Selling Steel | Steel Pipe Pros

Selling Steel: FAQs

Selling surplus steel can provide extra revenue for your business. Here are some common questions about selling steel:

Where Can I Sell Surplus Steel?

There are several options for selling leftover steel, including:

Scrap yards and metal recyclers
Equipment buyers and industrial surplus companies
Online marketplaces for selling metals
Directly to other manufacturing companies that reuse steel

Scrap yards typically offer the easiest way to sell a variety of steel leftovers and scraps. Equipment buyers may pay more for large, reusable steel items in good condition.

Are There Requirements For Selling Steel?

When selling steel, you often need to provide details on the types and grades of steel for sale. Common requirements include:

Certifications showing the steel meets specific quality standards
Paperwork tracking the steel’s origins and processing history
Inspections of the steel’s current condition and wear

Meeting these requirements ensures your steel has the expected properties and material for reuse. This helps determine accurate pricing as well.

How Much Does Excess Steel Go For?

Steel pricing fluctuates regularly with market supply and demand. On average, you may sell excess steel for:

Scrap steel: $100 to $500+ per ton, depending on steel type and purity
Reusable plate, beams, pipes: $500+ per ton if still in good condition
Stainless steel: Up to double the price of mild carbon steel scraps

Connecting with an experienced steel equipment buyer can help you accurately price and sell your surplus steel.

Should I Save My Scrap Steel?

Saving scrap steel makes sense if:

You have space to store it safely
You expect to accumulate large volumes over time before selling
Steel scrap prices are down currently but are expected to rise later

Storing small volumes of scrap typically isn’t worth the space, hazard, and handling costs. Scrap degrades over time as well, lowering its reuse value.

What Are the Benefits of Selling Leftover Steel?

Besides the extra revenue, key benefits include:

Clearing up space in your facility once unneeded steel is removed
Reducing risks associated with having excess scrap metal onsite
Supporting the circular economy through steel recycling

Selling surplus steel redirects scrap resources back into reuse while improving operations, safety, and sustainability for your business.

Buying New and Used Steel

You can often save money buying quality used steel instead of new steel. However, used steel has some unique considerations.

New vs. Used Steel Pipes

New steel pipe offers:

Assured compliance with the latest industry standards
Precise alloy grades and properties
No wear, corrosion, or defects from prior use

Used steel pipe provides:

Significant cost savings over new pipes in some cases
Immediate availability depending on inventory
Similar strength and performance if still in good condition

Choosing between new and used depends on budget, project timelines, quality needs, and application. For buyers, documentation that traces the steel’s origins, previous uses, and current condition offers assurance that quality standards are met.

Price Differences in Selling Steel

Used steel often sells for 50% or more below new steel prices. However, costs depend heavily on:

Steel grade and alloy composition
Coating conditions of coated steel products
Certifications documenting steel properties and processing history
Inspection that confirms acceptable wear, cracks, corrosion, etc.

Higher steel grades with more alloy content, pristine coatings, complete documentation, and passing inspections warrant higher prices nearing new costs. When negotiating prices for used steel, current commodity exchange rates dictate baseline pricing. Still, adjustments may be made based on quality variances, supply and demand shifts, and changing economic factors like tariffs and construction trends.

Where to Find Good Used Steel

Reliable places to source quality used steel include:

Specialized dealers and brokers working solely with metals
Industrial liquidators and equipment auctions
Directly from other manufacturing plants and facilities

Developing relationships with reputable providers can make sure you get good value and consistent access to used stock.

For higher volume or specialty orders, a legally binding contract should be drafted to formalize the used steel purchase and sale terms, including pricing structures, inspection rights, delivery specifications, quality control expectations, warranty coverage, dispute resolution procedures, and other transaction details.

Does Market Price Matter?

Tracking pricing trends is crucial for finding the best deals. When market prices rise, the used steel market does really well. Used steel sources help hedge against market volatility. Staying flexible across purchasing used/new steel allows you to react quickly to price shifts. Stay on top of the steel market to ensure you get the best deal.

The Logistics of Buying and Selling Steel Pipes

There are ways to simplify your timeline and budget when buying and selling steel. You can use the following pointers to get the best deal with ease:

Document the sale of scrap metal and new metal with certifications and testing reports. For legal and logistic reasons, this can streamline budgeting and timelines.
Justify your pricing and negotiate fairly to find a mutual point of agreement between buyer and seller.
Consult with legal and tax experts to ensure proper protocols are followed for transferring assets, recording earnings/losses, reporting details to regulatory agencies, paying relevant taxes, and protecting yourself from unnecessary legal risks.

Used steel often requires cleaning, preparing, cutting, and transporting from the seller’s premises to the buyer’s facilities or a scrap metal yard. Both parties must determine optimal loading/unloading methods, equipment rentals, safe handling techniques, reasonable timelines, and waste disposal protocols.

While buying and selling steel that’s used requires more precautions than new materials, following these best practices allows buyers and sellers to conduct ethical, profitable, legally compliant, and safe transactions.

Ready to save money with used steel for your next project? See how Steel Pipe Pros lowers costs with a selection of used steel pipes and tubes.

Learn More

Critical Takeaways for Buying and Selling Used Steel

When buying or selling used steel, there are some key factors to keep in mind to get the best value and make the most informed decisions.

On the selling side, be aware of these key takeaways:

Know your local scrap metal prices: Check commodity exchanges and regional trends to determine fair market pricing for your scrap metal.
Understand grading systems: There are intricate guidelines for grading metal scraps based on purity, form, thickness, and more. Familiarize yourself with standards.
Research reputable buyers: Vet recycling centers and scrap metal dealers to find ethical, reliable purchasers who won’t undercut you.

When looking to purchase used steel, keep these tips in mind:

Inspect carefully: Examine the steel for signs of damage, wear and tear, and corrosion that could impact integrity.
Ask about origins: Understanding where and how the steel was manufactured and used can reveal much about its quality.
Compare to other prices: Calculate potential cost savings against new steel or other used prices to get the best deal.

Make the Switch to Used Steel With Steel Pipe Pros

If you’ve been thinking about switching to a used pipe supplier, look no further than Steel Pipe Pros. Selling steel is our specialty, and quality is at the forefront of our business. Don’t settle for huge price tags—get the quality you’re looking for for less. Contact us today and request a quote.