# Are you suffering from supply chain issues and the effects of the labor shortage?

We all know the importance of keeping projects on time and moving toward the finished product. But with supply chain issues, this can be a monumental task when suppliers need to deliver on a specific product that is limited in availability.  

Many industries have also been burdened by the recent labor shortage, which has a negative effect on supply chains.  These are situations that are out of our control; however, a good steel supplier will help alleviate these pain points for you. 
[
Steel Cities](https://www.scsmetals.com) understand these situations and the importance of transparency to deliver on our [products](https://www.scsmetals.com/products) and [services](https://www.scsmetals.com/services).  We stand by our commitment to customer service and deliver on our commitments. 

# Contractors should look for these essential qualities in a steel supplier. 

Contractors need a steel supplier they can trust—transparency and honesty are essential to the relationship. Good suppliers will keep their delivery promises and not conceal supply chain issues or low-stock items. 

Coordination of on-site deliveries with personalized [service ](https://www.scsmetals.com/services)will provide a fast and responsive experience. Ensure that your steel service provider will deliver to job sites and prefabrication shops.  

Can the supplier respond to emergency orders, deliver partials, or get you a will-call-super-fast? Let's face it; jobs depend on getting things done on time. So, a steel supplier that can elevate your concern to get a fast turnaround is a must-have.  

# Steel Cities Steels enjoys working with our contractors?

We like to help make the lives of our contractors easier. We have a relationship with the contractors we serve, so when they're in a bind, we'll do everything we can to make it easier for them by offering quality [products](https://www.scsmetals.com/products), personalized service, and custom solutions.  

Over 70 years, we’ve stood apart from other construction steel supplier by our desire to meet you at the jobsite or facility.  We value your time and business.  So, we want to do what we can to help eliminate errors, manage inventory, and make sure you’re getting the best solutions from our products and services.  Driving through our community, we take pride in showing our family and friends the steel that went into a project we helped build!

The contrators we work with are great people! They are hard-working, super knowledgeable, and care about each other, almost like a family. Some of the best relationships over the years have been with people in the contractor industry.  

[Steel Cities Steels](http://scsmetals.com/) gets the opportunity to be involved in some significant area projects; it's exhilarating to be a part of this market!

# Count on Steel Cities Steels for all your construction projects.

Over 70 years, we’ve stood apart from other construction steel supplier by offering quality, custom solutions, the experienced professionals. Whether you need to ask a question, get a quote, or want an onsite visit, we're here to help you.  

# Contact Us

Specializing in construction solutions contact [Lori Harvey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-harvey-mba-5222214a/), Sales Representative, at
[219-250-0145](tel:2192500145) or email [lharvey@scsmetals.com](lharvey@scsmetals.com).


Finding the right construction steel supplier is essential, as an engineer, buyer, or project manager.  

We all know the importance of keeping projects on time and moving toward the finished product. But with supply chain issues, this can be a monumental task when suppliers need to deliver on a specific product that is limited in availability.  

Need help finding a steel supplier? Here's some tips! 

How to Find the Perfect Steel Supplier for Your Needs

Finding the right [structural steel supplier](https://www.scsmetals.com) will require you to ask some questions. For example, what are the main types of construction projects they focus on, and what is their area of expertise? Answering these questions will help you find a supplier that's the right fit for you.  

Some obvious construction projects might be new plants, buildings, and structures, or plant additions, such as new lines, platforms, safety enclosures, and pipe stands.   Projects could also include refurbishing buildings, blast furnaces, coke plants, etc.

# Asking yourself some questions to find the right steel supplier. 

We’ve identified several types of construction projects. So, ask yourself who fits your needs the best. For example, there are industrial and commercial fields, with most projects in industrial—likewise, only a few are in residential.  

When talking with a [structural steel supplier](https://www.linkedin.com/company/steel-cities-steels-inc/), ask them for specific types of contractors they work with on projects.  There are various contractors working in a variety of fields, for example, general contractors, subcontractors, excavation, roofing, electrical, mechanical, scaffolding, concrete, fencing, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing, process pipe, highway, and bridge.  It’s important to know the expertise and process of your steel supplier. 

