Because of high nickel costs, stainless steel producers are forced to continue to look for alternative material to lower nickel alloys. This allows the profit potential in nickel alloy substitution to remain high. Many stainless steel producers have already informed their customers of substitution materials to offset the rising cost of nickel. Taiwan-based Yusco has promoted using non-nickel stainless or low nickel products. Around 25% of their 80,000tns per month output is non-nickel or low nickel products. South Korea-based Posco has also announced that it will produce a nickel free stainless steel into its current production line.
