A Steel Yard Ramps’ Lower Cost and Higher Maximum Weight Capacity Make it Top Seller
The Yard Ramp Guy prides itself on customer service. We’re keenly interested in exploring your requirements with you to assure that your business leverages an optimal solution to streamline operations.
A major consideration when buying or renting a yard ramp to help optimize your business operations is the choice of main material. Steel and aluminum yard ramps: which do you go with?
First we fold in the cost factor. The two major cost variables are raw materials and labor. While the labor cost to assemble steel and aluminum ramps are quite similar, the raw materials are not. Current steel prices are around $500 per ton; aluminum prices are in the $1,770-$1,800 range, a price difference that adds a lot to the final price of aluminum yard ramps.
One of aluminum’s greatest qualities is that it is not prone to corrosion or rust. It’s also the material of choice in operations where highly combustible materials are being produced, as steel is more prone to produce sparks. Steel yard ramps will need periodic maintenance (painting or treating), especially if logistics require your business to have the yard ramp operating outdoors in parts of the country prone to weather extremes throughout the year.
That said, steel yard ramps will also last for a longer period of time than aluminum. This may be the pivotal factor in determining which material you choose for your yard ramp.
Another consideration is in capacity, which differs greatly between aluminum and steel. As a lighter material, aluminum yard ramps are usually built to hold a maximum of 16,000 pounds. Steel yard ramps are more solid and typically hold up to 25,000 pounds. This 9,000-pound differential may make your decision much easier.