# What do professionals working in the construction industry typically need?

There are several job-related professionals in the construction industry, some are superintendents, project managers, field buyers, ironworkers, pipefitters, boilermakers, carpenters, millwrights, estimators, and engineers. Based upon the contractor, some projects will be straight-forward while other might be complex.  You want to select a structural steel supplier that can offer you experience and knowledge to ease your pain points when projects are complex or meet obstacles.  

Many contractors use similar [products](https://www.scsmetals.com/products), which are angel, beams, channels, flats, rounds, square and rectangular tubes, pipe-handrail, shims, wide tees, rebar, grating/stair treads, expanded metal, sheet, plate, and plate burnouts in plain carbon, galvanized steel, with some stainless and occasional aluminum. 

# What types of added-value services do contractors use?

Projects can vary in complexity, sometimes requiring structural steel suppliers to provide added value [services](https://www.scsmetals.com/services). A supplier that is a good fit will offer saw cutting (especially for shims), splitting beams into wide tees, plasma cut plate and sheet to size, and oxyfuel plate to size.  

# Before placing your order with a new structural steel supplier, ask about deliveries.

To keep your projects on time, it’s important to ask them how they ship or deliver their materials.  It may be to the job site, where they do all the work out in the field, or to the prefabrication shop, where most of the work is completed before going to the job site.  You will want to know what to expect and if they have a record for delivering on time.  

# Finding the right structural steel supplier is essential.  

The right [structural steel](https://www.scsmetals.com/downloads/structural-spec.pdf) supplier will keep your project timelines on track, help alleviate potential problems, and reduce stress. Therefore, finding a quality steel supplier with knowledgeable and experienced sales representatives is imperative to help you with all your construction projects.   

# Count on Steel Cities Steels for all your structural steel projects.

With over 70 years of quality, custom solutions, the experienced professionals at [Steel Cities Steels](https://www.scsmetals.com) can assist you. Whether you need to ask a question, get a quote, or want an onsite visit, we're here to help you.  

# Contact Us

Specializing in construction solutions contact [Lori Harvey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-harvey-mba-5222214a/), Sales Representative, at [219-250-0145](tel:2192500145) or email [lharvey@scsmetals.com](lharvey@scsmetals.com).

Finding the right [structural steel supplier](https://www.scsmetals.com) will require you to ask some questions. For example, what are the main types of construction projects they focus on, and what is their area of expertise? Answering these questions will help you find a supplier that's the right fit for you.  

A Contractor's Guide to Selecting a Structural Steel Supplier

# Mike Anderson, guest on Purdue MEP webinar

Mike Anderson gladly participated in a webinar with representatives of the Purdue MEP team, Curt Anderson and Nicole Donnelly.  The energetic conversation highlighted the program that [Steel Cities](https://www.scsmetals.com) was involved in during the preceding months.  

Thank you to the team at [Purdue University, Manufacturing Extension Partnership](https://mep.purdue.edu/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=February%202023%20v1%20Stakeholder%20Newsletter&utm_content=February%202023%20v1%20Stakeholder%20Newsletter+CID_05c4fda1718993f45119aad1e4424517&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software), for your work! 

# Contact Mike Anderson 

Call Mike at 219-916-3935

[Purdue University MEP](https://mep.purdue.edu/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=February%202023%20v1%20Stakeholder%20Newsletter&utm_content=February%202023%20v1%20Stakeholder%20Newsletter+CID_05c4fda1718993f45119aad1e4424517&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software) and [Mike Anderson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-anderson-1959b127/), VP of Sales, have collaborated through a program designated to assist manufacturers in Indiana.   

Mike Anderson, guest on Purdue MEP webinar

Steel Cities Steels works with Purdue University MEP

## What you need to know before purchasing steel plates
You will learn more about the standard types, sizes, and grades in this quick guide to steel plates, and the importance of selecting a [quality supplier](https://www.scsmetals.com).

## Selecting the most common types of steel plates
A-36 a [structural carbon steel plate](https://www.scsmetals.com/downloads/plate-spec.pdf) used for general purposes - lightweight structures and equipment. Weldable, formable, with good strength levels. (Minimum yield point of 36,000# psi (*see information at the end of this post about yield). 

A572-50 a low alloy plate with a good combination of strength and weldability. Minimum yield point of 50,000# psi. (* see information at the end of this post about yield).

