Here at GFS we’re proud to say that we use high-grade stainless steel in our CSST products. As a manufacturer of stainless steel products, whether it be for gas, water, or ventilation we believe in making high-quality products that we can be proud to put our name to. GFS is one of a very small number of manufacturers in the UK manufacturing CSST pipe using 316l (1.4404) stainless steel. As a company, we’re often asked why we have made this choice. It’s understandable that people would question this as a business strategy. It does, after all, increase our raw material costs. But, we as a company absorb these costs and don’t pass them onto the customer.
So, what grade of steel do we use? Why is it better than what everyone else is using? And, why do we absorb the costs?
As standard, most UK CSST manufacturers use 304 (1.4306) stainless steel. It’s the most widely used grade of stainless steel due to its versatility. Common applications for 304 (1.4306) stainless steel are:
– “Sinks and splashbacks
– Saucepans
– Cutlery and flatware
– Architectural panelling
– Sanitaryware and troughs
– Tubing
– Brewery, dairy, food and pharmaceutical production equipment
– Springs, nuts, bolts and screws”
At GFS we use 316L (1.4404) stainless steel. Grade 316 stainless steel has an addition of molybdenum that provides improved resistance to corrosion. Molybdenum is a metal that is resistant to corrosion and has the highest melting points of all the pure elements.
The European Standard EN15266 demands the material compound to contain 10 nickel content which 304 and 304L (1.4306) contains 8-10 nickel content whereas, 316L (1.4404) contains 10-13 nickel content. We guarantee that our stainless steel is always compliant with UK regulations.
Using products with a higher level of corrosion resistance provides fantastic unique benefits for you as the installer, your installs and for us as a manufacturer. It means that when you see the GFS branding you can be certain that you’re purchasing a product with the best raw materials and engineered to the highest standards.
We also anneal our piping systems to ensure that it’s very flexible for greater ease when installing. Once again having the higher stainless steel is invaluable to this procedure as the molybdenum allows us to maintain the strength and quality after the annealing process.
As a company, we absorb the costs that using grade 316L steel incurs because we believe that the quality of the product matters more than mass production and profit. The importance of installer safety and safety of the end user are paramount to GFS. There is no better reason for us as a company to use higher grade materials in our products. And, we’re proud of this fact.
If you’re interested in making the switch to using GFS CSST, contact us to book a free demonstration of our products today. What have you got to lose?