310S Stainless Steel Plate Price

310S stainless steel plate in 2025 trades at a premium to common austenitic grades because of its high Cr/Ni content and heat-resisting specialty use; typical market ranges (FOB/EXW) sit roughly between $4.5–$9.0 USD/kg depending on region, form, thickness and finish — with China and global mill-rolled coil suppliers generally offering the lower end, and finished cut-plates or certified ASME/ASTM stock in North America and Europe at the higher end.

Quick price snapshot

• Typical FOB/EXW price ranges for 310S plate/sheet in 2025: USD $4.5–$9.0 per kg, with variation by thickness, surface finish, mill certification, and order quantity.

• Coil and thin gauge strip often quotes lower per-kg than thick mill plates because of processing economics; fully certified, cut-to-size, and finish-inspected plates command a premium.

What 310S is — composition and grade family

310S is the low-carbon variant of the 310 family. It is an austenitic, heat-resisting stainless steel with high chromium and nickel contents that give it superior oxidation and scaling resistance at elevated temperatures. Typical composition ranges include about 24–26% Cr and 19–22% Ni, with carbon capped (≈0.08% max) to reduce sensitization risk during welding. These compositional bounds explain both performance and the cost premium.

Common numbering/equivalents you will see on certificates and purchase orders:

• UNS S31008 (310S)

• EN ≈ 1.4845 / X8CrNi25-21 (regional naming differences exist).

Standards and specification references

Typical plate orders reference ASTM A240 / ASME SA240 for plate/sheet used in pressure and high-temperature equipment. Buyers in Europe may reference EN equivalents or specify UNS/AISI designations. Always list the standard and the required mechanical/chemical acceptance limits on the PO.

Mechanical & high-temperature properties

310S retains strength at elevated temperature and resists oxidation up to approximately 1000–1100°C (≈1800–2000°F) in many service environments, which makes it suitable for furnace parts, heat exchangers, and petrochemical high-temp components. Typical minimum tensile and yield values vary with temper and thickness but are commonly in the ~500 MPa (ultimate) and ~205 MPa (0.2% offset) region for annealed plate — see supplier datasheets for exact guarantees.

Applications that command the premium price

Because of its chemistry and properties, 310S plate finds use where oxidation or carburization resistance under cyclic thermal conditions is required. Common sectors:

• Furnace hardware and radiant tubes

• Heat treatment fixtures and trays

• Petrochemical reformer components and muffles

• Boiler and high-temp ducting in industrial plants

• Food-processing equipment exposed to high-temperature corrosive atmospheres
  These applications often need traceable mill certificates and non-destructive tests, which adds to delivered cost.

Primary drivers for 310S plate pricing in 2025

The price of 310S plate is set by a combination of raw material and market factors:

1. Nickel and chromium raw material costs — nickel especially is the largest single alloy cost driver; alloy surcharges applied by mills or service centers track these metals and can change monthly.

2. Alloy surcharge systems — large stainless producers publish monthly surcharges tied to nickel/chrome; this surcharge is often applied on top of a base steel price.

3. Form & thickness — thicker plates have higher processing costs per tonne and lower yield per coil; specialty finishes (BA, No.4, blasted) raise price.

4. Mill certification and traceability — ASME/ASTM certified mill test reports (MTRs), additional testing, and PMI add to cost.

5. Logistics & tariffs — freight, import duties, and port congestions materially affect EXW/FOB vs. landed price.

6. Order size and MOQ — smaller orders incur higher per-kg handling and cutting fees.

7. Global scrap/steel cycle — demand recovery or stockpiling by major users (energy, petrochemical, shipbuilding) pushes pricing cycles.

Market trend (2024 → 2025)

Independent market indices and mill price trackers show that stainless alloy prices softened in late-2024 because of inventory builds and weaker demand in some construction sectors, then stabilized in early 2025 with periodic upward pressure from higher nickel benchmarks. MEPS market data demonstrates monthly indices that dropped during late 2024 then regained some ground in early 2025 — this explains part of the price banding we see across suppliers.

