All About Aluminum
Aluminum, an integral product of our Specialty Metals Group, is the second-most used metal worldwide, is lightweight and infinitely recyclable, and is found in consumer goods and materials.
Aluminum is one of the most abundant metals on the planet. It is a natural element, the 13th element on the periodic table. Bauxite ore (hydrated aluminum) is mined from the earth’s crust and refined to extract aluminum. The aluminum used in processing is an alloy which has a small amount of other metals that increase its strength, corrosion resistance and electric conductivity. It is the second-most used metal worldwide, after iron, and is one-third the weight of steel. It is used in consumer goods and building materials and a wide range of applications. It is an infinitely recyclable product, with nearly 75% of all aluminum ever produced still in use today.
Olympic Steel has a long history of selling aluminum, with a more intense focus in the last five years with the addition of a new Herr-Voss cut-to-length leveling line in the Schaumburg, IL facility that is dedicated to specialty metals. We have steadily added other facilities providing opportunities for continued growth in aluminum sales, including our divisions in Minneapolis, MN; Milford, CT; Buford and Winder, GA; Mt. Sterling, KY; Monterrey, Mexico; Integrity Stainless and Action Stainless & Alloys.
We receive aluminum largely in coil form, occasionally as sheet or plate, directly from mills. The majority of our processing is taking those coils and slitting the material into strips or cutting them into flat sheets. Our Bartlett, IL facility provides aluminum fabrication that includes laser cutting, forming, welding and assembly. In addition, we provide quality inspection with our FaroArm laser scanner for high accuracy.
The aluminum that we provide to our customers can be found in many places. When you go to a big sports game and you are looking at the score board, or the large digital signage, or the screen you choose your snack and drink from in the stadium – all of those have aluminum that likely came from Olympic Steel. Convenience store refrigerated beverage cases or coolers, pickup truck bed covers or toolboxes, automotive brake systems, along with trucks and trailers are all items with aluminum that we supply.
Olympic Steel’s aluminum team is part of the Specialty Metals group and is led by Brian Harkins, VP – Aluminum, and consists of Kyle Triplett, Director of Aluminum; George Frost, Director of National Sales – Aluminum; and Jeff Langer and Christin Vachon in Purchasing and quoting.
To learn more about our aluminum products and services, visit olysteel.com/products/aluminum.
