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  • Bansar knows very well on reliable Chinese steel manufacturers
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Importing Steel from China
Importing Carbon Steel from China 1
Importing Carbon Steel from China

Carbon steel mostly used for simple structural applications such as cold formed fasteners and bolts. It can also be used in various fields for various purposes. You can find good carbon steel suppliers in any area in China. These manufacturers offer high-quality carbon steel with competitive price. Provides the best carbon steel that fits according to your needs.

Importing Alloy Steel from China
Importing Alloy Steel from China

To bring out the best properties of alloy steel it must required heat treatments. Ideally suited for applications that require higher strength, improved toughness or better wear resistance than standard carbon steel grades. Well-known alloy steel factories in China are in Jiangsu, Henan, Guangdong and many more. These factories provide excellent alloy steel products at the best price. Perfect for your pipelines, auto parts, transformers, power generators, and electric motors needs.

 

Importing Stainless Steel from China
Importing Stainless Steel from China

Stainless steel of various kinds used in thousands of application. There are over 150 grades of stainless steel, of which 15 are commonly used in everyday applications. It is the popular steel people choose to use because of its sheer strength. Chinese stainless steel industry has experienced rapid development for over 20 years. So manufacturing from China is the best way for your industrial and domestic steel needs.

 

Importing Tool Steel from China
Importing Tool Steel from China

Tool steels are increasingly being used for mechanical parts to reduce size or weight. Tool steels are known for their distinctive toughness, resistance to abrasion, their ability to hold a cutting edge, and/or their resistance to deformation at elevated temperatures (red hardness). These steels have been developed specifically for tooling applications. Chinese leading tool steel suppliers comes from different area in China. Such manufacturers offer high standard tool steel products at a reasonable price.

Importing Mild Steel from China
Importing Mild Steel from China

Mild steel has a high amount of iron and ferrite, making it magnetic. It has a relatively low tensile strength but it is cheap and easy to form. Much affordable compared to other steels. Mild steel can be used in a lot of form like structural steel, furniture, wire, fencing and more. Also fits from agricultural to the heavy machinery industry. Finding good mild steel suppliers in China can help you save too much time and money. Chinese manufacturers mostly marketed in Australia, America, United Kingdom, and etc.

Importing Boron Steel from China
Importing Boron Steel from China

Boron steel has been popular in the motor industry. Suitable for applications calling for high strength of complex structural components. Vehicles that used boron steels that is has extremely high strength. More times stronger than average high-strength steel. It also used in the door intrusion beams of all Ford vehicles to help protect passengers in the event of a side impact. Mostly boron steel manufacturers in China is in Tianjin. These suppliers are expert for many years.

Importing Galvanized Steel from China
Importing Galvanized Steel from China

China is known for the largest market for galvanized steel. It was mainly driven by the speedy transformation economy and infrastructure. Galvanized steel has been used in many applications, and has formed an integral part of our daily lives. Also, galvanized steel is less expensive, it gives permanent protection, and fast rate of assembly. Sourcing from Chinese manufacturers is perfect for the infrastructure and manufacturing industry in your place.

 

 

Importing Steel Rods from China
Importing Steel Bar from China

Steel bars have an incredibly wide range of uses and applications for many different industries. Such as the cement industries, part machining processing, technology related, paper industries, and other types of architecturally related businesses. Its applications and uses depends on the types needed and come in various sizes and shapes. Mostly steel bar suppliers in China are in Tianjin, Jiangsu, Shandong and many more. These suppliers are known for its best customer services and high-quality products.

Importing Hot Rolled Steel from China
Importing Hot Rolled Steel from China

Hot rolled steel is cheaper than cold rolled steel. It is often manufactured without delays in the process. Hot rolled steel is used in situations where precise shapes and tolerances are not required. Automotive, wheel rims, transportation infrastructure, agricultural equipment, and construction application typically use hot rolled steel products. Finding the best supplier in China can help you save your time, money and efforts.

Importing Cold Rolled Steel Sheet from China
Importing Cold Rolled Steel from China

Cold rolled steel has had further processing. It also increased the strength of the finished product by as much as 20 percent. It also has a cleaner surface finish than hot rolled. Many applications that Cold-Rolled Steel Sheet products are used in today’s world. Some of these are metal furniture, tables, exhaust pipes, chairs, home appliances, water heaters, and some similar products. Professional Chinese cold rolled steel suppliers are in any area in China. These manufacturers provide a wide range of cold rolled steel shapes and you can choose according to your exact specifications.

