This section provides an overview for martensitic steel as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 13 martensitic steel manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked martensitic steel companies as of November, 2024: 1.Greer Steel Company, 2.Sandmeyer Steel Company, 3.SSAB.
Table of Contents
Martensitic steel refers to a group of stainless steel alloys characterized by a martensite crystal structure at room temperature.
Containing chromium as a primary element along with iron, it falls under chromium-based stainless steel, similar to ferritic stainless steel. Notable examples include SUS403 and SUS410, which comprise 13% chromium.
Due to its relatively low chromium content, which is crucial for passivity formation, martensitic steel offers less corrosion resistance compared to other stainless steel types, limiting its use in corrosive environments. However, it finds extensive applications thanks to its affordability, strength, and heat resistance. Common uses include mechanical structural components like shafts and bolts, and molds for plastic injection molding. Furthermore, variants such as SUS440 and SUS420, recognized for their hardness post-quenching and tempering, are frequently chosen for cutlery, including knives, and medical instruments like scalpels.
While properties can vary across different grades, a shared feature of martensitic steel is ferromagnetism, attributed to its body-centered cubic lattice structure. This is in contrast to austenitic stainless steel, which is non-magnetic due to its face-centered cubic lattice. The strength of martensitic steel is enhanced by quenching, and its wear resistance and toughness are further improved by tempering. The presence of a relatively high carbon content in austenitic stainless steel enables the formation of a hardened microstructure through high-temperature quenching.
Generally, martensitic steel undergoes quenching and tempering, with the resulting properties dependent on the tempering temperature. For instance, low-temperature tempering at 150 to 200°C enhances wear resistance, whereas high-temperature tempering at 600 to 750°C followed by rapid cooling boosts toughness. Conversely, tempering at around 475°C can lead to decreased ductility and toughness, a phenomenon known as 475°C embrittlement.
Martensitic steel, containing approximately 11-18% chromium, exhibits a single-phase austenite structure or a dual-phase structure with minor ferrite at high temperatures. The carbon, soluble in austenite at elevated temperatures, transforms into a martensitic microstructure upon rapid cooling post-quenching. The fundamental composition includes 13% chromium and 0.2% carbon, with typical examples being SUS410 and SUS420J2, containing 11.50-13.00% chromium and up to 0.15% carbon, and SUS420J2, with 12.00-14.00% chromium and 0.26-0.40% carbon, respectively. These are also referred to as 13Cr steel or the 13Cr series.
Choosing the appropriate stainless steel—martensitic, ferritic, or austenitic—depends on the application, considering the variations in properties with different crystal structures.
Primarily used for blades and cutting parts, martensitic steel is hardened through quenching.
Optimal for building interiors, automotive components, and commercial kitchens. It resists stress corrosion cracking without hardening by quenching, offering great economic value.
Known for its strength, ductility, toughness, and heat resistance, this alloy is non-magnetic and highly recyclable. Attention must be paid to stress corrosion cracking.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
Sort by Area
Penn Stainless Products Inc. is a supplier and manufacturer of stainless-steel flat-rolled flat, bar, structural and tubular products. Penn Stainless Products Inc. was founded in 1949, and located in USA. Penn Stainless serves domestic and international customers in stainless, high-temperature, corrosion, Duplex and PH alloys. They offer many processed capabilities that include level, plate shear, sheet shear, plasma, HQ plasma, laserjet and dynamic waterjet, as well as machine, saw and Amada production cut.
Greer Industries, Inc., established in 1917 and situated in Dover, Ohio, is a manufacturer of cold-rolled strip steel like low-carbon steel, high-carbon steel, and alloy steel. The company also produces the premier finish for cold-rolled strip steel, achieved through special rolling practices with chrome plating quality. The company’s high-strength low-alloy steel finds applications in bumpers, fasteners, springs, brackets, and supports. It is awarded the President's Award for Commitment for maintaining continuous registration with SRI's Quality System Registrar for two decades.
Niagara Specialty Metals, founded in 1982 and headquartered in Akron, New York, is a manufacturer specializing in tool steels, high-speed steels, martensitic stainless steels, and controlled expansion alloys. Its product range also encompasses conversion processing for titanium, temperature- and corrosion-resistant metals, and other super alloys. It manufactures stainless steel, tool steel, high-speed tool steel, and special-purpose tool steel. Besides, it also provides various services, such as hot rolling, cutting, grinding, annealing, and precision flattening. It has received an AS9100D with ISO 9001:2015 certification and delivers materials worldwide.
Sandmeyer Steel Company, founded in 1952 and based in Pennsylvania, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of stainless steel. The company's product portfolio includes different grades of stainless steel, nickel alloy, and titanium products. The company is also the largest single-site inventory of stainless steel, nickel alloy plates, and titanium products. Sandmeyer Steel also offers in-house oversized machinery, quickly annihilatory services, effective solutions with high-end processes, and machine cuts with accurate configuration services.
