Continental Trading Corp. supplies secondary steel strapping wire — typically high carbon galvanized — sourced from North American producers at wholesale prices. Strapping wire (also called banding wire or bundling wire) is used to secure, bundle, and unitize heavy loads for storage, transport, and handling. It provides high tensile restraint with minimal stretching.
Our secondary strapping wire is material that did not meet a specific prime order. For most strapping applications — where the wire is used as a consumable to secure loads — secondary grades perform fully, at substantially reduced cost. This is particularly attractive for high-volume packaging operations where strapping is a major consumable expense.
Steel Strapping Wire — Properties & Specifications
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Carbon Grade | High carbon C1060–C1080 (galvanized) / Low carbon (annealed) |
| Tensile Strength | 800–1,600 MPa (high carbon) / 300–550 MPa (low carbon) |
| Diameter Range | 1.60mm – 4.00mm typical |
| Finish | Hot dipped galvanized or bright annealed |
| Elongation | Low (minimal stretch under load) |
| Supply Form | Coils or spools |
| Quality | Secondary / Second choice (non-prime) |
Who Buys Surplus Steel Strapping Wire?
Steel strapping wire buyers span packaging, construction materials, and heavy industry. Paper mills and packaging operations — producing newsprint, cardboard, and paper products — strap finished rolls and bundles with high carbon galvanized wire for shipping. These operations use strapping wire continuously and in large volumes, making input cost a significant operational expense. Second choice strapping wire that meets the tensile and diameter requirements for automatic strapping equipment is accepted by these operations without hesitation.
Building materials distributors — handling bricks, concrete blocks, roof tiles, and structural steel sections — strap product pallets for transit and storage. The strapping must be strong enough to maintain bundle integrity through handling and transport. High carbon second choice strapping wire from North American mills provides this strength. The specific cosmetic appearance of the wire is irrelevant once it is securing a pallet in a warehouse or on a truck.
Heavy manufacturing operations strapping metal extrusions, profiles, and fabricated components are also buyers. Industrial buyers in Asia — particularly in packaging-intensive manufacturing hubs — are consistent importers of North American surplus strapping wire. Contact us with your gauge, tensile requirement, and volume to receive current offers.
Sourcing & Availability
High carbon galvanized strapping wire is produced at North American wire facilities serving the packaging and industrial sectors. Second choice strapping wire arises from tensile range deviation, galvanizing coating weight variation, or surface condition issues. The high carbon content (C1060–C1080) and galvanized coating are present in second choice material — these are properties of the steel and coating process, not the specific tolerance against which material is downgraded.
Continental Trading Corp. sources strapping wire across a gauge range of 16 gauge to 10 gauge (1.6mm to 3.4mm). Both hot-dipped galvanized and electro-galvanized finishes are sourced depending on availability. Lot sizes tend to be moderate — one to three containers. Coil and spool formats vary.
Strapping wire exports efficiently in containers and is in demand across Asian and Latin American markets. Register your specifications and expected purchase frequency with Continental Trading Corp. — consistent buyers receive priority notification when new lots are available.
Properties & Finish
The strapping wire we most commonly supply is high carbon galvanized steel wire — the galvanized coating ensures it can be used in outdoor and variable-humidity environments without rapid rust failure. It is high tensile, with minimal elongation under load, which is critical for maintaining bundle integrity through shipping and handling. Low carbon annealed strapping wire is also available for applications requiring flexibility over strength.
Applications
Steel strapping wire is widely used in the paper and pulp industry (bundling newsprint and cardboard), the building materials sector (securing bricks, tiles, and roofing materials), and general heavy manufacturing (bundling extrusions, profiles, and fabricated parts). It is also used in the recycling industry for baling and bundling compacted materials. Contact us with your gauge, tensile grade, and quantity.