Need Bansar to Handle Your Steel Shipping from China?

Steel Sea Freight Shipping from China
Shipping steel by sea helps you save money. Perfect for greater quantity of materials due to its large storage capacity
Steel Air Freight Shipping from China
When your steel orders need to be moved quickly, air freight is the best solution.
Steel Rail Freight Shipping from China
Shipping your steel by rails is efficient for longer journeys. It tend to be less expensive than other process.
Steel Door to Door Shipping from China
When new to importing process, shipping steel from door-to-door is the best option.

Save Bansar as Your Next Freight Forwarder for Your Steel Shipping from China

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  • Competitive shipping rates and professional service for your Steel shipping from China.

Best 20 Steel Manufacturers in China

1 Baosteel Group

China Baowu Steel Group Corp., Ltd., is one of the largest steel producers in the world located in the Baosteel Tower in Pudong, Shanghai, China. Since 2016, the company formed Baosteel Group with an annual output of around 35 million tons. It employs dedicated and hard-working 130,401 employees and staff to provide your steel needs.

2 Hesteel Group

Hebei Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd. was founded in 2008 by the merger of Steel Group, Tangshan Iron, Handan Iron of Hebei Province. Headquartered in Shijiazhuang, China, Hesteel Group is dedicated and devoted to supplying different industries with the most valuable and durable steel material and customer service solutions, adhering to become the most competitive steel worldwide.

3 Shagang Group

Jiangsu Shagang Group Company Limited is situated in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, China covering an area of 10 km2, and has total assets over RMB100 billion Yuan. Founded in 1975 and currently employs skilled 26,700 staff who ensures the best quality products. Clients around the world choose the partnership with Shagang group because of their stable and best steel solutions.

4 Ansteel Group

Established in the year 1916 under Japanese rule in Northeast China, Anshan Iron and Steel Group Corporation was formerly known as Anshan Iron & Steel Works and Showa Steel Works. The company is currently located in Anshan, Liaoning China with a wide factory area. Recognized as rank 7 in 2015 world ranking by production volume of steel products. One-stop provider, you can trust!

5 Shougang Group

With over 50 years of experience in the steel industry, Shougang Group becomes popular and professional in manufacturing steel products. The company has the best methods in developing a superior product supply to the Chinese market steeling industry. Specialized in steel structure installation, concrete-made products sales services, high-quality construction projects, and industrial equipment inspection.

6 COSASTEEL

Founded in 2006, COSASTEEL is a well-known steel manufacturer and supplier headquartered in China. They have an annual output of 800,000 tons of coated steel coils supplied throughout the world. Mainly produced GI, GL, PPGI, PPGL, corrugated steel sheet, and so on with the ISO 9001:2008 International Quality Management System Certification.

7 KDM Steel

With more than 10 years of experience in manufacturing steel and other products, KDM knows and understands customer’s requirements in these products. Employs over 50 skilled and professional technical workers that can provide you the one-stop solution for all your requirements. Contact KDM to know more about their products.

8 Shandong Boxing Juxingyuan Precision Sheet 

Established in 2007, Shandong Boxing Juxingyuan Precision Sheet Co., Ltd. is a devoted manufacturer of any kinds of steel products such as Aluminized-galvanized sheet and coil, galvanized steel sheet and coil, corrugated steel sheet, Matt PPGI and more. Headquartered in Boxing, Binzhou City, Shandong Province and owns advanced and high-tech production lines and equipment. The company has the capacity to produce more than 1.4 million tons of galvanized sheet and color coated steel sheet.

9 Hwafone steel

Specialized in manufacturing galvanized coil, pressed plate, color coated coil, cold-rolled coil, and other products. Located in Macau Road, Qingdao, Shandong, China with an annual output of 1.2 million tons. The company obtained ISO9001 national quality system certification and have a professional brand supplier around the world. Established in 2004 with a promise to provide and custom clients’ requirements.