Global price comparison

Notes: These are indicative ranges for general procurement planning only. Final quotes depend on thickness, surface, size, heat treatment, MTRs, freight terms and order quantity. Sources: mill/service center lists, regional resellers and market trackers.

How we price a custom plate quote

We price on four building blocks: base mill price + alloy surcharge + processing/cut-to-size + logistics & compliance fees.

Example (rounded, illustrative for a 6 mm plate, 2 tons, FOB China):

• Base mill plate (raw): $4.80/kg → 2000 kg × $4.80 = $9,600

• Alloy surcharge (nickel/Cr portion, monthly): $0.60/kg → $1,200

• Cutting, edging, packing, MTRs: $0.45/kg → $900

• FOB handling & documentation: $0.25/kg → $500

• Total FOB price ≈ $12,200 → $6.10/kg.

Adjust each line for thickness, surface, certified testing and small order premiums. This transparent build-up helps buyers compare apples-to-apples quotes.

Procurement & quality checks

When you issue a RFQ/PO for 310S plate, insist on these minimums:

• Exact grade and standard (e.g., ASTM A240 TP 310S or UNS S31008).

• Mill Test Report (MTR / EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2) with chemical & mechanical results.

• Thickness, dimensional tolerances, surface finish (e.g., hot-rolled annealed, pickled, No.1, No.4).

• Traceability to melt number and, for critical applications, third-party inspection (TPI).

• Welding consumables & welding procedure spec (WPS) compatibility if delivery requires pre-welded fabrications.

• Non-destructive testing (NDT) where required (PT/UT) and any heat treatment records.

These items reduce rework risk and costly field failures.

Fabrication, welding & post-processing notes

• 310S welds well with standard austenitic filler metals, but preheating is not normally required; low-carbon 310S minimizes carbide precipitation risk.

• For high-temperature service, control interpass temperature and consider post-weld stress relief where dimensional stability is critical.

• Machining is harder than 304/316; use appropriate tooling and coolant.

• For cosmetic or sanitary applications, final polishing/passivation and pickling may be necessary — factor these into lead time and cost.

Inventory, MOQ, lead time and logistics

• MOQ from Chinese mills often starts at 500 kg–1 ton for coil/standard sizes; for cut plates and small lot service centers, MOQ is typically 1–2 sheets or a single plate.

• Lead times vary: stocked service center items (2–7 days); mill production 4–8 weeks depending on queue; urgent builds incur premium charges.

• Logistics: for small purchases, landed cost is dominated by fixed freight and admin; for large orders, per-kg freight decreases. Consider containerization vs. LCL consolidation for small orders.

Practical buying tips to reduce cost without losing quality

1. Buy mill-coils and cut locally — where feasible, buying coils and slitting/cutting locally reduces per-kg cost for thin plate.

2. Aggregate orders — combining small projects reduces per-kg handling overhead.

3. Negotiate a surcharge formula — ask suppliers to show how the alloy surcharge is calculated (index and multiplier).

4. Accept standard surface finish — better finishes add processing cost.

5. Request sample MTRs and shop reports — verify documentation before PO to avoid expensive returns.

FAQs

Q1 — What is the best unit to compare 310S plate prices?
Always compare on a per-kg landed basis (USD/kg or USD/tonne) including all surcharges, MTR fees, packaging and freight to your port — not just FOB or ex-works numbers.

Q2 — Why do Chinese quotes look much lower?
Chinese mill FOB offers often exclude some compliance services (e.g., third-party testing, extended guarantees) and assume larger minimum orders; when landed with testing and logistics, the gap narrows.

Q3 — How much does nickel movement influence the monthly price?
Substantially. Nickel is the primary cost driver; mills’ monthly alloy surcharges are tied to nickel/chrome indices, so sudden nickel spikes quickly increase plate prices.

Q4 — Do thicker plates cost less per kg?
Not necessarily. Thicker plates often cost more per kg because of heavier processing and lower throughput for plate mills; however coil→plate conversion economics and order size can change this dynamic.

Q5 — What paperwork should I absolutely insist on?
At minimum: MTR / EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2, heat/melt number traceability, the specified standard (ASTM A240 or equivalent), and inspection/test results for chemistry and tensile/yield values.