Buy Stainless Steel Coil from China: The Guidelines

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Introduction

Are you still wondering where to buy stainless steel coil? You will never regret choosing China. Follow us to see why and how to buy a stainless steel coil from China.

The benefits of buying stainless steel coil from China

For over 20 years, the stainless steel industry in China has experienced rapid development. So, buying a stainless steel coil from China is the best way to meet your industrial and domestic steel needs.

China is one of the top 10 steel producing countries in the world

Steel has become a substitute for traditional standard iron. It has the advantage of flexibility, durability, and malleability.

In 2015, China produced 803.83 million metric tons of Crude Steel, 50.3% of the world’s total. China has the largest steel-producing companies. Also, China is the biggest consumer of steel.

According to a CNN report, China is miles ahead of the pack in steel production.

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(image source: cnn.com)

The mass production makes China’s steel cheaper and competitive in the global market.

Things to prepare to buy stainless steel coil from China

Importing from China has proved to be a successful global sourcing strategy for many businesses.

However, it is not an easy task. The importing process could be complex while many unexpected circumstances may occur.

But still this is a great opportunity.

That’s why buying stainless steel coil from China remains the choice for buyers throughout the world.

To lower your risks, we’ve got a step by step guide below as an experienced supplier of stainless steel. And we’re happy to help you figure out the solution to dealing with multiple markets in the world.

A gentle reminder: The information provided below is for general references only. The best practice is to check with local customs authorities and start from small orders.

Make sure you have the rights to import

You start buying goods from foreign countries, then you become the importer. It’s important to make sure you have the import rights before your orders.

  • For citizens from the U.S., you’ll need to prepare your Social Security Number or your company Internal Revenue Service Number.
  • When it comes to EURO, you’re going to need an EORI number.
  • In Japan, you must declare goods to the Director-General of Customs and get an import permit.
  • As for cases in Canada, it’s necessary to get a Business Number issued by the Canada Revenue Agency.
  • For importers in Australia, the case can be the easiest as no requirement for you to hold an import license.

Attention:

If your packages are for personal use, it will save lots of time and money. But only the customs authority can judge whether your packages are for personal use.

Identify what you want to import

As an importer, your first step to success is to choose the right products for resale.

In most cases, choose products that you would buy or know a lot about.

Take the stainless steel coil as an example, there are various types of stainless steel for uses in different applications. So, there are different specific requirements for detailed situations.

Know more about the types and grades of stainless steel later in this article.

And also read about the finish treatment of stainless steel.

You’d better know all the details. The reason is obvious because your products will affect your marketing, your profit margins, etc.

Make sure there’s a market for your products. Besides, you should know roughly the cost and profits.

We suggest you go with:

  • A product you like – you are passionate
  • A unique product – you can sell at a high price
  • A product you can ship in large quantities – lower shipping cost

Attention:

You’d better not pursue ‘cheap’ products with excellent quality because there is no ‘perfect product’.

Ensure your government allows the stainless coil from China to enter into your country.

Different countries have different prohibited products. Thus, make sure that your goods are approved by your government.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your stainless coil follows specific regulations. In this case, buying from China is a wise decision since Chinese suppliers are experienced in markets in the world.

Keep in mind, importing unsafe, prohibited, or unsanitary goods will cost you a lot of money in fines and penalties.

At the very least, the prohibited goods will be detained and even destroyed.

Figure out the HS Codes & calculate the landed cost

Learn about the HS Codes and classify the items you are going to import.

That’s because the HS Codes can greatly affect the rate of duty you must pay for entry permission.

Then do the land cost calculation.

It’s important to have the budget of total landed cost before placing an order. The earlier, the better.

Important notes:

Unexpected fees may occur during shipping and sometimes add up to your total landed cost. So, it’s better to have enough budget on a safe side.

Find your supplier in China and place an order

When you have the above stuff ready, it’s time to find the supplier(s) to place your order.

You might need some guidelines on how to select the good ones from the many.

And we’re going to talk about that in detail below, don’t miss it!

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How to select good suppliers and buy stainless steel coil from China?

When it comes to selecting suppliers, here are several key points for your reference.

The product quality is the hardcore to buy stainless steel coil from China

As you may know, there are various kinds of stainless steel on the market today.

All in all, to be stainless steel, all the metal alloy needs is to contain a minimum of 10.5% chromium.

Each type of stainless steel has its own upsides & downsides. And generally, they are 4 types of stainless steel. Find them all out below.

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4 types of stainless steel

Type #1: Austenitic stainless steel

Austenitic stainless steel remains the most common types of stainless steels. They have much more nickel content compared with other types of stainless steels.

As well, they also contain higher amounts of molybdenum, nitrogen and chromium among the members in the stainless steel family.