10 Lantian Steel Company

Established in 2001, Shandong Lantian Steel Company is one of the best providers of steel coil, galvanized sheets, C-shaped steel, color coated steel, and more. Situated in Dianzi Industrial Zone, Boxing Country, Shandong province with its own factory and trading company. Whether you`re a supplier, wholesaler, or custom factory Lantian is the best choice!

11 Zhejiang Shimei Metal Manufacturing Co., Ltd

Zhejiang Shimei Metal Manufacturing Co., Ltd is one of the fully authorized producers and manufacturers of high-quality steel products. Began in the business since 2005 with over 300 energetic, high-quality management and mature technicians. Steel products are available in different measurements. The group can customize based on your technical specifications. Yearly, the management can produce steel amount to 50, 000 tons.

12 Henan Steel Guang International Trade Co., Ltd

The most expert steel export company in China. Henan Steel Guang International Trade Co., Ltd has already 10 years’ experience in doing steel exports. The main products include steel bar, steel plate cutting parts, and steel plate, available at competitive prices. A provider of better services, the company is also dedicated to providing one-stop steel deep processing services. Have international customers such as Canada, the Middle East, Mexico, Brazil, etc.

13 Qingdao AJ Steel Co., Ltd

Since its institution in the 1980s, Qingdao AJ Steel Co., Ltd Is a group enterprise major in machining and manufacturing of all steel materials. It also has the annual production capacity of 100, 000 tons of highest grades steels, available in 400 models. The company is under the SQAP management system, help them become the largest factory around the world.

14 Shandong Sino Steel Co., Ltd

Shandong Sino Steel Co., Ltd in China was considered as one of the biggest steel management company which holds decades of field experiences. This company leads large-scale exchanges with overseas and domestic markets on the basis of win-win benefits. Has a team of senior engineers help constructing the highest quality steels to gain global customers` trust.

15 Liaocheng Xinzheng Steel Co., Ltd.

Was located in Liaocheng Shandong, China. And as professional steel products international supplier and manufacturing enterprise, the products they export are galvalume steel coil, galvanized steel coil, cold rolled steel coil, and many more. The steel materials are good to sell in Africa, Europe, South America, and other countries all over the world. Provides honest and reliable services for customers` benefits. And also offers long-term business relationships with international clients.

16 ZHEJIANG SAILING STEEL INDUSTRY Co., Ltd

The ZHEJIANG SAILING STEEL INDUSTRY Co., Ltd conducts exporting and manufacturing of steel materials in all varieties. Stationed in Wenzhou, China, this is a factory that supplies one-stop steel solutions to clients abroad and home. They make new products strictly under the international standard. Also owns comprehensive production machines for fast designing and manufacturing process.

17 Hebei Changfeng Steel Tube Manufacturing Co., Ltd

Became an official manufacturing company in March 2005. Mainly works in Northern China, Changzhou City with convenient transportation access. Hebei Changfeng Steel Tube Manufacturing Co., Ltd for short CFST is a specialized fabricator of welded steel tubes or pipes. In China, they have been known as leading and the largest manufacturer among the others.

18 Qingdao Jiahexin Steel Co, Ltd

Since its foundation, Qingdao Jiahexin Steel Co, Ltd is headquartered in Jiaozhou District, Qingdao City, Mainland China. Staffed with specialized and experienced engineers to produce all kinds of steel materials. Some include steel welded fabrications, steel structures, prefabricated houses, and so forth. The company has CNC Cutting Machines, Drilling Machines, Straightening Machines, Auto Submerged Arc Welding Machines, etc for speedy production systems.

19 PANHUA Group

This PANHUA Group was established in May 2001, stationed in Zhangjiagang Town, Mainland China. The group`s annual capacity of the highest quality steels can reach up to 6 million tons. Their main products include color-coated steel sheets, annealing steel sheets, cold-rolled steel sheets, and many other series. It also owns a total of 48 steel sheet production lines. One of the privately-owned companies with a complete steel sheet to offer.

20 Zayi Steel Co., Ltd

Zayi Steel Co., Ltd carries an extensive range of steel materials. This is one of the export and import enterprises, in cooperation with first-class domestic companies. A highly certified company that works under ASTM, API, ANSI, ASME, and DIN international standards. It is recognized as the best manufacturer in the steel industry due to superb performances starting from designing, quality inspections until the delivery services.

