The Slitting Line and Steel Slitting Process Explained

andre2025-02-25T16:36:20+00:00June 24th, 2021|News Blog, NMC Media|

Need precision-cut, high-quality steel slitting for your next project?

Steel is an alloy of iron that is mixed with carbon which improves its strength and durability. Combine these properties with its low cost and you have a perfectly-suited alloy for a multitude of uses in various end applications, including (but not limited to) automotive, infrastructure, and appliance/HVAC.

Enter the role of steel processors. Steel processing companies like National Material Company provide manufacturers with the right steel material for their industry. This article will focus on the topic of steel slitting and how the slitting process works.

Steel slitting is a steel manufacturing process wherein a coil of steel is slit into the lengths and widths specified by the end application. This process requires machinery lines equipped with a decoiler, slitter, and a recoiler — to achieve the end product: slit steel coils, or “mults.”

An operator will feed the steel coil onto the uncoiler mandrel. The uncoiler unwinds the master coil, feeding it into the slitter head where the steel will be slit into narrow mults (strips) by rotary knives. The operator then inspects the individual mults to ensure the gauge width and edge condition meet required specifications. The mults will then travel through a looping pit to insure stress-free and camber-free recoiling of the slit material. Individual mults are then banded and packaged to specific customer requirements.

This process requires careful precision. Leading steel processing company NMC operates several steel service centers in the United States and Mexico using robust precision slitting machines equipped with advanced technology in software, tooling practices, and hardware. This helps National Material Company streamline their production and reduces their time to delivery. NMC thoroughly checks their equipment for alignment and regularly calibrates their machine line to help reduce scrap and overall cost.

National Material Company spent decades perfecting the art of steel processing to provide only the best to their clients, earning their position as a top steel processor. NMC guarantees top tier quality for all of your steel supply needs, and they also offer a wide variety of steel processing capabilities.

About National Material L.P. – National Material L.P. (NMLP) has been in the steel service industry since 1964. Operating 16 steel service centers and processing facilities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico makes them one of the largest independent steel service centers in North America. For more information about National Material L.P, visit www.nmlp.com

To find out more information about NMC’s products and services, please visit us at www.nationalmaterial.com or call (U.S.) 847-806-7200 to speak with a sales representative.

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Demand For Steel Processing Grows in 2021

andre2021-03-31T18:34:29+00:00March 31st, 2021|News Blog|

Leading steel processor National Material Company, like the rest of the steel industry, is watching carefully as steel demand recovers in 2021. As the coronavirus pandemic affected all areas of the global economy, 2020 was a year like no other, and we are grateful for the cautious hope the new year brings.

As supply chains continue to stabilize, shipments of raw materials from other countries and manufacturing of parts has resumed. The World Steel Association says it expects steel demand to recover in 2021 to 1,717 million metric tons, an increase of 3.8 percent compared with 2020. The recovery of steel demand will be more visible in the second half of 2021, World Steel predicts, and will be driven by construction, especially infrastructure investment, as the government has put forward several new infrastructure initiatives.

What does this mean for American steel processors? According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, steelmakers idled about one-third of domestic production capacity for flat-rolled steel last spring when their customers canceled orders and closed plants to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Since many factories reopened a month or two later, steel demand for cars, appliances, and machinery has rebounded, thanks, in part, to rising purchases from homebound consumers.

From Nasdaq:

American steel stocks have seen recent gains on hopes that the sizable infrastructure spending would have a beneficial effect on the U.S. steel industry given the expected increase in consumption of the commodity that is used to make almost everything from rail tracks to roads to bridges and tunnels.

Steel makers are seeing strong order booking in automotive. Recovery in the automotive industry has accelerated following pandemic-led shutdowns on the back of strong customer demand. The automotive rebound is driving demand for flat steel products globally.

Moreover, the revival in the construction sector globally is driving demand for long and flat steel products in this major market. The construction sector has also bounced back on the heels of a resumption of projects that were stalled earlier due to supply chain disruptions and manpower shortage. In particular, the non-residential construction market remains resilient (read full article here).

Response to adversity is what will determine the outcome of the story. Historically, the American steel industry is as resilient as it gets, built on a foundation that literally supports our entire country’s infrastructure.

As OEMs and large companies that utilize steel processing services take another step forward into 2021, they may be wise to ask themselves, “Are there strategic partnerships that will strengthen competitive positioning and business resiliency?” After all, in the steel industry, great end products await at the end of the rainbow.

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Why National Material Company?

As a leader in steel processing capabilities, supply chain management, and inventory control, NMC is the perfect choice for any customer in search of the best experience possible. A dedicated workforce, state-of-the-art slitters, cut-to-length lines, and warehouse storage capabilities make NMC the premiere steel manufacturing company in North America. Locations throughout the United States and […]