Welding Consumables Market

• The application of MIG for welding purposes is one of the most widely used
methods that accounts for more than 40 % of total welding consumable
market.
• Mild steel MIG (70S-X) accounts for about 70 % of the global solid wires
market.
First decade 2000
• There are less than 10 big
players; almost half of the total
sales value is divided among
several hundreds of small
manufacturers.
70S-X Market leaders
• Lincoln in US with a market share of 50%
- They produce a very good coppered wire, perceived as
the best one in the market globally, but only in their US
plant; Lincoln plants located in Europe are producing just
an average quality coppered wire
- They are starting producing bare wire even in Europe, but
without excellent results so far

• Esab in Europe with a market share above 20%

- They produce the best bare wire in the market globally,
far superior to all other competitors
- More than 50% of their mild steel production is bare
- 80% of their low alloyed production is bare
- They get a premium price for bare, approx. 15% higher
price than coppered wire
Bare wire
• The market demand is continuously shifting from coppered wire to bare
wire
- All big players are trying to include bare wire in their product portfolio during last
years
- Europe was the first Region where bare wire was introduced, mainly and
successfully by Esab many years ago, and nowadays a large portion of the total
volume is bare; some European customers would consider only bare wire
- US, with a more traditional approach, used to be the kingdom of coppered wire,
but bare wire is now starting to be accepted and its sales are small but increasing
very rapidly; main players for bare wire in US are Esab and NS
Best bare wire producer
• Esab is still producing the best quality bare wire, and furthermore Esab
bare wire is far superior to bare wire produced by all other competitors
• Esab bare wire strengths:
- Very good arc stability
- Very low spatter level
- Low fumes
- Good contact tip life (several times better than other bare wire producers)
- Premium price (“strength” for the producer)
• Esab bare wire weaknesses:
- Some claims for liner clogging
- Some claims for tangling (only drums)
- Contact tip life, only when compared to coppered wire
 New MIG Wire Technology
A new product range of MIG/MAG bare wires based on an
innovative technology:

 EVO - SG2, SG3, low alloyed (T1, T1S, ….)

 EVO Wires
The name EVO means evolution. The range of EVO Wires were created to
meet today’s highest quality expectations and demands, which are always
more extreme.
Starting from the continuous increase in welding performances, to the need
to reduce both maintenance and downtime on the welding equipment, and
not least the quality of the weld itself, ITALFIL has designed an innovative
product that meets the requirements even of the most demanding
customers.
 EVO Wires
• Benefits:
‒ Constant feeding and sliding, no vibrations
‒ Satisfy those customers whose needs are not fulfilled by the existing
copper coated or bare product families, mainly robotic applications
(welding applications above 400A, welding speed 12-18 m/min, with
excellent arc stability, low spatter, low silicon island, ….)
‒ Green Technology eliminating environmental issues in production and
utilization (8% reduction of FER, fumes emission rate and 75% reduction of
copper emission)
‒ Very low spatter level
‒ No problems of liner clogging
New MIG Wire Technology
In following pages, pictures and graphs showing testing results for EVO
wires; when possible performances are compared to performances of the
best competitor wire for that specific aspect in our opinion
Feeding: feed force and vibrations test
Testing 0,052” – 1,4mm

Performing very well at standard parameters (326ipm-8,3m/min, 260A),

well within limits and very stable.
Performing very comfortably at critical parameters, up to 400A with limited
vibrations and excellent arc stability.
Green Technology
Tests in accordance with EN ISO 15011-1 performed at Italian Institute of
Welding, comparing EVO to coppered coated wire (same heat and lot
number), show:
- A reduction in the fume emission rate of 8%
- Reduction of copper emission of 75%

This makes EVO Wire particularly appreciated by the welders in case of

manual welding in environment with limited air circulation.
Spatter when welding with gas M21 (mixed Ar)
Significant reduction in spatters and very limited presence of silicates easy to be
removed

Italfil EVO Wire SG3

Spatter when welding with gas M21 (mixed Ar)

Uncoppered SG2 wire by one of

Italfil EVOWire SG2
main European manfacturers
Spatter and contact tip consumption

Italfil EVOWire SG2 Uncoppered SG2 wire by one of

main European manfacturers
Weldability, spatter, slag, weld texture with gas M21

Feeding speed 10.2 m/min, 300A, 29V, welding gas 82/18, single weld pass.

Italfil EVO Wire SG3

Stable arc, good penetration,
low amount of slag, low spatter level

Uncoppered SG3 wire

by one of main European player
Weldability, spatter, slag, weld texture with gas M21

Feeding speed 10.2 m/min, 300A, 29V, welding gas 82/18, 3 layers weld pass.

Italfil EVO Wire SG3

Stable arc, good penetration, low amount of
slag, low spatter level

Uncoppered SG3 wire by one of main

European player
Welding vertical up

Italfil EVO Wire SG2

EVO Wires
• By internal testing in Italfil chemical and welding labs and by a close
cooperation with few European and US final users welding with critical
parameters, this new product has been engineered, developed and then
tested extensively worldwide. It is now sold in EMEAR and in US.
• Feedback from customers is very good, always preferred to the current
brand being used.
• Performing similarly to the best bare product currently present in the
market, and even slightly better according to some demanding customers:
- No problem of liner clogging
- Better arc stability
- Less contact tip replaced
EVO range of Wires
EVO range of Wires
EVO green technology now applied successfully also to low alloyed products
(T1, T1S, Corten, ….)

The EVO technology has proven to:

- Reduce significantly environmental impact in the wire manufacturing
department at producer’s site
- Reduce fume emission in the welding department at customers’ shop-floor
- Improve performances in terms of weldability, arc stability, spatter, silicate
for SG2/SG3 products and equally or even more significantly for low alloyed
products