Many industries use steel pipes, from building new homes to building fences on farms. If you are looking to buy steel pipe for your small business, carefully consider your options.

With the many different types of pipes, from carbon and galvanized steel pipes to stainless steel pipes, it is important to find a steel pipe supplier who can work with you to meet the needs of your industry. Keep these tips in mind as you begin shopping:

1. Distributors may be willing to offer discounts for bulk orders of industrial steel pipes.

2. There are distributors who specialize in different types of materials.

3. Search for ways to make money with any excess stainless steel pipe you may have.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Seek out a wholesale steel pipe distributor to save money

Wholesale distributors are used to working with businesses small and large. Many will work with you to get the best deal. Inquire about bulk order discounts as well.

I recommend: Kahn Steel Co., Inc. is a wholesale distributor of bars, coils, pipe, plates, rebar, sheets, angles, beams, channels and tubing. Alpha Pipe Company, Inc. is a wholesale supplier of new and used steel pipe and tubing.

Seek out a steel pipe distributor who specializes in the material you need

It is important that you find a seller who is familiar with the type of piping material you need. You do not want to end up with a galvanized steel pipe when you needed another type of metal.

I recommend: Strasser Pipe has provided quality pipes and services to the water, oil, gas, sewer, irrigation, plumbing and industrial markets since 1995. They offer carbon steel pipe as well as stainless steel pipes. Aladdin Steel, Inc. offers a variety of carbon steel tubing and piping.

Find a supplier willing to buy steel pipe as well as sell it

Choose a supplier who will also buy any excess steel at your job site to recoup some of your losses. Some will even send a crew to the site to help with clean up, a convenient answer to your problems.

I recommend: All Steel Pipe delivers a wide range of steel pipes for sale for a variety of industries. They also buy back excessive steel you have at your job site, sending a crew to retrieve it. Florida Pipe & Steel, Inc. has locations throughout the U.S. allowing for overnight delivery to almost anywhere. They also purchase surplus and obsolete inventories.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Galvanized steel pipe corrodes over time and you should take care to replace any pipes in your home or business after about forty years. That is why most people no longer use it in today's homes, with copper being the preferred material for plumbing pipes.