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Buying Steel Pipe Through An Industrial Supplier | Common FAQs

by Luke Lawson

Take a trip to your choice of industrial steel suppliers, and you will find an array of steel pipes in different sizes, shapes, and categories. One of the things that confuse novice steel pipe buyers the most is some of the labels that may be used to categorize the steel that is available. Understanding what certain terms mean before you shop for the piping you need for your project will help you ensure you get precisely what will work out for the best. Take a look at some of the more common questions about buying steel pipe with certain labels. 

What is 'new reject' steel pipe?

If you go to an industrial steel supply store and they have bundles or individual pieces of steel that are labeled as "new reject" pieces, you have found a valuable opportunity. These pieces of steel pipe are new, but they may have slight imperfections. For example, you may find steel pipes that:

  • are slightly bent or curved on one end
  • have chips around the ends
  • contain slight dings or impressions
  • have certain points that are thinner than they should be

Even with these minor imperfections, the steel pipe can be useful for an array of applications. For example, if you need the steel pipe to erect a chain link fence, the pipes that have small dents or impressions will likely not be that big of a deal and can save you a lot of money. 

What is 'surplus' steel pipe?

Surplus steel pipe is often found at suppliers for a discounted rate compared to new pipe pieces. Surplus pipe usually comes from bulk pipe orders that are created for commercial use but never get used by the industry for which they were designed for. For instance, if a company orders several pieces of steel pipe for a certain application and they only purchase half of that pipe because of overestimation of project material needs, the surplus (or extra) will then be sold by the supplier at a discounted price. 

Is it safe to buy used steel pipe?

Many industrial suppliers offer used steel pipe supplies for sale as well as new pieces. Used steel pipe may have been temporarily used in a certain industry or harvested from a site during new steel pipe replacement. Buying used steel piping is not a bad idea at all as long as the pipes are in a suitable condition that will work well for your application. 

Contact a company like Hillenburg  Pipe & Supply for more information and assistance. 

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