bars to be machined into metal parts and products. Aluminum expanded and perforated sheets have openings that allow light, air, and water to pass through. Aluminum grating provides an alternative to steel grating for walkways, mezzanine platforms, and other flooring applications. Aluminum tube stock (available in rectangular, round, and square shapes) has a hollow center and is often used for framework, fencing, and support posts.

Brass is a copper and zinc alloy that resists corrosion and conducts heat and electricity. It’s commonly used for electrical switches, connectors, and battery caps as well as decorative metal applications. Brass ball stock is often used in ball valves due to its low-friction properties and ability to withstand exposure to water, gas, and oil. Brass blanks, flats, bars, plates, and sheet stock can be drilled, machined, and punched to fabricate fasteners, gears, brackets, and more. Brass rectangle and square tube stock provides support in industrial and architectural applications. Brass rod stock has superior machinability, thread rolling, and knurling properties.

Carbon steel is a commonly used metal for general manufacturing, industrial, and construction applications with limited exposure to corrosive elements. Carbon steel angle stock is shaped into a 90° angle for support frames, braces, and corners. Carbon steel ball stock can serve as ball bearings in casters, slides, and conveyers. Carbon steel grating provides walkways and flooring with openings that allow light and air to pass through. Carbon steel hex stock and rod stock are used to fabricate shafts, bushings, and bolts. Carbon steel sheet stock, plates, bars, and coils accept brazing, welding, and machining for fabricating fasteners and other metal parts. Carbon steel square tube stock is typically used in structural applications. Carbon steel tread offers traction on truck beds, catwalks, and other surfaces. Music wire withstands tension for use as springs, jewelry, and piano and guitar strings.

Ceramic is a silicon-nitride material with low thermal conductivity to withstand heat and minimize friction between surfaces. Ceramic balls are often used as bearings in aerospace, energy, and medical applications. They absorb less heat than steel balls to minimize cooling needs within an installation.

Cork is a natural material commonly used as insulation and cushioning. Cork roll stock provides material for gaskets, shipping and spacer pads, protective backing, wall coverings, silk-screen printing, and more. Cork sheets are often used as flooring underlays and sound-dampening tiles. Tapered cork serves as stoppers for commercial beverage bottles and laboratory glassware as well as end plugs for metal piping during concrete pouring.

Felt consists of natural or synthetic fibers pressed into a dense, abrasion-resistant material. Felt disc stock is formed into extra-firm, circular pads that are often used as polishing wheels, washers, and vibration dampeners. Felt sheets and strips provide material for gasketing, weather stripping, sound insulation, and roofing underlay.

Foam is a polymer material consisting of cells that provide cushioning and absorb sound. Foam cubes and balls are made of flexible, resilient polyether that compresses under pressure and regains its shape when pressure is released. They’re often used for packaging and sound dampening applications. Foam sheets, strips, and rolls include polyethylene products for shock absorption, flotation, and packaging applications as well as polyurethane products for use as building insulation and flooring underlay.

Rubber material is available in a variety of forms for industrial, manufacturing, and protective applications. Rubber edging can help to protect exposed edges of glass, wood and metal from wind, water, and dust. Round rubber grommets can help to prevent abrasion damage on wires and other objects inserted through holes in hard materials. Rubber rolls include sheets and strips that can be used in applications such as gasket manufacturing or equipment protection.

Stainless steel resists corrosion and tolerates high temperatures. It’s often used in medical, food processing, and construction applications. Stainless steel angle stock and square tube stock provides support in building projects and manufacturing. Stainless steel ball stock is used as ball bearings or rollers in automotive and industrial machinery applications. Stainless steel blanks, flats, bars, plates, sheet stock, and rod stock are machine-ready to reduce setup time for parts fabrication. Stainless steel foil rolls can be formed and cut to size for creating moisture barriers, lining chemical tanks, making shims, producing metal stampings, and more. Stainless steel grating is used for commercial and industrial flooring that allows the light, air, heat, and sound to pass between floor levels. Stainless steel music wire withstands tension for use as springs, control linkages, armature binding, and ceramic cutting applications.

Tool steel holds a cutting edge, resists abrasion, and maintains its shape at elevated temperatures. It’s commonly used for drawing, blanking, stamping, insert molding, forming, and embossing applications. Drill rod can be machined to produce drill bits, taps, shafts, files, punches, and more. Flat stock has excellent weldability and can be sawed, milled, drilled, turned, and ground into the desired shape.

Wire fabric products, such as wire cloth and wire mesh, are used for screening, sorting, and filtering processes in production facilities. Wire mesh can be used for vibratory or gyratory separators. Wire cloth can be used for screen-printing, manufacturing window and door screens, or for fabricating vent and gutter guards.