6 04, 2025

How Metal Processing Impacts Key Sectors

jane2025-04-08T13:41:44+00:00April 6th, 2025|News Blog, NMC Media|

Main Takeaways

Metal processing impacts key sectors such as aerospace, automotive, construction, and renewable energy, driving innovation and efficiency.
Lightweight metals like aluminum alloys and AHSS enhance fuel efficiency, structural integrity, and performance in industries like EV production and aerospace engineering.
Precision steel slitting, galvanized steel processing, and aluminum extrusion are crucial for manufacturing durable, high-performance components across multiple sectors.
National Material Company (NMC) provides tailored metal processing solutions, leveraging cutting-edge expertise, supply chain efficiency, and sustainability initiatives. Partnering with NMC ensures access to industry-leading capabilities in steel processing, aluminum extrusion, and supply chain management to support your next project.

For engineers, procurement specialists, and industry leaders, selecting the right materials isn’t just about meeting specifications, it’s about driving innovation and solving real-world challenges. Whether you’re designing fuel-efficient aircraft, lightweight electric vehicles, durable infrastructure, or sustainable solar energy systems, one thing remains clear: metal processing impacts key sectors in profound ways.

From advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) to aluminum extrusion, modern metal processing techniques are shaping the future of aerospace, automotive, construction, and renewable energy. This article explores practical applications, industry advancements, and emerging trends like green steel production, providing insight into how these innovations can drive efficiency and sustainability.

Lightweight Metals for Soaring Innovations

The aerospace industry relies on lightweight yet durable materials to optimize performance and efficiency. Aluminum alloys, titanium, and specialized steels are essential for reducing aircraft weight while maintaining structural integrity and safety. As metal processing impacts key sectors like aerospace, advancements in material science and manufacturing techniques continue to push the boundaries of innovation.

For example, aluminum extrusion techniques allow manufacturers to create complex shapes that optimize aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. According to Taber Extrusions, alloys in aerospace applications can withstand extreme temperatures and pressures, ensuring safety at 35,000 feet.

One fascinating insight is the growing use of additive manufacturing (3D printing) in aerospace metal processing. By layering metals like titanium and stainless steel, engineers can produce intricate components faster and with less waste than traditional methods. This shift also supports sustainability initiatives, demonstrating how metal processing impacts key sectors by minimizing material consumption while enhancing precision and performance.

Galvanized steel also finds its place in aerospace infrastructure, such as hangars and maintenance facilities. Its corrosion-resistant properties ensure longevity even in harsh environments. These innovations underscore how metal processing impacts key sectors by enabling safer, more efficient air travel.

Paving the Way for Electric Vehicles

As the automotive industry accelerates its shift toward electric vehicles (EVs), the need for advanced metal processing is more critical than ever. Metal processing impacts key sectors like automotive manufacturing by ensuring the production of strong yet lightweight materials essential for EV design and performance.

Steel processing remains essential for producing robust frames, while aluminum processing provides lightweight alternatives for battery enclosures and body panels. Advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) is particularly noteworthy — it delivers exceptional crash […]

8 02, 2024

New Year, Great Outlook for Metals Processor National Material Company

jane2024-02-04T19:21:16+00:00February 8th, 2024|News Blog|

So what exactly makes National Material Company a top-of-the-line metals processor? Read on to find out.

The world we live in today has been greatly influenced by the steel industry, a legacy that all began in the Iron Age, when humans discovered the power of iron. During that time, steel production was still initially time-consuming and expensive. However, a significant turning point arrived with the introduction of the Bessemer converter. The game-changer came in the mid-19th century, revolutionizing steel manufacturing by making it more accessible and cost-effective. This innovation spurred rapid growth and enabled steel’s critical role in constructing everything from skyscrapers to intricate machinery, profoundly impacting society.

The modern steel industry is a sophisticated and advanced sector, characterized by numerous processes. Over the years, multiple advancements have significantly enhanced the efficiency, sustainability, and affordability of metals and steel processing.

National Material Company: Your Leading Metals Processor

National Material Company is North America’s leading metal processor and service provider with a rich history dating back to 1964. What was once a steel service center for electrical grade steel in Chicago, NMC has impressively expanded its capabilities to all types of flat-rolled steel processing. Over the years, they have built several processing facilities in the United States, making their mark in the flat-rolled steel processing and supply chain management sectors.

Today, National Material Company is recognized as a top choice for customers seeking high-quality metal processing services. Their reputation as a reliable metal processor is strengthened by a skilled team, state-of-the-art equipment, and extensive storage capabilities. With multiple locations across the U.S., they efficiently and cost-effectively meet the diverse needs of their clients. NMC’s commitment to excellence, combined with nearly six decades of experience, makes them an invaluable partner in the metals & steel service industry.

Discover a vast array of solutions, offerings, and expertise that NMC can bring to the table:

Galvanized Steel

NMC’s galvanized steel processing capabilities produce a high-quality metal products treated with zinc to make it corrosion and rust-resistant. Therefore, it will last longer than regular steel. The zinc coating helps to protect the steel from harmful elements that can cause corrosion and rust. This makes it a reliable and durable material for any project. Its durability in withstanding harsh weather conditions makes it so popular to an array of industries. These include automotive, construction, wind and solar, energy, and telecommunications.

Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS)

Secondly, one of NMC’s most exciting capabilities is the ability to process advanced high-strength steel (AHSS). Engineers have crafted this special steel to exhibit remarkable strength and lightness by utilizing chemical compositions and manufacturing processes. AHSS can form into complex shapes, thereby enabling manufacturers to decrease the number of individual parts required to create a product. It’s perfect for meeting the automotive industry’s strict regulations and helping manufacturers reduce emissions, improve safety, and enhance fuel economy.

