What is steel used for?


Quick Answer

Steel is used in nearly every industry in the world, including transportation, home goods, construction, energy and agriculture. It is the most-widely-used and most-recycled metal material in the world.

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What is steel used for?
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Full Answer

In the travel and transportation industry, steel is used in the manufacturing of essential car parts like engines, transmissions, wheels and car bodies. Over half the weight of the average car comes from steel. It is also used in the making of jet engine parts, anchor chains for ships and submarines, and the undercarriages of airplanes.

Steel is also used to create home goods such as washing machines, refrigerators, microwaves and radiators. The weight of the average household appliance is 75 percent steel. It also goes into bottle caps, food cans, paint, chemical and household cleaner containers.

The vast majority of steel usage is in the construction industry. Steel structures are built quickly and relatively cheaply, making it a convenient choice for projects large and small. Steel composes the foundations and frames of office buildings, hospitals, gas stations, grocery stores and apartment homes.

Steel is utilized in the energy industry as well. Oil pipelines, wind turbines, gas wells and transformer cores all use steel in their basic makeup. In the agricultural industry, steel also has many uses. Farm equipment and vehicles such as tractors, forklifts and storage tanks all use steel parts and foundations.

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