Stainless steel is used across a huge range of applications, from kitchen sinks to oil and gas, chemical and marine components, wherever inherent corrosion resistance matters and other metals would not be suitable for practical or aesthetic reasons.
Its key advantage is that corrosion resistance comes from the bulk metal, not a coating. As long as the alloy contains sufficient chromium (more than 10.5%), it forms a very thin passive layer at its surface when exposed to oxygen, protecting the underlying metal. By contrast, carbon steels need a coating, and any damage to that coating lets corrosion proceed.
The humble kitchen sink is a good example. Galvanised containers would eventually wear and corrode and are not especially attractive, while coated or enamelled surfaces are prone to mechanical damage.
For far more aggressive service, for instance in oil and gas, chemical processing or marine applications, only stainless steels, or even more expensive and exotic alloys, will survive for a sufficient period.
Between these extremes are many everyday uses. We supply a number of stainless grades used in couplings, connectors, pump shafts, valve trim, fasteners, sensors and surveying equipment, accumulators, hydraulic cylinders and marine components.