International standards for stainless steel and common types exported from China

2025-05-14

I. International Standards for Stainless Steel

The international standards for stainless steel are mainly formulated by the following organizations. Different countries and regions may adopt different standard systems:
ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
ISO 15510: Standard for Chemical Composition of Stainless Steel (Similar to the European EN standard)
ISO 9445: Stainless steel cold-rolled narrow strip
ISO 6931: Stainless steel spring wire

ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)
ASTM A240: Pressure vessels and general stainless steel plates, thin plates and strips
ASTM A276: Stainless steel bars and sections
ASTM A312: Stainless steel seamless and welded pipes
ASTM A479: Stainless steel bars and sections (for machining)

EN (European Standard)
EN 10088: General standard for Stainless steel (e.g. 1.4301 corresponds to 304,1.4401 corresponds to 316)
EN 10217-7: Stainless steel welded tubes

JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard)
JIS G4303: Stainless steel bars
JIS G4304: Hot-rolled stainless steel plate
JIS G4305: Cold-rolled stainless steel plate

GB (Chinese National Standard)
GB/T 3280: Cold-rolled stainless steel plates and steel strips
GB/T 4237: Stainless steel hot-rolled plates and steel strips
GB/T 1220: Stainless Steel bars

Ii. Main Types of Stainless Steel Exported by China

China is the world's largest producer and exporter of stainless steel, mainly exporting the following types of stainless steel:
1. Classified by material
Austenitic Stainless Steel (the most commonly used, accounting for approximately 70% of exports)
304 (AISI 304 / EN 1.4301) : General-purpose type, used in kitchenware, construction and food industries
316 (AISI 316 / EN 1.4401) : Contains molybdenum (Mo), has stronger corrosion resistance, and is used in Marine and chemical industries
321 (AISI 321) : Contains titanium (Ti), is heat-resistant, and is used in aviation and heat exchangers

Martensitic Stainless Steel
410 (AISI 410) : High hardness, used for cutting tools and mechanical parts
420 (AISI 420) : Higher hardness, used for surgical instruments and bearings

Ferritic Stainless Steel
430 (AISI 430) : Average corrosion resistance, used for household appliances and decoration
443 (AISI 443) : A low-cost corrosion-resistant stainless steel alternative to 304

Duplex Stainless Steel
2205 (AISI 2205 / EN 1.4462) : High strength + corrosion resistance, used in chemical industry and petroleum

2. Classification by product form
Sheet/coil: Cold-rolled (2B, BA, No.8 mirror surface), hot-rolled (NO.1)
Pipe materials: Seamless pipes, welded pipes (ASTM A312 / EN 10217-7)
Bars/wires: Round bars, hexagonal bars, stainless steel wires
Profiles: Angle steel, channel steel, stainless steel square tubes

3. Major export markets
In the European and American markets, high-specification stainless steels such as 316 and 304 are preferred, and they are required to comply with ASTM/EN standards
Southeast Asia/Middle East market: Commonly used 304 and 430, with high price sensitivity
The Japanese and South Korean markets: Tend to follow JIS standards, such as SUS304 and SUS316

Iii. Precautions for Export

Certification Requirements:
The European Union requires CE certification, the United States requires ASTM standards, and some industries (food and medical) require FDA certification
Packaging standard:
Anti-rust paper and wooden box/iron frame packaging to prevent corrosion during sea transportation
Trade barriers
Europe and the United States may impose anti-dumping duties on Chinese stainless steel. Attention should be paid to the policies

If more specific standards or export suggestions are needed, you can provide the product type (such as plates, pipes) and the target market, and I can further optimize and recommend!