Importing Steel from China: The Definitive Guide

If your starting or already started an importing steel business from China, this guide fits for you.

Finding the best manufacturer from China can guarantee you to be successful in your business.

This guide will help you to be professional in the Chinese Steel market.

Mostly, this helps you find a reliable China steel manufacturer.

If you’re starting or already started an importing steel business from China, this guide fits for you.

Finding the best manufacturer from China can guarantee you to be successful in your business.

This guide will help you to be professional in Chinese Steel market.

Mostly, this helps you find a reliable China steel manufacturer.

Why Import Steel from China?

Let’s face it:

The world would be nothing like we know it today if steel had never been invented.

From cars to trains, and from bridges to skyscrapers, the human race is undeniably dependent on steel and steel supplies.

And also, on the ability of suppliers to manufacturing enough steel to meet the ever-rising demand.

To put this into perspective; let’s consider the fact that in 2015, China had an annual steel production of around 150 million tons.

By 2017, the figure rose to a whopping over 800 million metric tons of steel.

What if when we get to 2020?

You can imagine where the numbers would be.

Now back to the question: why should you import steel from China?

1. Reasonable prices

Well, as mentioned above, China is one of the biggest steel producers in the world.

The country is also popular as a steel supplier for reasonable prices.

A majority of steel importers from all over the world source their steel from China.

And this is because of the convenience and the reasonable price range Chinese steel suppliers offer.

2. Flexible import policies

It’s not difficult importing steel from China because of the flexible import policies followed by the country.

Dealing with China is easy, and rarely needs any special effort when importing from there.

When we compare steel on the same level and with the same features, it is easier to buy from China from another country.

Steel rods

Steel rods

This is because other countries’ import policies are not as flexible as Chinese policies.

The steel from these countries like the US is also usually costly due to their reputation and brand recognition.

3. Quality steel

Reasonable pricing, constant supply, and quality are the key factors that drive the steel market in China.

I can imagine the doubting look on your face right now.

You’re like!

Quality and China in the same sentence?

I understand your doubt.

But listen, most people think that Chinese goods, let alone steel, have no quality.

Because of this, they end up making decisions by merely looking at the lowest price ranges of Chinese products.

quality control

Quality control

This is wrong!

You see, China produces very high-quality goods with a high level of market standards.

The specialty of Chinese products is their high quality for low prices.

When you consider steel, this country offers a range of steel products.

They produce steel at a fraction of its regular cost while maintaining the required quality and the highest level of accuracy.

You’d be surprised to learn this, but there is no difference between Japanese or European steel and Chinese steel in terms of quality

In fact, most international steel product manufacturers have their factories in China.

It is because of the cheap labor and low infrastructure cost they find in the country.

You see many reputed brands with ‘made in China’ tag because of this reason.

4. Dependable shipping schedules

Among the reasons why China produces the most steel is the availability of raw materials in the country.

With the accumulation of raw materials, scheduling your order becomes easier.

COSCO Shipping

COSCO Shipping

Steel mills in China already have the material for your order in stock and can begin work it immediately.

This allows for planned ordering and shipping without having to worry about the global market availability.

5. No more language barrier issues

Language barrier

Language barrier

Today, language barrier is no longer a challenge when importing from China.

What is though, is how you communicate with the supplier.

In recent times, Chinese suppliers are making efforts to learn the international language.

Those that find it difficult have made a point of having a translating device or human translator on call.

So you don’t need to worry about not being able to communicate I Chinese but rather how you pass on information such as order specifications etc.

The bottom line?

Buying steel from China is beneficial in every aspect.

The quality is impeccable.

The prices are just too reasonable.

And the supply as I said is pretty constant.

So whether or not you should import steel from China shouldn’t be a worrying issue for you.

What you should be worrying about now is the kind of steel to import from China.

Lucky for you, this is what we’re discussing next.

Importing Different Types of Steel from China

When seeking to import steel from China, it is essential to know that steel comes in different grades.

Different types of steel

Different types of steel

These grades are determined by the amount of carbon, impurities and alloy elements in the steel.

To guide you through, here are the main types of steel that you can get from China:

1) Carbon steel

Carbon steel is the most widely produced type of steel in China.