NACHI-FUJIKOSHI CORP. is a Japanese manufacturer of industrial machinery and tools, such as bearings, hydraulic equipment, robots, and cutting tools. They also provide services such as machine maintenance and repair. The company's products are used in automotive, aerospace, construction, and electronics. One of NACHI-FUJIKOSHI's renowned products is their robotic arm, the "MZR series," which is designed for precision assembly and inspection tasks in industries. They received several awards for their technological advancements and contributions to the industry, including the 2021 Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Medal for new hydraulic equipment technology and the 2020 Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Grand Technology Award.
Daido Steel Co., Ltd., originally founded in 1916 in Japan, is a manufacturer of alloy and tool steels. The company offers a wide range of products that include mechanical construction steels, superalloys used in engine components, welding wires, alloy powders, and permalloy foil. Daido Steel Co., Ltd.'s specialty steel products are used in the automotive parts, industrial machinery parts, electrical machinery parts, and welding markets. The company has diversified to include businesses in real estate, insurance, and the provision of welfare services and has expanded operations outside of Japan in North America, Asia, and Europe.
SSAB, established in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1878 is a manufacturer of steel products used in industries such as Construction and Infrastructure, Automotive and Transportation and Oil and Gas. Their product portfolio includes Steel Pipes and Tubes, Steel Sheets and plates used in fabrication and automotive industries, steel coils used in the manufacturing of electrical appliances, and structural steel used for building construction and infrastructure projects. The company also manufactures fossil-free steel which replaces coal in the iron ore reduction process with hydrogen resulting in removal of the fossil carbon emissions.
Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals Inc., founded in North Haven, CT, in 1924 is a manufacturer of precision metal products. The company's product portfolio includes Precision Machined Components, sheet metal fabrication, metal stamping, die casting and forging and welding and assembly services. The company serves industries such as Oil and Gas, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Construction, and Power Generation. The company also provides services including national distribution, product selection, customized services, technical support and customer service.
TOKUSHU KINZOKU EXCEL Co. Ltd. is an ISO 9001-certified manufacturer of precision metal materials that was established in 1940 in Tokyo, Japan. The company produces various performance alloys designed for flexibility, durability, or magnetism. These include electrical heating alloys, soft magnetic iron steel, and shape memory alloys. The company also offers contract manufacturing for custom or industry-specific material orders. It primarily serves clients in the aerospace, digital consumer products, and semiconductor manufacturing sectors.
Sverdrup Steel, established in 1992, is a global supplier of stainless steel materials, with a large market share in alloys in bars, coils, pipes, profiles, and plates. The company is headquartered in Norway and runs warehouses in Korea, Sweden, Germany, and the UK. Their product line includes items made from different types of alloys and titanium. Sverdrup Steel is registered as a supplier on Achilles Oil & Gas Europe Community and Achilles Utilities Nordics and Central Europe Community. They were selected to deliver stainless steel plates and profiles to Aker Solutions for the Northern Lights CO2 transport and storage project.
Great Plains Stainless, established in 1983, is an international supplier and distributor of stainless steel pipes, flanges, and fittings, headquartered in the United States. The company has a wide range of products that meet ASTM standards, is a distributor for specialty stainless steel. With over 3000 line items in stock, it caters to various industries worldwide. Its strength lies in offering value-added services such as stocking, delivery, metallurgical assistance, and custom machining. With almost 40 years of procurement and distribution experience, it has established itself as a preferred partner in the industry.
Hanshin Metallics Co. Ltd., founded in 1956 and based in Kobe-shi, Japan, is an ISO 9001-certified supplier of special steel. The company always has over 6000t in stock, mainly SCM, SUS, and SC, including a mid-size from φ105 to φ175. Its facilities are equipped with over 20 NC lathes and two machining centers, and the company can develop a pilot hole with a diameter larger than φ100. It also has an aerospace division that is JIS Q 9100-certified and stocks aircraft materials such as high alloys, aluminum, and stainless steel. The division offers cutting, heat treatment, and mechanical testing services.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Greer Steel Company |
10.4%
|
2 | Sandmeyer Steel Company |
10.4%
|
3 | SSAB |
10.4%
|
4 | TOKUSHU KINZOKU EXCEL CO.,LTD. |
10.4%
|
5 | Niagara Specialty Metals |
8.3%
|
6 | Sverdrup Steel |
8.3%
|
7 | Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals Inc. |
8.3%
|
8 | NACHI-FUJIKOSHI CORP. |
8.3%
|
9 | Kloeckner Metals Corporation. |
6.3%
|
10 | Daido Steel Co., Ltd. |
6.3%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the martensitic steel 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
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 5 | 45.5% |
Japan | 4 | 36.4% |
Sweden | 1 | 9.1% |
Norway | 1 | 9.1% |