Austenitic stainless steels get their fame by their excellent weld-ability and malleability.

That’s why you can easily find them in the products for kitchen cutlery and storage components.

Also, the materials receive a bunch of credit for their outstanding strength capabilities. Plus, they have great anti-corrosion performance, which enables their versatile applications in an environment with corrosive elements. Typically, 304 stainless steel and 316 stainless steel as you might have heard.

To talk about the downside of austenitic stainless steels is their expensive price. Meanwhile, the prices come with excellent quality.

Fortunately, you can always find a competitive price if you buy stainless steel coil from China, as we talked earlier.

Type #2: Ferritic stainless steel

This type of stainless steel comes with low but still some amounts of carbon.

The carbon in ferritic stainless steel does not exceed 0.10% in most cases though.

The material mainly consists of chromium while other elements are common to see as additions such as molybdenum. Unlike most Austenitic stainless steel, Ferritic stainless steel is magnetic.

Still, you can find their footprints in many applications thanks to their resistance to stress corrosion cracking.

As a result, many manufacturers use them for kitchen cookware, car components, and other industrial products. Situations with potentials to contact with corrosive matters.

430 stainless steel and 434 stainless steel are the common members of the Ferritic stainless steel family.

And it’s not very difficult to buy stainless steel coil from China with these 2 types of materials.

Type #3: Duplex stainless steel

Duplex stainless steel is a species stronger than ferritic stainless steel and austenitic stainless steel.

But the material contains less nickel than the Austenitic ones. That’s why Duplex stainless steel remains less expensive compared with its Austenitic counterpart.

Due to its resistance to corrosive saltwater even over a long time, you can find them heavily used in the underwater oil industry.

Besides, because of their strong malleability and weldability, Duplex stainless steels are often shaped into various components.

S31803 stainless steel and S32205 stainless steel are both typical Duplex stainless steels.

Type #4: Martensitic stainless steel

Martensitic stainless steel is similar to Ferritic stainless steel in the structure.

But the carbon amount makes it different.

The percentages of carbon element in martensitic stainless steel hover around 1%. Correspondingly, the amount in Ferritic stainless steel stays below 0.10%.

And the amount of carbon matters indeed, as it allows the material to have great extents by the hardening process.

The footprint of Martensitic stainless steel lies in applications with the needs for high strength.

However, the anti-corrosion performance of Martensitic stainless steel remains average, compared with Austenitic stainless steel with high nickel particularly.

You might often see Martensitic stainless steel in pumps or valves and many other applications with fewer requirements for corrosive issues.

The typical martensitic stainless steels include 431 stainless steel and 420S45 stainless steel.

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Stainless steel grades?

Well, feeling confused while reading the numbers in the 4 types of stainless steel.

Here is the answer.

Actually, the numbers refer to the stainless steel grades.

We have prepared a dish of common stainless steel grade series for you down there.

Check them now and enjoy : )

Stainless steel grade #1: 100 Series
  • Grade 102: a type of austenitic stainless steel for general purpose.
Stainless steel grade #2: 200 Series

The structure of stainless steel 200 Series is Austenitic chromium-nickel-manganese.

  • Grade 201: the material comes from the hardening process by cold working.
  • Grades 202: another grade of stainless steel for general purpose.
Stainless steel grade #3: 300 Series

Unlike the 200 Series, the structure of 300 Series is chromium-nickel. So, no manganese inside.

  • Grade 301: This grade is highly ductile. So, manufacturers can easily form it into various products. Also, it’s pretty weldable and hardens quickly during the mechanical process. Although 301 stainless steel is weaker than 304 in anti-corrosion performance, it remains stronger in fatigue strength and wearing resistance.
  • Grade 302: grade 302 is as resistant as grade 304 to corrosion, but with slightly stronger strength. That’s a result of additional carbon in the structure.
  • Grade 303: By adding phosphorus and sulphur, grade 303 becomes the free machining version of 304.
  • Grade 304: The material gets its household name as the quality stainless steel in food-grade applications. You might find grade 304 labelled as 18/8 stainless steel. That means 18% chromium and 8% nickel in the structure. SUS304 (the grading name from Japan) is another popular expression for this material on the stainless steel market.
  • Grade 304L: An “L” after makes it different from grade 304. 304L stainless steel comes with lower carbon content for increased weldability. But at the same time, that makes it weaker than 304 in strength.
  • Grade 304LN: The “N” stands for nitrogen. With the addition of nitrogen, 304LN stainless steel obtains a higher yield and tensile strength than the 304L.
  • Grade 316: It is known as the second most common grade besides grade 304. You will find their widespread uses in food industries with higher requirements. Also, 316 stainless steel is popular in surgical applications as well. The marine-grade 316 stainless steel is rather resistant to chloride corrosion compared to grade 304. Thus, it’s common to find its footprints in seaside buildings, like nuclear reprocessing plants.