AR400 abrasion resistant plate - medium carbon, high strength steel designed to a minimum hardness of 360 Brinell (*see information at the end of this post about Brinell). It offers an exceptional amount of sliding and impact resistance. AR400 is the most popular type of abrasion resistant plate.

Three main types are available in a various degree of hardness - AR235 (medium carbon manganese steel with moderate hardness of 212 to 255 Brinell, AR400 (minimum hardness of 360 Brinell), AR500 (specially designed to reach an amazing nominal hardness of 500 Brinell. Built in strength and superior through hardness gives 500 exceptional resistances to both impact and sliding).

T1 quenched and tempered high strength alloy steel with a yield strength nearly 3x that of A36. This material offers high strength plus good workability and weldability with minimum pre-heating. Exceptional toughness at low atmospheric temperatures (to -50F).

## What grade should I use for my application
A general quick guide for selecting steel plates is:

A36 [general purpose carbon steel plate](https://www.scsmetals.com/downloads/plate-spec.pdf).  
Applications: Structural application for welded, bolted, and riveted buildings, bridges, and general fabrication structures and equipment. 

A572-50 slightly stronger low alloy plate, which is a good strength to price ratio.  
Applications: Bridges, buildings, construction equipment, freight cars, machinery, truck parts.

T1 very strong alloy plate.  
Applications: Used extensively for component parts and liners for construction equipment, mining machinery, truck bodies, and chutes. Fabricated bridge, tower and building members, components such as frames, bases, supports, and base or body plates for earthmoving or transport equipment, booms, dipper sticks, and bucket parts for power shovels or cranes. 

AR400 Good for sliding and impact resistance.  
Applications: Liner in material handling equipment such as grains, coal, cement, sand, gravel, and earth. Frames, chutes, buckets, hoppers, conveyors, mining, and agricultural implements.

## Standard sizes of steel plates
A36, A572 and T1 are mainly available in 8’x20’ plates

AR400 typically comes in 8’x24’ and sometimes 8’x20’ plates

## Questions to Ask When Selecting a Supplier
It’s important to select a quality supplier when ordering steel plates for your applications. A knowledgeable supplier can keep your projects moving forward by understanding your applications, timelines, and requirements. They will offer a collaborative onsite visit to help you make the right steel plate selection. 

Double check to make sure your supplier can process the steel plate and cut it to size.  Ask if they can cut it into shapes like rectangles, squares, circles, donuts, sketches and make sure they can do holes and slots on the interior. 

Ask for an onsite visit.  Have your sketches or parts available. Ask for a sample of the product to ensure it meets your quality standards. A good supplier will ask questions and pay attention to details like tolerances, packaging, deburring, and marking plates with part numbers to reduce rejects and errors.

Will they offer some guidance on the options of different plate grades available?  This is hugely important if you’re not sure which grade to select that’s right for your application.

Is their ordering process easy and hassle free?  Is their communication transparent and honest?

Lastly, check up on their lead-times.  Will they work with you to process the plate within your time frame?  Will they offer partial shipments to keep you going?  

It's important to find the right supplier and the right relationship.  Steel Cities Steels' representatives will answer your important questions and help you find the right [product and services](https://www.scsmetals.com/services) for your projects. 

## Explanation of yield and Brinell
Yield - measure of how well steel can hold up to stress, maximum stress before it starts to change shape.

Brinell Hardness - a scale-indent steel with a hardened steel ball. On the scale 100 is soft, 650 is hard.

## Steel Cities Steels has over 70 years of quality custom solutions and experience. 
We want to help you find the right solution.  [Contact us ](https://www.scsmetals.com/contact-us)at [800-228-2026](tel:8002282026) or at info@scsmetals.com so we can help guide you on selecting steel plates and services for your next project. 

## Author: Mike Anderson, VP of Sales
[Mike Anderson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-anderson-1959b127/) has over 25 years of experience collaborating with customers on their projects. He has extensive knowledge on steel, value-added services, and its uses and application. Mike leads the sales team at Steel Cities Steels, Inc. as the VP of Sales.

You will learn more about the standard types, sizes, and grades in this quick guide to steel plates, and the importance of selecting a quality supplier.

Steel Solutions | Blog

How to Find the Perfect Steel Supplier for Your Needs

A Contractor's Guide to Selecting a Structural Steel Supplier

Steel Cities Steels works with Purdue University MEP

The Quick Resource Guide for Selecting Steel Plates