Continental Trading Corp. supplies secondary aluminum clad steel wire (ACS wire) sourced from North American producers at wholesale prices. Aluminum clad steel wire is a composite wire product consisting of a high-carbon, high-strength steel core permanently bonded with an outer layer of pure aluminum — typically approximately 20% aluminum by cross-sectional area. This combination delivers the tensile strength of steel with the conductivity and corrosion resistance of aluminum.
Our secondary ACS wire fell outside a specific customer order — commonly due to aluminum cladding thickness variation or tensile tolerance. The bonding between aluminum and steel is permanent (metallurgical bond, not mechanical). Buyers include overhead conductor manufacturers, formed wire producers, and specialty cable producers.
Aluminum Clad Steel Wire — Properties & Specifications
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Steel Core Grade | High carbon C1060–C1080 |
| Tensile Strength | 1,200–1,550 MPa |
| Diameter Range | 1.6mm – 4.8mm |
| Aluminum Cladding | ~20% by cross-sectional area; metallurgical bond |
| Conductivity | Approximately 20% IACS (20% of copper) |
| Construction | Single filament or stranded (7x1, 19x1) |
| Supply Form | Reels or coils |
| Quality | Secondary / Second choice (non-prime) |
Who Buys Surplus Aluminum Clad Steel Wire?
ACS wire buyers are primarily cable manufacturers and power infrastructure suppliers. ACSR/AW (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced / Aluminum Clad) cable manufacturers use ACS wire as the steel core of overhead transmission and distribution conductors. The aluminum cladding provides superior corrosion resistance compared to galvanized core wire — critical for coastal environments, industrial atmospheres, and high-humidity regions where galvanized core corrodes prematurely.
Optical fiber ground wire (OPGW) manufacturers are a second important market. OPGW cables combine the structural function of an overhead ground wire with fiber optic data transmission. The central steel core — often ACS wire — must provide both mechanical strength and electrical conductivity. ACS wire's conductivity (approximately 20% IACS) makes it suitable for this application where galvanized wire would not conduct sufficiently.
A growing niche market is the fishing industry in coastal regions — particularly in Southeast Asia — where ACS wire's combination of high strength and corrosion resistance makes it valuable for longline fishing gear, net anchoring systems, and marine aquaculture infrastructure. Contact us to discuss your ACS wire requirements and current availability.
Sourcing & Availability
Aluminum clad steel wire is produced at specialized facilities that apply a metallurgical bond between a high-carbon steel core and an outer aluminum shell — a process that is technically demanding and carried out at only a small number of facilities in North America. Second choice ACS wire arises when the aluminum cladding thickness falls slightly outside the prime tolerance, when the tensile value is at the edge of the specified range, or when production exceeds the ordered quantity.
Because ACS wire production is concentrated at few facilities and volumes are lower than commodity wire products, second choice lots are less frequent than for carbon or galvanized wire. When available, they represent excellent value — the bonding process is complete and the wire performs to specification for most applications. Continental Trading Corp. communicates the specific downgrading reason and provides available test data with every offer.
We supply single-filament ACS wire and 7x1 stranded constructions in diameters from 1.6mm to 4.8mm. Register your specifications and we will contact you when matching inventory is available.
Key Properties
ACS wire offers three properties in one: high tensile strength from the steel core (suitable for structural overhead line applications), electrical conductivity approximately 20% that of copper (suitable for messenger wire, optical ground wire, and certain conductor applications), and superior corrosion resistance from the aluminum shell — far better than galvanized wire in coastal and polluted environments.
Constructions & Applications
ACS wire is produced as single filament and in stranded constructions (7x1, 19x1). It is used as core wire in Aluminum Conductor Aluminum Clad Steel Reinforced (ACSR/AW) power cables, in optical fiber ground wire (OPGW), in formed wire and cable for overhead ground wire (OHGW) applications, and in certain marine and coastal environments where galvanized wire corrodes prematurely. In the secondary market we have also seen customers repurpose ACS wire for the fishing industry due to its corrosion resistance. Contact us with your spec.
