There are several specific product areas where steel is extremely common and popular, and a great example here is within the realm of shelving. For everything from residential shelving up through commercial and industrial needs, steel is often used due to its combination of strength and low cost — and to get a bit more detailed, a specific type of steel, known Dexion, is regularly used.

At Wasatch Steel, we’re happy to offer a wide range of steel materials and steel products, from steel abrasives to welding tools, ornamental steel and many other areas. We’ve assisted many clients with Dexion and other forms of steel for their shelving and related needs, and we’ll help guide you in the right direction if you’re new to this specific material. What exactly is Dexion, how is it used, and how is it made? Here’s a general primer.

Dexion Basics

The term Dexion refers to a brand of right-angle steel shelving that is widely popular within a large number of industries. Dexion is a form of steel with slotting cut along its side, allowing for easy installation of a wide range of additional materials. In general, Dexion is often used in conjunction with other steel products and materials, such as metal strapping or wire mesh.

In terms of its technical details, Dexion comes in a number of different lengths and thicknesses. Among the most popular are thicknesses of 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch and ½ inch. As for lengths, Dexion is commonly available in 20 foot increments with the most popular being 20, 40 and 60 feet. With this basic info, it’s easy to see how Dexion can be used to create shelving of virtually any size.

Dexion is known for its modularity, or the fact that it can be built to suit the needs of a specific space. For example, small storage areas may only need 20 foot sections of hanging Dexion shelving. Meanwhile, warehouses and other large spaces may require much larger systems, such as multiple rows of hanging Dexion shelving or even fixed-base metal shelving units with Dexion side panels for stability and strength. Dexion brings the strength of an angle iron, but also adds important fastening capabilities that make it ideal for hanging and storage.

How Dexion is Used

Largely due to this modularity, Dexion is found across numerous applications. Storage is the most common, particularly with large-scale industrial and commercial needs. However, Dexion is also commonly employed in the world of manufacturing for holding tools, equipment and other supplies. Specific areas where hanging Dexion shelving may be found include warehouses, printing shops, garages and more.

Dexion slots are perfect for fastening various other materials. For example, many companies run Dexion alongside metal strapping or wire mesh for added stability. The slots allow for simple installation of these materials, bending the corners to secure them into place. Some people even drill holes through Dexion before installing other materials to avoid any additional unbending, which is a fairly common practice among industrial applications.

In other cases, Dexion can be taken apart, stacked in extremely compact ways, and stored in other areas. It’s also used for products like work benches, bracketing, and even certain forms of industrial furniture.

Dexion Manufacturing

Dexion is manufactured by a number of different companies. Some of them include Dexion AB, LSB Industries and Steel King. All three manufacturers produce Dexion steel in both standard and custom forms, making it possible to meet almost any need. When you’re looking into options for shelving or other products that involve the use of steel, you should consider your options for Dexion manufacturers. However, because Dexion is an actual company (more on this below), it will generally be referred to with slightly different names by other companies who sell it.

Where the Name Comes From

The name Dexion actually originates from what used to be a company by the same title, which was founded in 1937. Its founder, Demetrius Comino, had prior experience in the paper printing business — he only even became involved in steel manufacturing because he couldn’t stand the limited options in his industry for shelving and racks.

His frustration gave way to the creation of an entirely new company, Dexion, which still exists today and is an industry leader in shelving and storage products. The company produces many products in this realm, including some that aren’t even made from metal — but over the years, the quality and diversity of the proprietary steel they pioneered has made the name “Dexion” synonymous with the specific features we went over above.

As we noted earlier, many other companies now produce a product that’s similar or even virtually identical to Dexion slotted angle irons. And while this name is proprietary in terms of the actual product itself, the title “Dexion” will often be used as a cover-all term for all these products.

How Dexion is Made

The manufacturing of Dexion involves the use of a steel coil, which will be slit to width before being fed through a series of rollers. The number of rollers used will depend on the precise thickness and length desired, plus a few related factors.

Once the desired thickness and angle have been achieved here, the steel will be shaped and angled. It will then be placed into the slotting process, where a variety of different holes or slits might be made depending on the precise final product that’s desired. Holes can either be made using machinic applications like drilling or punching, or can be done using thermal processes like laser beam or plasma arc cutting. If needed, it can then be galvanized or powder coated to improve corrosion resistance once the holes have been created.

For more on Dexion steel products and how they work, or to learn about any of our steel products or steel services, speak to the staff at Wasatch Steel today.