ULAMEX Blog: expertise in steel, aluminium and PV
A technical blog on steel, aluminium and photovoltaics — analysis of EN standards, material comparisons and practical guidance for design engineers and construction companies.
Stainless steel or galvanised steel: which to specify, and why
Stainless steel and galvanised steel are not two grades of the same product. They are two different answers…
Corrosivity categories C1 to CX: classifying the environment before choosing the material
A corrosivity category describes the place, not the product. EN ISO 9223 sorts atmospheres into six classes from…
Aluminium profile tolerances: EN 755-9, EN 12020-2 and what they actually cover
Two different standards govern the tolerances of an extruded aluminium profile, and which one applies is not a…
Aluminium versus steel: choosing the right metal
Choosing between aluminium and steel is an engineering decision, not a headline. Steel is about three times as…
Hot-dip against electro-galvanised steel: which coating for which job
Hot-dip and electro-galvanising both put zinc on steel, but they are not interchangeable. Hot-dip immerses steel in molten…
What drives the price of steel and aluminium
Steel and aluminium are traded goods, so their price is built up rather than set: a base metal…
Metal weight guide: how to calculate the weight of steel and aluminium
Metal weight is always the same calculation: volume multiplied by density. Carbon steel is taken at 7.85 g/cm3,…
CE marking and EN 1090 for steel and aluminium structures
EN 1090 is the European standard for the execution of steel and aluminium structures, and its part 1…
EN 10204 material certificates: 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2 explained
EN 10204 defines the material certificates that travel with a steel or aluminium delivery, in four types: 2.1…
Sliding gates: cantilever and tracked
A sliding gate opens sideways instead of swinging, which makes it the natural choice for a wide driveway…
Aluminium pergolas: alloys, structure and finish
An aluminium pergola is an outdoor structure of powder-coated aluminium posts, beams and rafters, with the load-bearing frame…
Fence cost: what drives the price
The cost of a fence is driven by the material, the height and length, the style, the coating,…
Topics we cover on the blog
We organise content into several thematic clusters so each reader quickly finds what relates to their project. Every article should help you decide: which grade to choose, which standard to certify against and where to save without compromising quality.
- Materials and alloys. Comparison of structural steel grades (S235JR vs S275JR vs S355J2), choice of aluminium alloys for load-bearing and facade applications (EN AW-6005 vs EN AW-6063 vs EN AW-6082), stainless steel 1.4301 vs 1.4404 in corrosive environments.
- European standards. How to read certificates per EN 1090-1 (EXC2/EXC3), when a 3.1 inspection certificate per EN 10204 is sufficient, requirements of EN 10025 for structural steel and EN ISO 3834 for welding capability.
- Surface finishes. Hot-dip galvanising per EN ISO 1461, aluminium anodising, powder coating and duplex combinations for extreme exposure. When each finish pays off and how to assess its service life.
- Photovoltaic structures. Mounting systems for trapezoidal sheet, shingle, standing-seam roofing and ground-mount structures. Anchoring, snow and wind loads, compatibility with roof build-ups.
- B2B case studies. Real projects from our practice: industrial fencing, PV farms, hall and warehouse structures. Brief, material specifications, solution and outcome on site.
- Logistics and intra-EU delivery. How intra-community delivery works in practice with 0% VAT for B2B customers in the EU, what documentation you need (VIES, CMR, Incoterms) and when fallback 23% applies.
- Maintenance and service life. How to recognise early corrosion on galvanised steel, when a defect is grounds for warranty claim, how to extend the service life of aluminium structures and what to inspect on delivery acceptance.
Who this blog is written for
We write for a technical audience that is not encountering steel or aluminium for the first time. Our readers are primarily structural engineers working on steel and aluminium structures, technicians and buyers at construction and assembly firms, photovoltaic system installers tackling the structural side of a project, manufacturers of industrial fencing and gates, and technical teams at metal distributors looking for verified information on grades and standards.
If you are an investor or a general contractor and need a fast overview of materials, you will also find clear summaries here without unnecessary jargon. We write every article to lead you to a decision: which specification to request and what to require from a supplier.
Do you have a technical question?
Write to us via the contact form or call +48 504 424 761. We will reply on a specific grade, standard or application and, if you are interested, prepare a non-binding quotation tailored to your project.