Erecting apartment buildings and condos can be done more economically with structural steel than with concrete. With less weight in the columns and girders, the building contractor can save on foundation costs. Also, steel members join together quickly, saving considerably on project time and labor costs.

Because steel allows for much larger spans between supports, factories benefit from this feature. Since factories often need large, unobstructed space for machinery, steel allows more efficient production layouts and accommodates movement of bulk materials.

With its superior tensile strength, structural steel makes large bridge spans possible with fewer vertical supports, freeing up the ground or water below for traffic lanes. Better yet, steel withstands the constant vibration of traffic on the bridge, flexing where masonry or concrete would not.