11 Billet Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for billets as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 11 billet manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked billet companies as of November, 2024: 1.UBE STEEL CO., LTD, 2.BORUSA ALUMINUM LLC, 3.Star Good Steel Co., Ltd..
Table of Contents
What Is a Billet?
Billets are a type of raw material used in metalworking.
Billets are generally cylindrical or rectangular, have a fixed length, and are mainly manufactured from metallic materials such as steel or aluminum. They are transformed into products of various shapes and sizes through casting and forging processes and are processed into bar, plate, or pipe materials.
Billets are usually mass-produced using equipment such as molten steel furnaces and continuous casting machines. Proper quality control is important because material uniformity, strength, and workability affect the quality of billets.
Uses of Billets
Billets are processed in a variety of ways, including extrusion, forging, cutting, welding, and cold forging.
- Extrusion
Construction materials, automotive parts, railroad parts, electric power equipment, etc. - Forging
Drill bits, milling blades, hammers, etc. - Cutting
Gears, bearings, pistons, valves, bolts, etc. - Welding
Manufacturing of structures, ships, bridges, pipes, tanks, plants, etc. - Cold Forging
Hammerheads, automobile crankshafts, valves, etc.
Properties of Billets
1. Strength
Billets are usually manufactured from high-strength metal materials. Therefore, they are resistant to physical loads and stresses and are not easily deformed or destroyed.
2. Durability
Billets have excellent durability and have the advantage that their performance is not easily degraded by repeated loading or prolonged use. The durability of billets is a factor in the crystalline structure and uniformity of the material.
Strength and durability are critical to the continued stable functioning of a product or structure. For example, parts and structures made from billets play an important role in the construction and automotive industries.
These products and structures must withstand external loads and environmental conditions and provide safe and reliable performance over the long term.
3. Uniformity
Billets are machined to a consistent shape during the manufacturing process, and their internal crystalline structure is uniformly aligned to ensure consistent material properties and performance. Uniformity is important for product quality control and reliability.
For example, in parts and structures made from billets, uniform material structure increases the dimensional accuracy of the product. Material uniformity also reduces variations in product strength and hardness, resulting in consistent quality.
4. Processability
Billets have uniform dimensions and crystalline structure, making them suitable for shape change, machining, drilling, and cutting. For example, they can be machined to the required shape and dimensions using a CNC machine or CNC lathe.
Having a certain shape and dimensions, it is relatively easy to control dimensional accuracy during processing. This ensures consistency and accuracy of product dimensions.
5. Heat Treatability
The heat treatability of billets allows the following processing
Adjustment of Strength
Heat treatment can change the crystal arrangement and grain size, increasing or decreasing the strength of the material.
Hardness Control
By controlling the appropriate temperature and cooling rate, the surface and internal hardness of billets can be altered.
Improvement of Durability
Heat treatment can improve material durability and creep performance by changing the crystal arrangement and grain growth.
Stress Relief
Billets can be relieved of internal stress by heat treatment. In particular, when billets accumulate stress during processing and cooling, heat treatment can release the stress and improve the stability of the material.
Types of Billets
There are many different types of billets. The following are some of them
1. Steel Billets
Steel billets are alloys consisting primarily of iron and carbon and are used as raw materials for steel products. Steel billets are melted at high temperatures and used for casting and manufacturing steel products. They are usually square or rectangular and are heated before being used in processing steps such as forging and rolling.
2. Aluminum Billets
Aluminum billets are materials consisting of pure aluminum or aluminum alloys. Aluminum is lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and a good conductor of heat and electricity. Aluminum billets are used in processing methods such as rolling and extrusion and are useful in a wide range of industries including automotive parts, aircraft parts, and construction materials.
3. Copper Billets
Copper billets are made of pure copper or copper alloys, which conduct heat and electricity well and are corrosion-resistant. Copper billets are used in the production of wires, tubes, and fabricated parts, and are formed by forging, rolling, extruding, and casting.
4. Magnesium Billets
Magnesium billets are made of a lightweight, high-strength magnesium alloy. Magnesium billets are used in processing methods such as extrusion and forging and are useful in the manufacture of engine parts, frames, wheels, etc.
5. Zinc Billets
Zinc billets are materials consisting of pure zinc and are used as raw material for galvanizing and zinc alloys. Zinc is widely used to protect iron and steel from corrosion and is a material used in the manufacture of building materials, automotive parts, electronics, etc.
Zinc billets are easily melted, and after melting, they are processed into the desired shape through casting or extrusion processes. In galvanizing, zinc billets are used as raw material for electrolytic plating to form a uniform zinc coating on metal surfaces.
Billets typically have a cylindrical or rectangular shape, but not all billets are necessarily the same. Depending on the material and industry, there may be additional specific types of billets, and they may have different names.
Other Information on Billets
How Steel Billets are Produced
1. Raw Material Preparation
Iron ore or scrap is fed into a molten steel furnace and melted to produce liquid steel called molten steel.
2. Casting
Molten steel is taken out of the furnace and poured into molds. The mold is shaped like a billet, and the molten steel cools and solidifies to form a billet. In casting, the quality and crystal structure of billets can be adjusted by vibrating the molds and cooling them with cooling water.
