Procurement teams at refineries and power plants often get the same request from the engineering department. The tubing has to hold up through long hours at high temperature and still resist corrosion after the unit cools down. Arch City Steel & Alloy, Inc. fills orders like this every week. The Fenton based, Missouri company is a metals distributor that has supplied industrial buyers since 1992.Much of that high-heat demand points to 321 stainless steel tubes . The grade contains titanium, which ties up carbon in the metal. This helps the tube resist intergranular corrosion after it spends time in the 800 to 1500°F range, where standard 304 can lose some of its corrosion resistance. Engineers use 321 in exhaust lines, expansion joints, furnace parts and heat exchangers that cycle between hot and cold. Arch City keeps the grade on hand in a selection of diameters and wall thicknesses, sold to common ASTM specifications such as A213 and A269. Test reports for each order are released after a purchase order is placed.
"Our customers tend to come to us with a clear picture of their operating temperatures," said a company spokesperson. "We use that information to point them to the tube size and wall that fit the job. Many of our buyers order several grades at once, and we like being able to handle it all on one quote. That kind of steady relationship is what we enjoy most about this work."
Arch City does not manufacture metal. It buys, stocks and sells material from its inventory, which sits at locations in Missouri, Pennsylvania and Texas. Along with stainless tubing, the company carries pipe, bar, plate and sheet. Nickel alloys, carbon steel and chrome moly grades are also part of the stock. Chemical processors and equipment builders make up a large part of its customer list, along with refinery and power plant buyers.
Replacing a heat exchanger bundle earlier than planned can cost a plant far more than the tubing itself. Choosing a grade that matches the operating heat from the start lowers that risk. For buyers who need 321 stainless steel tube on a maintenance schedule, Arch City Steel & Alloy keeps the material ready to ship.
About Arch City Steel & Alloy, Inc.
Arch City Steel & Alloy, Inc. is a stocking distributor of industrial metals. Its product line includes 317l stainless steel tube for chloride service, along with other stainless tube and pipe grades. The company also sells nickel alloys, carbon steel and chrome moly products in bar, plate and sheet. Its customers include refineries, chemical plants, power generation sites and manufacturers across North America. For more information, visit https://archcitysteel.com/ .