The Allied Advantage

Focused on the North American market, Allied Tube & Conduit^® and their exclusive distributor partners provide engineered solutions with customized tubular products that provide superior strength, formability and corrosion protection resulting in optimum product performance, cost and total customer satisfaction.

As a critical component in your supply chain, Allied aims to provide valuable support and service along with the highest quality products. We align our operational and production efficiencies with the demands of our customers. The result is a product manufactured to meet your expectations, specifications and beyond.

Allied In-Line Galvanizing Technology

Rolling out Innovation, Shaping the Industry

Stronger, lighter, more durable. Those are some of the words used to define Allied’s galvanized steel tubing. Add Western grade pure zinc and advanced corrosion fighting coatings to the highest quality materials available and you get a galvanized steel tube product that provides a level of strength and corrosion resistance that is unmatched in the industry.

In the years to come, new and different Allied products would revolutionize the construction and OEM marketplaces, as well as countless others. We haven’t stopped innovating since- by adhering to our core belief that by better understanding our customers business, we can better provide groundbreaking new solutions.

Allied’s In-Line Galvanized Tubing VS the Alternatives

Gatorshield^® In-line Galvanized Tube and Flo-Coat^® In-line Galvanized Tube deliver excellent results when compared with competing products Pre-galvanized and Hot-Dip Galvanized products.

Allied’s In-Line Galvanized vs. Pre-galvanized (G60/G90)

• Allied’s 50/55 with Gatorshield^® delivers a minimum 50,000 psi yield strength and minimum 55,000 psi tensile strength. Higher values are obtained with special strength steel, upon request. Pre-galvanized tube product offerings advertise only “target” yield and tensile strengths.
• Allied utilizes a special high-grade zinc material (meeting ASTM B-6). Pre-galvanized products typically have a much higher lead content level. By having the lowest lead content achievable, Allied zinc products are of the safest products to weld.
• Allied’s Flo-Coat^® process provides all tubular products with a smooth, shiny, clean appearance that will not flake or chip during fabrication. In addition, the synergistic triple coating retards oxidation (graying down) and flaking common to pre-galvanized tube products.
• Unlike Allied’s products, tubing manufactured from pre-coated steel coils/sheets requires special surface treatment prior to the application of paints or powder coatings; otherwise, proper adhesion is not obtained. These pre-treatments may contain phosphating, anodizing, conversion coating, or use of a special primer. Whichever process is utilized, it will add cost to the end product and possibly generate hazardous waste materials. Furthermore, this surface treatment will cause poor adhesion of paint and powder to that area of the tube.

Allied’s In-Line Galvanized vs. Galvanized (Hot-Dipped) Schedule 40 Pipe

• Allied’s triple-coated galvanized tubular products resist rust and corrosion and out performs typical hot-dipped galvanized schedule 40 pipe.
• Hot-dipped products, like pre-galvanized products, generally have a higher lead content than Allied´s products which are galvanized with “four-nine” zinc, which is 99.99% pure.
• Gatorshield^® tubing (50 ksi yield strength) is significantly stronger (66%) gauge for gauge, yet is at least 31% lighter (OD/OD) than galvanized schedule 40 pipe. Less weight means easier handling and installation in the field, particularly in areas where material handling equipment is unavailable or the site is inaccessible.
• Allied’s in-line galvanizing process, which involves heating and quick cooling of the tube, enhances the mechanical properties of the finished product. 50/55 Gatorshield^® delivers a minimum 50,000 psi yield strength and greater impact resistance than hot-dipped schedule 40 pipe.
• 50/55 Gatorshield^® can be easily fabricated, bent, swaged, wall-to-wall flattened…without deformation of the triple layer of protection. Galvanized schedule 40 tends to flake and chip during fabrication.
• Unlike Allied´s uniform exterior and interior coatings, the pipe hot-dipping process provides an inconsistent, rough surface finish that can result in poor coating coverage, as well as an inferior aesthetic appearance.
• 50/55 Gatorshield^® is available in a wide range of lengths to meet specific customer requirements. In contrast, galvanized Schedule 40 pipe is typically sold only in 21 foot standard lengths.
• Allied´s Flo-Coat^® process is safer and better for the environment. Increased Federal and State EPA issues are restrictive to the hot-dipped galvanizing process. These restrictions will make hot-dip processes cost prohibitive, and may result in a decline of processors and cause availability problems.

Allied vs. Aluminum Tubing

• When compared with aluminum pipe, Gatorshield^® tubing exhibits an average 60% greater load-carrying capacity in tension. In the weld area, the strength differences are even greater, as aluminum loses 50% of its strength in the weld area, requiring welds to be placed in low-stress areas of a structure.
• Since Gatorshield^® tubing is stronger than aluminum, less material can be used. Steel’s substantially lower material cost (about 50%) combined with the need for less material can create dramatic cost savings.
• Steel structures require significantly fewer welds (there is less need for structural bracing). The result is lower welding labor costs. Welding Gatorshield^® tubing also requires less expensive equipment and materials. And unlike aluminum, Gatorshield^® tubing can be easily welded in the field.
• Allied´s ductile steel tubing withstands the bending and forming work required for custom awning designs, playground equipment, etc. Aluminum, however, continues to age-harden while in storage, and can break during fabrication.
• Gatorshield^® steel tubing is easily and less expensively painted or powder-coated than aluminum, which must go through extensive cleaning and other costly pre-coating processes. Because Gatorshield^®‘s third coat has the same paint chemistry and surface consistency as expensive primers, finish adhesion is excellent.
• Allied´s zinc products exhibit a bright, smooth finish that retains its attractive appearance for an extended period. Aluminum turns a dark, dull gray as it ages.
• When using steel reduces theft and vandalism, the scrap value of aluminum is more than 10 times that of steel.