It contains subtle amounts of alloying elements.

And depending on the amount of carbon present, this type of steel can be categorized into three groups.

Namely;

  • Low carbon steel (contains about 0.3% carbon)
  • Medium carbon steel (contains 0.3-0.6% carbon)
  • High carbon steel (contains over 0.6% carbon)

For carbon steel, the rule of thumb usually is the greater the carbon content, the more the alloy can be hardened.

This can help to increase its strength, wear and impact resistance.

Note that there are very many high-quality carbon steel suppliers.

You just need to find the one that provides the best steel and the best rates that suit your needs.

2) Alloy steel

Alloy steel is alloyed with many other elements to improve its mechanical properties.

These elements include silicon, nickel, titanium, chromium, aluminum, manganese, and copper.

The elements are added into alloy in varying proportions that can be anywhere from 1% to 50%.

Due to this, alloy can be divided into two camps:

  • low alloy steels
  • high alloy steels

The most common alloy steel is low alloy steel.

Alloy steels are used to improve harden-ability and corrosion resistance.

Often, low-alloy steel will have less carbon composition.

This is because the low non-carbon alloy material in combination with high carbon content can make it difficult to weld.

Alloy steel applications include in pipelines, transformers, electric motors, auto parts, and power generators.

In China, you can find the best alloy steel manufacturers in Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Henan.

3) Stainless Steel

Stainless steel from China usually contains between 10% to 20% chromium as the main alloying element.

It is the high chromium composition that makes stainless steel highly resistant to corrosion and rust.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel

This metal note can be divided into three main camps:

  • Austenitic; contains 18% chromium, 8% nickel and less than 0.08% carbon. It is applied in food processing equipment, piping systems, and kitchen utensils.
  • Ferritic; contains 12% to 17% of chromium, and less than 1% of carbon.

It also contains other alloying elements such as aluminum, titanium, and molybdenum.

The unique thing about this type is that it can’t be hardened with heat treatment, but it can be cold formed.

  • Martensitic; contains 11% to 17% chromium, less than 0.4% nickel and up to 1.2% of carbon.

Unlike Ferritic, this metal is magnetic and heat-treatable.

It’s mainly used to make knives, cutting tools, dental and surgical equipment.

Chinese steel mills produce the best stainless steel perfect for commercial applications.

Their steel is produced in different grades, but commonly in grade 201, 304, and 316.

201 stainless steel is a cheaper and quite common option.

Grade 304 is the most common type of stainless steel you can find in China.

Whereas, 316 is the highly priced grade with better resistance to corrosion.

So when ordering stainless steel, make sure you know and specify the grade that you want.

4) Tool Steels

Tool steels are a collection of steels and alloys.

They are collectively grouped because their particular properties make them ideal for use in making tools.

Tool steel

Tool steel

China steel factories produce tool steel that contains varying proportions of cobalt, molybdenum, vanadium, and tungsten.

The addition of these elements makes the metal highly resistant to abrasion or corrosion.

It also makes them hard, impact resistant and able to hold a cutting edge.

There are many different grades of tool steel, each with one or more of its properties enhanced for use in its industry.

Generally, tool steel is widely preferred for tooling applications such as in cutting and drilling equipment.

Well,

These are the main steel types that you can import from China.

As you can see, it is important to consider the purpose and majorly, your target market when choosing a type to import.

It is also vital that you buy your steel from a reputable manufacturer that will provide quality steel at a competitive price.

You should consider asking us for a recommendation if you’re looking for quality steel suppliers in China.

This is because we have extensive knowledge of reliable steel suppliers in China.

We also share good relations with the majority of the known steel factories in China.

Cost of Importing Steel from China

Now,

When importing from China, the type of steel to import is just the tip of the iceberg.

Next, you want to consider the cost as there are many elements of this to take into consideration.

In this case, I am not just referring to shipping and import duties.

Instead, I’m talking about everything that you’ll pay for to get the steel from the factory in China to your final destination.

Here is everything you need to keep track of when importing steel from China.

· Cost of steel in China

The first cost to consider when importing steel from China is the cost of the product.

This is the overall cost of producing steel from a supplier in China.

