Stainless steel is a highly corrosion-resistant type of steel with a higher chromium content than carbon steel. The steel must have at least 10.5% chromium to be categorized as stainless, and the higher chromium content gives stainless steel its well-known anti-corrosive properties. As with carbon steel, the alloy proportions of stainless steel differ from one variety to the next. Stainless steel with lower chromium content tends to be cheaper, but it also lacks the durability of steel with higher chromium content. Other metals such as nickel or copper may also be added to improve performance characteristics. Bergsen’s range of stainless steel includes a variety of durable alloys, including the following.
Steel and aluminum are important manufacturing metals with a high level of strength and versatility, especially when alloyed with other materials.
Bergsen has been a trusted provider of steel products since 1974. Our global network of mills, material suppliers, and processors allows us to fulfill client orders quickly and at competitive prices.
We specialize in carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum alloys, available in both standard and custom bars. This page details our standard offerings, but we can also source hard-to-find materials for clients with specific requirements.
Carbon Steel
Steel refers to a broad range of iron-carbon alloys that sometimes contain small amounts of other metal elements. Carbon steel contains up to 2.5% carbon content. Depending on its carbon content, carbon steel can be categorized as low, medium, or high-carbon:
Low-Carbon Steel
Low-carbon, or mild steel, contains lower than 0.25% carbon. Their low carbon content makes them highly ductile and workable, although they lack the strength and hardness of other carbon steels.
Medium-Carbon Steel
Medium-carbon steel contains approximately 0.31-0.60% carbon. They have moderate strength, hardness, and workability.
High-Carbon Steel
High-carbon steel has above 0.6% carbon content. This steel has the greatest strength and hardness, but it is not as workable as low- and medium-carbon steel.
Each level of carbon steel may also contain small proportions of other metals such as manganese and phosphorus to reinforce their properties. Bergsen carries a range of high-performance carbon steels, including the following alloys.
Carbon Steel
Steel refers to a broad range of iron-carbon alloys that sometimes contain small amounts of other metal elements. Carbon steel contains up to 2.5% carbon content. Depending on its carbon content, carbon steel can be categorized as low, medium, or high-carbon:
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Low-Carbon Steel
Low-carbon, or mild steel, contains lower than 0.25% carbon. Their low carbon content makes them highly ductile and workable, although they lack the strength and hardness of other carbon steels.
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Medium-Carbon Steel
Medium-carbon steel contains approximately 0.31-0.60% carbon. They have moderate strength, hardness, and workability.
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High-Carbon Steel
High-carbon steel has above 0.6% carbon content. This steel has the greatest strength and hardness, but it is not as workable as low- and medium-carbon steel.
Each level of carbon steel may also contain small proportions of other metals such as manganese and phosphorus to reinforce their properties. Bergsen carries a range of high-performance carbon steels, including the following alloys.
- C1018 Cold Drawn Steel: C1018 is low-carbon steel characterized by a high manganese content, which makes the metal harder than other low-carbon steel. At the same time, cold-drawn C1018 retains the excellent machinability and workability of conventional low-carbon steel. It is commonly used for forged parts and shaft components.
- 1045 TGP Cold Drawn Steel Bar: 1045 steel is medium-carbon steel known for its high strength. 1045 is sometimes listed as “turned, ground, and polished,” or TGP, which refers to common finishing processes used with the alloy. This three-step process achieves similar results to cold drawing but with less risk of warping. Although it is not suited for welding, 1045 steel can be heat treated to enhance its unique properties. This steel is ideal for high-strength applications such as creating shafts, gears, pinions, and bolts.
- 1144 Steel (Stressproof®): Bergsen is one of the only distributors of Stressproof® 1144 steel in the western United States. Stressproof® 1144 is a proprietary steel alloy produced by Niagara LaSalle and known for its superior fatigue resistance. This steel also provides high strength without heat treatment, as well as excellent machinability and a premium surface finish. These characteristics make it a good choice for machine parts and other high-strength industrial components.