Steel Supply

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14 01, 2022

A Deeper Dive into Steel & Steel Processing

Cara2022-08-05T16:28:02+00:00January 14th, 2022|News Blog|

In an ancient Greek myth, Prometheus steals fire from the gods so that humans may escape their wretched situation on Earth. A modern rendition of this myth may have Prometheus bringing us steel rather than fire.

It is steel, strong and versatile, which releases modern humans from the constraints of nature. It is a stalwart in everything from medical equipment to structural elements, to specialty parts in aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, military, and infrastructure industries. Today, our steel researchers, metallurgists, technicians, and engineers put on the garb of Prometheus as they continue to perfect different grades and specialty steel.

What are some of the aspects that go into steel processing?

Steel Grades Make Steel Processing Easier

In the modern world, there is a specialist for every job. It’s no different with steel. The “grade” of steel is a descriptor that identifies both the physical properties of the steel as well as its composition, among other descriptors. Currently, there are more than 3,500 grades of steel, each tailored towards a specific task. Of these, the grand majority were developed just in the last 25 years.

Thanks to this variety, steel processors can offer their clients the perfect “specialist” for the job.

Steel Processing: Earth-Friendly

No modern industry can claim to be for the benefit of mankind without being sustainable. For this reason, steel sustainability has made huge leaps in the last decades towards social responsibility.

Fortunately, as a material, steel is very compatible with sustainable goals. Steel is 100% recyclable. It is also very long-lasting and improves the performance of transportation vehicles, which makes for greener rides. Recently with the increased prominence of electric arc furnaces, more and more steel recycling has given new life to old steel. All this is done without reductions in quality or performance.

Creating Better Steel for Steel Processing

The creation of new grades of steel involves transformation of the chemical composition of steel alloys as well as using different physical processes to transform steel.

Steel can be categorized into four basic groups based on the chemical compositions:

Carbon steel
Alloy steel
Stainless steel
Tool steel

Check out this page to learn more about each of those categories.

Steel Processing: A Huge Enterprise

2020 saw the production of 1.88 billion metric tonnes (Mt) globally, which was actually 0.3% above the pre-pandemic 2019 production numbers. The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic caused many industries to grind to a halt, which – in turn, decreased the demand for steel. However, in 2022 demand promises to bounce back. The Worldsteel Association predicts that “steel demand will grow by 4.5% in 2021 and reach 1,855.4 Mt after 0.1% growth in 2020. In 2022, steel demand will see a further increase of 2.2% to 1,896.4 Mt. The current forecast assumes that, with the progress of vaccinations across the world, the spread of variants of the COVID virus will be less damaging and disruptive than seen in previous waves.”

Steel Processing of Advanced High Strength Steels

A thematic characteristic of steel and steel processing is that it’s a forward-looking industry […]

24 06, 2021

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.

Enhance Your Projects with Expert Steel Processing Solutions

Request a quote today and experience industry-leading steel processing tailored to your specifications.

Contact us today to […]

26 04, 2021

What is Steel Processing? The Processes That Shape and Support our World

andre2025-02-24T21:16:28+00:00April 26th, 2021|News Blog, NMC Media|

It is easy to take the miracle of mass-produced steel for granted. Just in 2019, 1869.9 million tons (Mt) of steel rolled out of facilities and into our appliances, cars, planes, buildings, roads, and beyond. Yet, the steel processing that we enjoy today has been a work in progress for centuries, a work that, today, is evolving towards greener, more eco-friendly production.

What steps go into the processes that shape and support our world? Need precision-cut, high-quality steel for your next project? Start here!

Raw Materials:

As has been done in the past, much of today’s steel processing begins with mined raw materials: iron ore, coal, and limestone. The molten iron produced from these initial materials are transformed into steel using a basic oxygen furnace or a modern electric arc furnace

However, the steel industry’s commitment to green processes means that every year in the United States, 70 million tons of steel are recycled, producing astonishing energy and raw material savings by the American Steel industry. According to World Steel, “A basic oxygen furnace can be charged with as much as 30% steel scrap. An electric furnace can be charged with 100% steel scrap. On average, new steel products contain 37% recycled steel.”

Refining, Adjusting, and Casting:

After the production of molten steel, a flurry of different processes can be applied, the most basic of which is when elements are either added or taken away to manipulate the final characteristics of the steel. Currently there are over 3,000 steel grades, each with a different balance of elements and heating adjustments to produce the desired properties. This includes the advanced high-strength steel grades.

When finished undergoing secondary steel making processes, molten steel is cast into “semifinished” billet, bloom, or slabs preparing the steel for its final physical shape.

Forming, Fabricating, and Finishing:

Afterwards, steel processing service centers take steel billets, blooms, and slabs and create deliverable steel products. This includes forming steel through hot rolling and cold rolling, and applying processes such as:

Steel Blanking
Steel Pickling
Steel Slitting
Shearing
Leveling
Milling
Saw Cutting
Drilling
Flame Cutting
Tumbler
Burning

The steel service centers then deliver the steel to final manufacturers who will transform it into a final, consumer product such as automobiles and appliances.

Coming full circle:

As mentioned earlier, The EPA estimates that nearly 70% of U.S. steel is recycled, meaning that the life cycle and processing of steel never truly ends, but begins again to create a healthier environmental future.

About NMC’s parent company: NMLP

Since its founding in 1964, National Material Limited Partnership (NMLP) has grown to over 30 business units and is now one of the largest suppliers of steel in North America. The National Material group of industrial businesses consists of the Steel Group, Stainless and Alloys Group, Raw Material Trading Group, Aluminum Group, and Related Operations.

Become an NMC customer today! Visit NMC at www.nationalmaterial.com. You can contact sales via our website or call us at 847-806-7200.

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