How to know if you are paying too much for wire…
When baling wire is needed, it is common for the purchaser in the office to seek out convenience, price, and quality (in that order) from the mass of distributors. The distributors naturally mark-up the prices, and depending on which manufacturer they get their wire from affects the quality.
TIP #1: Know the gauge of wire.
The gauge (ga) is the diameter or thickness of the wire. This gives you a clue to the strength. The gauge number has an inverse relation to the thickness of wire. For example, 14ga wire (commonly used for cardboard bales) is thicker than 15ga wire. If you needed stronger wire, you would “down-gauge” to 13ga or 12ga. A lot of end users don’t know the lower the number is the stronger the wire.
TIP #2: Give the wire a twist.
Two strands of wire could be the same gauge, and have different carbon count. The carbon count affects the hardness and strength of the wire. You can feel the difference by making a loop at one end and twisting the wire around itself. The harder it is to bend the wire, the higher the carbon count.
TIP #3: Know where the wire comes from.
Check the label. A distributor is open to getting their wire from anywhere across the globe. You could be getting old wire, inconsistent wire, and getting down-right gouged on price. Imported wire tends to use a 1/2 gauge thicker wire in order to = the same break strength as domestic. This extra thickness makes the end user use more wire since they get less footage per pound, but they don’t know it.
A domestic wire manufacturer offers the most competitive prices on wire, however they are harder to find and may require a minimum order. A manufacturer will pride themselves on reliable, consistent wire for safety reasons. A distributor may not be able to offer you the same reliability.
Now that China is refraining from “dumping” cheap steel into the US market, your nearest wire manufacturer can offer the best prices on the best quality wire. Vulcan Wire is the largest baling wire manufacturer on the west coast and challenges the competition on quality and price. We make wire from the heart of the bay near San Francisco, CA. Bring the wire you use to compare quality and price. We can help you determine if you are paying too much for wire.
BALER WIRE – $XX.xx/BOX
“Vulcan Challenges the Competition”
Ship Period: 5/2/16 – 5/31/16
Gauges in stock: 12ga, 11ga, 10ga
100# coils, 36 boxes/pallet
CALL FOR QUOTE
510-887-2495
Tags: baler wire, wire gauge, wire manufacturer