3. Scouring
To improve the quality of steel billets, scouring is sometimes performed. In scouring, impurities and unwanted gases in the steel are removed, for example, by desulfurization or deoxidization to improve the purity and composition of the steel.
4. Cooling
After casting, the billets are cooled. Cooling methods include natural cooling and water cooling. By selecting the appropriate cooling method, the crystal structure and physical properties of the billets can be adjusted.
5. Inspection and Finishing
The produced steel billets are inspected. The dimensions, appearance, and microstructure of the billets are checked to determine if they meet quality standards. Final finishing operations are carried out, and the surfaces are pickled if necessary.
List of 11 Billet Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- China
- Japan
- Spain
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BORUSA ALUMINUM LLC
Billet Casting
Manufacturer Overview
Bor-USA Aluminum LLC. has been a manufacturer of architectural aluminum systems since 1997 and is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company produces billet castings, and extrusions, provides electrostatic powder coatings, and anodic oxidation to design extruded aluminum products like window frames, awning profiles, construction profiles, kitchen base profiles, and related products in different shapes, sizes, thicknesses, angles, and channels. The profiles have outdoor applications where weight is also a concern like construction, building, and similar industries.
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Acerinox
Billet
Manufacturer Overview
Acerinox Group, established in 1970 with headquarters in Spain, is a manufacturer of stainless steel and performance alloys. The company's product line includes stainless steel flat products, long products, and special alloy tubing and piping. The company's products are used in the obtaining and distribution of hydrocarbons and biofuels, as well as in the production of ethanol and bioethanol, and in construction materials including cladding, facades, swimming pools, and street furniture. The company serves the food processing, chemical processing, new energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure construction industries, among others.
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Chongqing CHAL Precision Aluminium Co. ,Ltd.
Aluminum Billet
Manufacturer Overview
Chongqing Chal Precision Aluminum Co. Ltd., established in 1991 and headquartered in China, is a manufacturer of aluminum products and technical solutions. The company specializes in tubes, plates, and various machined parts. It serves diverse industries, including automotive, construction, and transportation. Its products hold CE, CCS, and SGS certifications and maintain strategic partnerships with academic institutions and industrial associations. The company services encompass packaging, assembly, and logistics, backed by after-sales support.
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UBE STEEL CO., LTD
Billets
Manufacturer Overview
UBE STEEL CO., LTD, founded in 1914 and located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, is a manufacturer of iron and steel products. The company offers a range of products that include billets and casting. The company’s products have general uses across multiple industries, including construction and infrastructure, manufacturing and machinery, automotive, energy, and transportation. These products are used as foundational materials that are used to increase the strength and durability of structures, machinery, and industrial components in different sectors.
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Star Good Steel Co., Ltd.
Steel Billet
Company Overview
Star Good Steel Co., Ltd., founded in 2004 and headquartered in Qingdao, China, is a manufacturer and supplier specializing in stainless steel profiles. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio, including hot dip galvanized steel tubes, Chromium Molybdenum steel, stainless steel bright welded tubes, galvanized rectangular steel tubes, and high-frequency welded tubes, among others. These quality products have diverse applications, facilitating the safe transport of combustible fluids and various liquids, serving low-pressure air transport needs, supporting mechanical manufacturing, contributing to the construction sector, and finding utility in the metallurgy sector.
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Inox Pumps
Stainless Steel Billets
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Northern Ray Pte Ltd
Billets
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GEMINA AS
Steel Billet
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Hammad Steel Industries
Steel Billet
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Metal Supermarkets
Billet
Distributor Overview
Metal Supermarkets, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Blaby, Leicester, United Kingdom, is a franchise of Metal Supermarkets Canada, and a supplier of small-quantity cut metals. The company serves individual consumers, trade professionals, and commercial operators with a wide stock of metal forms, including engineering steels at clients' request. Its also offers alloys and rolled metals products in various shapes and grades, such as bars, sheets, and pipes. The company has over 115 locations across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
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Billet Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UBE STEEL CO., LTD |
14.9%
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| 2 | BORUSA ALUMINUM LLC |
12.2%
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| 3 | Star Good Steel Co., Ltd. |
11.2%
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| 4 | Chongqing CHAL Precision Aluminium Co. ,Ltd. |
10.6%
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| 5 | Acerinox |
9.0%
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| 6 | Hammad Steel Industries |
8.5%
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| 7 | Offshore Direct Metals, Inc. |
8.0%
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| 8 | GEMINA AS |
7.4%
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| 9 | Northern Ray Pte Ltd |
6.9%
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| 10 | Inox Pumps |
6.4%
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Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the billet page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- UBE STEEL CO., LTD: 272
Newly Established Company
- BORUSA ALUMINUM LLC: 1997 (27 years ago)
- Metal Supermarkets: 1994 (30 years ago)
Company with a History
- Metal Supermarkets: 1994 (30 years ago)
- BORUSA ALUMINUM LLC: 1997 (27 years ago)
Billet Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
Global Distribution of Billet Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
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2 | 33.3% |
China
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2 | 33.3% |
Spain
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1 | 16.7% |
Japan
|
1 | 16.7% |