When determining the cost of steel in China, factor in the unit price, tooling costs, and packaging costs.

Cost of steel rods

Cost of steel rods

You can also consider the preproduction sample costs although this is non-recurring.

Keep in mind that different manufacturers/suppliers offer different product pricing.

Thus, a cost comparison is necessary when seeking steel suppliers from China.

Also, it is vital to know the incoterm that the supplier is quoting as this could influence the cost of steel significantly.

· Steel shipping cost from China

Shipping costs cover the cost of ferrying the steel from the factory in China to your final destination.

And, it involves a myriad of things which include;

  • The cartage costs from the factory in China to the loading port
  • Clearances costs are origin country
  • Freight cost (transportation from port to port). It is based on cargo volume for sea/rail freight and, both the weight and volume for air freight.
  • Document delivery costs i.e. BOL, commercial invoice etc.
  • Local charges at destination
  • Cartage costs from destination port to final destination

Note that shipping costs are often based on Incoterms.

Meaning, a supplier can quote a product including cartage to loading port in China or destination port.

The supplier can also quote a price including delivery to a specific location in China or your country.

· Import duty on steel from China

Usually, imports from China are subject to duty. Steel is no exception.

Import tariffs vary from country to country.

So does also the customs value of which customs duties and other taxes are calculated.

KRA

KRA

So when importing steel from China, you need to find out how your country classifies steel and what regulations apply.

This way, it is easy for you to calculate the import duty and tariff payable for your steel imports from China.

· Third party costs

As you well know, there are so many steel mills in China that choosing an ideal one to work with may be a challenge.

Due to this, you might end up using third-party services to source for steel

And also, to facilitate shipping and customs clearance.

Inspection

Inspection

Quality inspection and compliance audits are also third-party services that you may need.

So make sure to include all these in your import costs calculation.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Importing Steel from China

As stated many times in this section, a myriad of factors influences the cost of importing steel from China.

Among them, import destination, shipping distance, shipping method, and incoterm.

Metal Bulletin and Reuters also cite steel price trends and macroeconomic changes as influencing factors.

According to them, slow steel demands leads to oversupply which in turn forces suppliers to slash their product prices.

And when there is an increasing demand, the cost of steel upsurges.

Reuters further suggests that currency fluctuations have a rippling effect on the overall steel importing cost from China to global markets.

Other factors include political tension, fuel price fluctuations, and government policies.

Port congestion and the Chinese holiday are also factors you should look into as you seek to source from China.

How to Source for Quality Steel in China

The good thing with importing steel from China is that there are many sourcing options.

Regardless of the option you use, you’re guaranteed of getting high-grade steel in bulk quantities at wholesale prices.

Let’s have a look at some of these options.

· Alibaba Steel Suppliers

An excellent place to start with when looking for steel suppliers is Alibaba.

With searching on Alibaba, it is important that you remain keen on finding a supplier that has all your needs.

Additionally, ensure the supplier possesses the most modern machining and processing services in the nearby area.

More importantly, make sure to do due diligence when selecting Alibaba steel suppliers.

For more insight on how to find trustworthy suppliers on Alibaba, watch this video:

Apart from Alibaba, you can find suppliers from other online platforms such made.in China, and global sources.

· Visit Steel products Trade Fair

Trade fair

Trade Fair

Some of the fairs and exhibitions that you can visit in China are the;

  • Canton fair
  • China Shanghai International Powder Metallurgy Exhibition
  • China (Guangzhou) International Metal & Metallurgy Exhibition
  • China Metal & Metallurgical Products Exhibition (CMPI)

Visiting fairs allows you to have one-on-one interaction with renowned steel suppliers in China.

You even get to see and feel the different steel samples that are attending suppliers produce.

· Contact ChinaSteel Manufacturers Directly

When you don’t want middlemen transactions, and all, dealing directly with a Chinese steel factory might be ideal.

In this case, you can deal with the company directly or its agent to source for products.

This way, you’re able to get the steel for their real prices.

Middlemen transactions tend to have little to no benefits.

Besides, the prices they offer usually include certain hidden fees.

Note that dealing with suppliers directly doesn’t come without risk.

As such, it is very crucial that you work with only reliable steel manufacturers.

So what exactly should you be looking for?