Find more about the stainless steel grades.

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The common finish treatment

To improve your experience to buy stainless steel coil from China, you need to know the finish treatment. And it is another key consideration for buying stainless steel products.

The common finish treatments today on the stainless steel market include:

Find the introduction of each below:

2B finish treatment

This finish treatment is the starting point for many other finishes in the stainless steel industry.

When there’re not many requirements for beauty, you might as well choose the 2B finish.

And the 2B finish can create a dark grey and slightly reflective effect.

  1. 4 finish treatment

Among the many, no. 4 finish can be the easiest one to maintain.

Due to this feature, you can easily find its footprint in light manufacturing. Also, manufacturers often use stainless steel with no. 4 finish to make armrest and beautiful products.

Typically, it comes with a low gloss and short parallel polishing lines on the surface. You might find it on the market with another name as “satin” or “lining”.

  1. 8 finish treatment

“Mirror” finish is another name of no. 8 finish treatment.

Pretty much from its name, it creates a high reflective polishing effect.

The applications of this stainless steel finish include cleanrooms, column covers, mirrors, decorative trim, pressure plates, reflectors, signage and wallboards.

Know more about the popular surface finish treatment.

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Basic things to take away and smooth your import from China

As an importer, you need to know some basic things. Here we list some tips. Keep them in mind, and your business will go much more smoothly.

Make sure your goods are legal for import.

Your country may have special rules on some imports from China. So, make good use of your licensed customs broker. They can tell you if your goods are legal to import.

Negotiate incoterms with the supplier.

Incoterms protect your rights and your business. So, when determining incoterms followed, you need to get the most out of your trades. For example, determine who handles shipping costs.

Learn more about Incoterms.

Know all the details of your imported goods.

When you import goods, you need to provide information about your goods to CBP. For legal import, you should make sure that all your information is correct and accurate.

Follow proper customs procedures.

There is no doubt that every importer needs to follow procedures and regulations. But, not aware of customs procedures and regulations? Your licensed customs broker can tell you.

Choose a product liability insurance on a safe side.

Product liability insurance can protect you from damage caused by defective products. So, discuss with an insurance professional to choose insurance that best suits your products.

Ensure you’ve selected the right customs bond.

The right customs bond can make the import process simple. If you don’t know what to choose, don’t forget to contact your licensed customs broker again. It’s of great help.

Getting overwhelmed by all this information?

No worries. Take the shortcut by WJH premium stainless steel. We are always here for your service.

Contact us and write down your needs, we’ll figure out the solutions that tailor to your specific requirements and needs.

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Where can I buy stainless steel coil in China

In recent years, Chinese private stainless steel enterprises have developed rapidly. Gradually, China has formed five important stainless steel industry clusters.

Fujian

Among them, the largest is in Fujian, China. The steel making capacity of this industrial cluster is close to 8 million tons.

Guangdong

Another important stainless steel industry group is in Guangdong.

Guangdong’s stainless steel consumption accounts for 42% of the country’s total consumption.

Foshan, Guangdong is one of the two most important stainless steel markets in the country.

Moreover, it has the largest number of stainless steel processing and stainless steel products industry groups in the country.

Guangxi

Besides, Guangxi is also an important stainless steel industry group. It is adjacent to Guangdong.

Therefore, it is close to China’s largest stainless steel consumer market.

Jiangsu and Shandong province

The fourth industrial cluster in my country is in Jiangsu and Shandong provinces.

Meanwhile, it has a huge stainless steel market.

Moreover, its production capacity will increase substantially.

Inner Mongolia

The fifth stainless steel industry cluster is in Inner Mongolia, China.

Moreover, its production capacity reached over 1.8 million tons.

Where is the best place to buy stainless steel coil

Regarding where is the best place to buy stainless steel coil , it depends on what kind of stainless steel you need.

304 hot-rolled stainless steel in the southwest is cheap.

There are more 400 series stainless steels in Shandong.

Shanghai’s cold rolled BA stainless steel is better.

Lianzhong Stainless Steel does better in 200 series stainless steel and 304 copper-containing materials.

Conclusion

So, we’ve learned a bunch of things about the topic “buy stainless steel coil from China”.

Below are the key points to remind you of the content in this article.

  • There are many benefits to buy stainless steel coil from China.
  • Get the necessary things prepared before buying stainless steel coil from China.
  • Important factors to consider when selecting good suppliers of stainless steel coil from China.
  • And the basic things to keep in mind to buy stainless steel coil from China.

Don’t hesitate to share it out if you find this article useful. And keep your eyes on our latest posts. You will learn more about the stainless steel industry.

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