Why you shouldn’t import baling wire from China

It’s never a bad idea to try and save money on baling wire. But before you buy Chinese baling wire, you should understand that the cheapest baling wire often comes with drawbacks. Here are some of the issues you’ll face importing baling wire from China:

• Low-quality steel
• Lower manufacturing standards
• No accountability
• Higher environmental impact
• Regulatory non-compliance

We’ll discuss the downsides of Chinese baling wire, the effects it can have on your operation, and introduce you to some better ways to save money on baling wire.

Low-quality steel

In the United States, organizations such as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) impose strict standards on steel production. To achieve various grades, steel must meet specific chemical compositions, include a minimal amount of non-metal elements, and billets must be manufactured to highly specific tolerances.

The production standards are much looser in China, especially for export. In 2015, Chinese steel imports were temporarily halted when it was discovered manufacturers were adding Boron to steel to receive government tax rebates. Boron is known to weaken weld points and overall stability.

Lower manufacturing standards

Besides low-quality steel, baling wire manufacturing standards are also much looser in China. ASTM and American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) standards govern US baling wire production. They enforce manufacturing standards that produce consistent, reliable baling wire that performs as expected.

While no direct comparison of US and Chinese baling manufacturing standards exists, the low level of Chinese steel and manufacturing standards account for most price differences between US and Chinese baling wire. Many businesses find out the hard way that dodging regulatory protections to save money results in paying more later on.

No accountability

When Chinese wire doesn’t perform as it should, it costs businesses money and could jeopardize worker safety. In the US, businesses can appeal to the government, and regulatory agencies will investigate the situation to determine whether compensation is appropriate.

While some Chinese companies advertise warranties, there is no international authority capable of legally pursuing refunds and compensation for damages.

Higher environmental impact

International shipping is a significant source of air and water pollution. While Chinese companies may be able to skirt regulations to offer better after-shipping baling wire prices, these prices come at a much larger environmental cost. Recyclers and green businesses that are serious about sustainable manufacturing and their environmental impact should stick with domestically produced baling wire to help keep our air and oceans clean.

Regulatory non-compliance

Even if you want to use Chinese baling wire, you might be operating in a regulatory environment that outlaws it. Just as regulations and standards exist for steel production and baling wire manufacturing, sector-specific safety regulations exist for recyclers and other businesses that bale waste materials. To avoid non-compliance, contact your governing agencies to find out what baling wire standards you’re required to follow.

What are the consequences of using low-quality baling wire?

Baling wire that is manufactured from unregulated steel using unregulated processes will not consistently perform as it should. If you opt for low-quality baling wire to save money, you can expect to deal with some of these issues:

• Broken bales: Unpredictable tensile strength and load strength values cause the baling wire to fail.
• Premature corrosion: low-quality steel is more susceptible to rust and corrosion, reducing the baling wire’s shelf life and contributing to breakage.
• Damaged equipment: In auto-tie balers, wire can break under tension and damage the baler.
• Workplace hazards: Wherever wires break, workers are at risk. Falling materials from broken bales or snapping wires threaten workplace safety.
• Unplanned downtime: Wire breakage, equipment repairs, and employee injuries waste labor and slow operations.
• Unplanned expenses: All of the above issues cause expenses that outweigh the money saved on cheap baling wire.

You’re better off focusing on total operating costs than the price of baling wire. It is a necessary operational expense, and it’s worth paying a premium to avoid other avoidable expenses.

Baling Wire Direct: High-quality American-made wire products

At Baling Wire Direct, we believe in doing things the right way. When you shop with us, you buy wire that has been made with care and precision.

• We source 100% American steel billets from family-owned mills.
• All steel billets come with metallurgical traceability documents to prove the chemical composition and tolerances of our steel.
• Our tightly regulated manufacturing process involves a mechanical descaling technique that removes dangerous chemicals from production.
• Onsite engineers check that all wire products exceed ASTM and AISI standards.
• We recycle baling wire that doesn’t pass inspection.

Do we produce the best baling wire on Earth? You be the judge. We guarantee that if used correctly, our wire will always perform as designed. Protect your equipment, employees, and your bottom line, and invest in baling wire products that are built to work right.

What baling wire products do you offer?

We carry a variety of products for recycling, waste management, and agricultural applications.

• Single loop bale ties: gauges 11–14, galvanized and black annealed.
• Double loop bale ties: gauges 9–12.5, bright (uncoated) and galvanized.
• Black annealed baling wire: gauges 10–12 in 50 lb and 100 lb boxes or 1,900 lb stems.
• Galvanized carrier wire: gauges 11–14 in 1,330 lb stems
• High-tensile galvanized carrier wire: gauges 11 and 12 in 1,900 lb stems.

We can coat our galvanized wire products to different classes for custom rust protection. Class 1 galvanization is cost effective and offers simple corrosion resistance. Class 3 galvanization features a zinc coat four times thicker for long-term outdoor use or abrasive environments.

Our annealed products reach an elongation value of 25% so you can save money on baling wire by using less. After annealing, we finish the wire in a wax coat for improved corrosion resistance and smooth feeding into automatic baling machines.