Well, reputation, experience, credibility, and review and ratings are excellent means gauging a company’s reliability.

· Use a sourcing agent

As I said, Chinese supplies today produce quality products, especially steel.

But then, popular belief has it that China is a notorious hot spot for selling substandard products.

While this may true to some extent, it doesn’t apply to all suppliers.

It is therefore vital to know how to spot the unscrupulous ones.

Aside from this, there is also the language barrier, time zone, and culture difference.

Not being able to visit suppliers to audit their operation regularly and product quality is also a challenge.

Sourcing agent

Sourcing agent

For all these reasons, it is imperative that you work with a professional sourcing agent.

A sourcing agent can help you to locate and purchase the best steel.

So strive to work with an agent who can work with manufacturers to locate and negotiate great deals for you.

Apart from the issues above, there are other importation issues that a competent sourcing agent can handle efficiently.

These include; finding the best supplier, checking out their reputation and handling product QC.

Sourcing agents also help to ensure that products are shipped according to purchase agreements.

Generally, with the right sourcing agent, you can make a lot of profit selling imported steel from China.

How to ship Steel from China

Now,

More and more people are learning that China is a gold mine for importing steel.

It is astounding to see the enormous variety of steel available from China.

You can choose from just about any type or subtype of steel to import; including mild steel, galvanized steel, hot rolled steel, etc.

However, knowing how the shipping process works can make the experience more rewarding and eliminate potential problems.

Lucky for you, there are several shipping options for imported steel from China.

· Steel air freight from China

Air freight from China is considered a viable option for lighter weight shipments.

Delivery by air is fast and pretty convenient if you’re importing in small quantities frequently.

And as earlier mentioned, air freight charges are determined based on both the volume and weight of the shipment.

China Airline Cargo

China Airline Cargo

The more the volume/weight, the higher the air freight charge.

Note also that there are two forms of air freight; standard air freight and express shipping.

Express shipping caters for extremely small volume and light packages.

It is best for use to ferry shipping documents such as the BOL and commercial invoice.

Companies like EMS, DHL, FedEx, and UPS offer express delivery services at competitive prices.

· Steel sea freight from China

Sea freight is the most common method of shipping steel cargo from China to global destinations.

This is because, by water, you can ship any volume and weight of steel that you want to any part of the world.

It is also very affordable to ship by sea than most other forms of shipping.

The only challenge with this is the transit time as ships are very slow.

MSC Shipping

MSC Shipping

A shipment that air freight can deliver in 3 days may take 2 weeks or more to be delivered by sea to the same destination.

So if you’re patient enough and importing less frequently in large volumes, sea freight might be the option for you.

Otherwise, you can consider rail freight.

· Steel Rail freight from China

Rail freight?

It is perfect for those of you looking for a balance between sea and air freight.

In other words, rail shipping is way cheaper than air freight and also faster than sea freight.

But there’s a challenge; you can only use rail freight from China when shipping to Europe or East Asia.

Railway network from China

Railway network from China

If shipping to destinations outside these zones then you can only opt for air or sea freight.

· Steel Door to door shipping from China

If you’re seeking convenience and less stress with the import steel from China process, choose door to door delivery.

Here, you won’t have to get involved in the importation process other than identifying a supplier.

Door to door shipping

Door to door shipping

Yes! You just find a reliable supplier and make your order.

After doing this, you find a reliable freight forwarder and let them know the location of your supplier.

The forwarder will pick the steel from the factory in China, work on documentation, clearance, and shipping to your doorstep.

But perhaps you don’t need not to do anything.

You can make frequent follow-ups on the shipping progress and also be assistive where necessary.

For instance, you can help ensure that the right paperwork is prepared for your shipping of steel from China.

Let’s talk about paperwork in the next section.

Documents needed to import Steel from China

Shipping documents

Shipping documents

When you’re importing steel from China, you have to be prepared with all of the required import documents.

Otherwise, your cargo might end up stuck at customs in China and even at the destination port.

Note however that import documentation varies from country to country depending on customs regulations.

It is therefore vital that you first find out your country’s requirements for steel importation from China.

This way, you know what to prepare and when to make it available.

That said, here are the main documents that you might need to import steel from China.

