Reference tool
A quick price reference for your stainless steel projects
We know that the characteristics of stainless steels in its chemical composition makes each alloy has a different performance, and therefore, a different application of the hand of the cost. That is why the correct selection of the material is essential so that, from a preventive perspective, we avoid future headaches due to high maintenance and/or redesign costs in our project and its profitability over time.
If you are designing your project from scratch and are looking for a quick cost reference among the most common materials in the distribution market, at INOXCI we like to consider ourselves as an extension of your costing and design team, to help you with tools that provide an additional layer of information for better decision making within your company and therefore, we have taken on the task of publishing this blog so you can evaluate between different scenarios how it affects, from a cost perspective, the selection of materials.
In this table*, you will be able to quickly compare the price of a 304 steel versus a 316 steel or a 304 steel versus a 441 steel.
How do you read the information?
Take as a base the material 304 in column 1, row 1. When you compare against 304 in column 2 you will notice that the box is blank and this is because you are comparing between the same material. If you scroll to the right and now compare against material 316 in column 3, you will notice that material 304 is 29% more competitive than 316 as a reference. If you now scroll to material 441 in column 4, you will notice that 304 is 27% less competitive than 441 as a reference and the same mechanics apply to compare against material 430 in column 5.
All these percentages are referential and for reference only taking into consideration a 16 gauge sheet, 4' x 10', 2B finish, uncoated and based on September 2024 prices. There are other variables that may influence the price such as, but not limited to, the type of coatings, polishing, packaging, logistics, market, among others. Of these variables, it is worth mentioning that the alloy surcharge is one of them and that this value changes from month to month. Consider that the value of the surcharge is public domain information and you can validate it in the American stainless steel manufacturers' web pages.
Please contact us so that we can support you with a quote specifically designed to meet the needs of your project and its characteristics in the selection of materials that you have determined. Thank you for letting us collaborate in your projects!
* Reference only indicative and consultation without obligation or commitment on the part of INOXCI that the percentages are maintained against formal quotations.
