Metal Products - Aluminum Distributing, Inc.

Aluminum Distributing, Inc. (ADI Metal) is a global distributor of metal for marine and industrial applications. With clients in over 70 countries, we provide high-performance aluminum alloys, stainless steel, and other ferrous and nonferrous metals domestically and internationally to ensure strength, durability, and reliability in your project. Learn more about our quality metal product line and how these materials can support your marine operations.

Aluminum Alloy Products

While pure aluminum presents impressive properties, it typically doesn’t have the strength for applications that demand high durability. As such, lightweight aluminum is often combined with other elements to form alloys, giving the material enhanced versatility and reliability with an advantageous strength-to-weight ratio. These alloys are categorized based on their response to mechanical and thermal treatment. With these properties, aluminum alloys are desirable for aerospace, automotive, engineering, and construction applications.

When most people think of aluminum products, they tend to think of common household items. While it is true that many kitchen products contain aluminum alloys, they have a much farther reach. Aluminum alloy’s light weight and incredible strength make it an ideal material for speed rail fittings. Also, as steel is about three times as heavy, aluminum components can effectively reduce the weight of land or air vehicles and enhance fuel sustainability and efficiency. For construction applications, the industry’s use of aluminum is second only to steel. In addition to its high resistance to corrosion and flame, aluminum is naturally insulative. In buildings where fire risk is high, aluminum is preferable to steel for its superior heat resistance properties.

Being nonferrous, aluminum is also a popular choice for marine applications. There are multiple types of marine-grade aluminum designed specifically for shipbuilding, docks, boat lifts, and other offshore tasks. Marine-grade aluminum alloys typically consist of aluminum-magnesium or aluminum-magnesium-silicon compositions. Cast aluminum alloys also have marine applications. Casting can create fairly complex configurations that are suitable for structural components and supports within ships. At ADI Metal, we carry a vast array of aluminum alloys suitable for diverse marine and industrial applications.

Types of Aluminum Alloy Products

Stainless Steel Products

Stainless steel offers excellent protection against rust and corrosion. Additionally, this alloy of chromium, iron, and other metals is incredibly versatile and strong. This makes stainless steel a great material for both above- and below-water applications. It is easy to fabricate given its high elongation rates. Its ductility, or the percentage of elongation that the metal can handle during tensile testing prior to fracturing, varies depending on the type. For example, annealed austenitic varieties, which are common for coastal-based applications, are particularly ductile.

Stainless steel in marine applications is well suited for permanent or near-permanent structures. This would include vessels, piers, oil rigs, and floating homes. For applications like these in which a stainless steel component will be permanently submerged in saltwater, superaustenitic stainless steel with a 6% molybdenum composition is optimal. This will offer better protection against general and pitting corrosion when exposed to highly corrosive environments, such as saltwater. As such, stainless steel won’t have as many maintenance requirements as aluminum or regular steel.

Also, stainless steel is infinitely recyclable, meaning that no matter how many times it is recycled, it will not lose the properties that make it valuable. As a side benefit, its sustainability equates to reduced energy consumption as it takes less oil to recycle stainless steel than produce it new, as well as minimized landfill waste.

Types of Stainless Steel Products

Other Ferrous Metals & Nonferrous Metals

A ferrous metal is any type of metal that contains iron. Conversely, a nonferrous metal lacks iron in its composition. Both ferrous and nonferrous metals are useful for marine and industrial purposes.

Commonly used ferrous metals include steel, stainless or carbon steel, and cast or wrought iron. These magnetic metals are popular for their tensile strength, giving them applications in both structural and architectural components. Due to their high carbon content, ferrous metals tend to be more vulnerable to rust when exposed to the elements. (Stainless steel and wrought iron are the exceptions to this.) However, ferrous metals will often be heavier and cheaper than nonferrous varieties.

Given their excellent strength, ferrous metals are common materials for everything from railways and bridges to skyscrapers and more. Ferrous metals, notably armor plate, carbon steel, and titanium, are also applicable for numerous marine projects. They are specifically found in boat propeller shafts, marine fittings, storage vessels, and shipbuilding operations. Carbon steel, in particular, is widely used in ship bodies, and certain varieties with additional chromium and manganese can have enhanced saltwater resistance.

Typical examples of nonferrous metals include aluminum, brass, copper, zinc, lead, silver, gold, and tin. These metals tend to be more malleable when compared to ferrous metals. While not magnetic, nonferrous metals offer good corrosion resistance and can conduct heat and electricity. As nonferrous metals tend to be lighter, they are commonly found in the aerospace and automotive industries. They are useful in gutters, roofing, piping, and electrical devices.

As some examples of marine-ready materials, marine-grade brass is also called naval brass given its prevalence in military applications. Marine brass is typically blended with zinc and tin to enhance its resistance to corrosion. Alternatively, marine-grade bronze is often alloyed with silicon or aluminum for the same added benefit of corrosion resistance. Aluminum-bronze and silicon-bronze are particularly helpful in marine applications that are vulnerable to biological damage, like gear-drive systems. With a low oxidation rate, copper can help fight off disruptive organisms like mussels or algae. Marine-grade copper has similar biofouling resistance, notably for fighting off barnacles. Given its ability to resist these biological threats, copper is frequently used in seawater piping, fuel lines, and heat exchangers.

Types of Ferrous Metals

Types of Nonferrous Metals

Metal Distribution for Marine Applications

ADI Metal is a woman-owned global leader in the distribution of marine metal products. We serve clients in the commercial and private marine sectors, as well as cruise ships, along with the oil and gas, heavy industry, and military and government sectors. We have been in the metal distribution industry since 1958, allowing us to forge strong relationships with diverse clients and professional organizations.

Our company maintains an 18,500-square-foot warehouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, allowing us to keep many metals in stock with quick turnaround times. Additionally, our company maintains an ISO-approved Quality Management System (QMS) and certification to ensure our customers of exceptional service and quality in the millions of pounds of metal that we handle every year. Our specialty is marine-grade aluminum and stainless steel, including alloys 5086, 5083, 6061, 6063, 5052, 3003, and 316L, as well as extruded shapes in 6063 and 6061. We also offer an extensive range of ferrous and nonferrous metals for your convenience.

To learn more about our metal products, capabilities, and value-added services, contact us today.