  • Import license (get it from the relevant authorities in your country)
  • Bill of lading document or airway bill for air freight
  • Commercial invoice
  • Quality inspection certificate
  • Packing list
  • Certificate of origin

Please note:

When importing steel from China, you can complete your own paperwork, or you can assign a customs broker to do it for you.

However you do it, just make sure that the details on the documents are accurate and clear.

And, that related information such as on the packing list and commercial invoice are consistent.

Importing Steel from China to Global Destinations

As I said, you can import steel from China to any part of the world.

Let’s find out how.

· Importing Steel  fromChina to North America

North American countries especially the US import the most steel.

Meaning, the demand for steel here is massive and that you can’t ever run out of the market.

To import to Canada, Mexico or the USA, you need to be mindful of the rules and regulations set forth.

For instance, you have to have a business number when importing from China to Canada.

Also, the quality inspection must be conducted for all goods including steel entering Canada.

It is also important to note that for steel imports to the US, a 25% tariff is applicable.

· Importing Steel from China to South America

The main destinations for steel imports from China to South America are Brazil, Peru, and Chile.

These countries import lots of flat steel, hot galvanized steel, alloy steel, coils, and cold rolled coils.

Shipping options when importing from China to Brazil, Peru or any South American countries include;

  • Sea freight
  • Air freight
  • Express shipping
  • Door to door shipping

· Importing Steel from China to Africa

As you well know, Africa is the largest consumer of Chinese goods.

Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt are among the largest African importers of steel from China.

The most popular type of steel imported to Africa is stainless steel.

· Importing Steel from China to East Asia

Importing steel from China to East Asia is the easiest as the shipping options are unlimited.

You can use ship via rail, sea or air depending on your preference and mainly cargo volume.

· Importing Steel from China to Australia

When shipping from China to Australia, you can work with Maersk, MSC, Hapag Lloyd, Cosco, CMA or ANL.

For steel air freight to Australia, Cathay Pacific, Garuda, China air, Xiamen air are the top carriers to consider.

Also, there are lots of freight forwarding companies that you can hire to help you with shipping your steel to Australia.

You can opt to work with a forwarder in China or get one from Australia.

Better yet, you have one forwarder in China and another one in Australia to make importation process smoother.

· Importing Steel from China to Europe

Like Asia, shipping steel to European destination sea also unlimited.

There is the Eurasia railway line that runs from China to most western European countries.

There is also the option of shipping via sea or air depending on your needs.

The only challenge when importing steel from China to Europe is the misconception about the quality.

Due to this, you have to maintain an exceptional level of quality when importing your steel from China.

Otherwise business won’t be as good as you may think.

You also have to work with a qualified freight forwarder to help you navigate the complex EU import policies and procedures.

BanSar freight forwarding Services

If you need a reliable company to import your steel from China, there are several companies to choose from.

However, you should strive to find a forwarder that has the right experience, capability, and professionalism.

Importing steel

Importing steel

Find a forwarder that has all it takes to make your shipping process as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Considering all these, BanSar China is the real deal.

We are a freight forwarding and logistics service based in China.

BanSar markets itself as a team of experts able to provide all types of freight forwarding needs.

As I’ve said, we are based in China, and our headquarter offices are in Suzhou.

We’ve been in the logistics industry for over 10 years and pride ourselves as a premier freight forwarding agent in China.

As a company, BanSar’s objective is to help you with every aspect of the import from China services arena.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a small business or a multinational corporation as we provide packages that cater to all.

Our services range from shipping (air, sea, rail and door-to-door), Quality inspection, customs clearance,and insurance.

We also offer warehousing and distribution, loading supervision, and pick-up and delivery services.

Additionally, BanSar freight forwarders can help find you the best Chinese steel suppliers if necessary.

We invite you to take full advantage of our website and the “get better quote” page.

BanSar

Bansar

These make it easy for you to get the latest freight forwarding rates whenever you’re importing from China.

Conclusion

Evidently, there is a lot to learn about importing steel from China.

With this guide, nonetheless, I hope you now feel more confident and feel you now know how to import steel from China.

If you would like to comment your thoughts on this guide or ask questions, please feel free to do so below.

Or, you can contact us directly.

We will be glad to hear from you and help in whatever way we can.

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