Carbon Steel Plate

The weather in the Philippines is tough. Humidity, lots of tropical rain and salt from the ocean make unprotected mild carbon steel rust very fast. For warehouses or industrial plants near the coast I suggest using copper-bearing carbon steel. You should also use hot-dip galvanizing (HDG) that follows ASTM A123 away. If you cannot use hot-dip galvanizing on carbon steel plates you should use a strong paint system. I recommend using a zinc-rich primer, an epoxy middle coat and a polyurethane topcoat. This three-coat paint system can make your maintenance last longer. By painting every 3 to 5 years this can keep your carbon steel plates safe for over 15 years in the coastal Philippines.

In the Philippines, the price for carbon steel plates is usually between ₱45 and ₱68 per kilogram. The price changes based on the grade like A36 or the stronger A572 and how thick the plate is (from 6mm to than 50mm). The price also depends on if the steel’s local or imported and how much iron ore and shipping costs change globally. Since the cost of steel goes up and down every week project managers and developers should try to lock in prices early. You can do this by signing supply contracts or making deals with steel importers. It also helps to work with a distributor that has warehouses in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao so you do not have to pay as much for shipping.

A lot of imported carbon steel plates come from Japan, South Korea, China and Vietnam. These offer different grades and good prices but you cannot skip on safety rules in the Philippines. All imported steel must follow Philippine National Standards (PNS) and ASTM rules. To avoid delays with building permits you must make sure every batch has a Heat Number and Mill Test Certificate (MTC). These papers prove the strength and the chemical makeup of the carbon steel plate. Good local suppliers will even use third-party labs like MIRDC to check that the imported steel is actually good quality.

If you are working on commercial or industrial projects it is much smarter to buy from a direct steel importer that also does processing. This saves you time and money on labor. The best Philippine steel suppliers can do CNC plasma/flame cutting, shearing, beveling and custom bending at their shop. When you pick a supplier, check how they handle delivery. You want a supplier with their trucks that can bring heavy carbon steel plates straight to your site, in Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro or Davao. It is also great if they have a crane-truck to help unload the plates for you.