- 4140 Cold Finished Annealed Steel: 4140 steel, which contains chromium and molybdenum, offers high strength and hardness when annealed or normalized. Although it is not highly flexible, this medium-carbon steel has sufficient machinability to be formed into a variety of sturdy commercial components.
Stainless Steel
- 303 Stainless Steel: 303 stainless steel belongs to the austenitic family of steels, which has the highest corrosion resistance of any steel. 303’s relatively high sulfur and phosphorus content make it more machinable than other austenitic steels. It is commonly used for aerospace fittings and fasteners.
- 304/304L Stainless Steel: 304 is the most common austenitic stainless steel, containing high proportions of both chromium (18%) and nickel (8%). 304 is highly versatile, used for applications ranging from nuclear components to food handling containers. 304L is a variant of 304 that contains a lower carbon content. 304L is used in corrosive environments and applications that require welding.
- 316/316L Stainless Steel: 316 is the second most popular austenitic steel, containing 16% chromium, 10% nickel, and 2% molybdenum. This composition gives it excellent corrosion resistance, especially to chloride. Its applications include chemical, pharmaceutical, nuclear, and marine components. 316L has a lower carbon content than 316 and is better for welding projects.
- 15-5 PH Stainless Steel: 15-5 stainless steel is precipitation-hardening martensitic steel. This strong, corrosion-resistant material is great for applications requiring transverse properties. 15-5 stainless steel is widely used for engine parts, marine gas turbine compressors, valves, gears, hollow shafts, and more.
- 17-4 (630) Stainless Steel: 630 stainless steel, also called 17-4 stainless steel due to its composition, is a precipitation-hardening alloy containing approximately 17% chromium, 4% nickel, and 4% copper. After heat treatment, 17-4 steel has excellent strength and hardness, and its high chromium content makes it corrosion-resistant. It is useful in highly corrosive environments such as offshore, aerospace, and nuclear applications.
We also offer 17-4 H1150 stainless steel, which has only undergone one round of heat treatment. Its applications are similar, but it is softer than standard precipitation-hardened 17-4 steel.
Aircraft Alloys
Aircraft alloys are among the strongest, lightest, and most durable alloys available, designed specifically for the constraints of aerospace applications. These alloys are generally based on either aluminum or steel. Aluminum alloys make up the bulk of aerospace components because aluminum has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. Aluminum is also corrosion-resistant, so it performs well against moisture, precipitation, and chemicals. Although slightly heavier than aluminum, steel offers a unique combination of strength, hardness, temperature resistance, and corrosion resistance. Aerospace-grade steel is the best choice for airline components—such as landing gear—that are exposed to high stress and impact. Bergsen is a leading supplier of aircraft and aerospace alloys, and our operations are fully compliant with AMS, ASME, ASTM, and military specifications. We offer a diverse catalog of aircraft alloys engineered for maximum performance in demanding applications.
- Extruded Aluminum Bars: Aluminum extrusions are strong and lightweight bars that are useful for many aerospace applications. Bergsen offers aluminum extrusions from the 3000, 5000, and 6000 series of aluminum, including the highly durable 6061-T6511 extruded bar. 6061-T6511 aluminum bars have a smooth, corrosion-resistant finish and smooth edges.
Why Partner with Bergsen for Steel Products?
As a full-service metal provider, Bergsen Metals helps clients obtain standard and custom raw materials to suit their applications. We work with clients to identify and source the ideal alloy for their needs.
Our steel and aluminum products are available in these common shapes and sizes:
- Cold-drawn square bars
- Cold-finished flats
- Turned and polished or cold-drawn round bars
- Cold-drawn hexagon bars
- Custom extrusions and finishing treatments are also available.
Get Started With Bergsen
Bergsen Metals is an ISO-9001 certified supplier of carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. We draw on a robust network of suppliers to offer clients performance metals at competitive prices, including superalloys and high-strength aerospace alloys.
Contact us or request a quote today to partner with Bergsen Metals for your next project.