Who can imagine what kind of a world we would live in without steel? No automobiles, airplanes, office buildings, processing plants; all of these items, and many more would be impossible were it not for steel. This all-important metal, however, does not just come from the ground; instead, steel is produced by combining molten iron with carbon ions in order to form one of the strongest, most durable and most versatile material in the world. As advanced as other industrial sectors have become over the last hundred years or so, most steel plant machinery and supplies are similar to the machines that have been used for hundreds of years.

The blast furnace is the most common type of steel making equipment. Unlike a common home or industrial furnace, this type is huge and capable of very high heat. The high heat is necessary as the melting point for iron is over 1,000 Fahrenheit. Iron is turned into steel by combining coke (a mixture of different coals containing carbon) with the iron ore and limestone (which removes impurities). Once combined, the materials are filtered through different chemicals as they fall to the bottom of the furnace. At the bottom of the furnace, the mixture is then melted by a blast of hot air. Once this process is completed, the liquid steel.

There are many other types of steel plant machinery and supplies; each type of steel (for example, stainless) requires type specific equipment. Using the right equipment is imperative when trying to produce quality products.