Lexicon

Rust Free Stainless Steel

In 1958 the Informationsstelle Edelstahl Rostfrei (ISER) – the Stainless Steel Information Office - was founded as a joint organisation by stainless steel producers, processors, traders, refiners, alloy manufacturers and other interested parties. The aim was to provide company neutral information about this complex material and its varied usages. From the beginning it soon became clear that there was a need to have one single concise collective name from amongst the various terms, norms and marketing names of producers; this became ‘Stainless Rust Free’ shortened to ‘Rust Free’, which then became a registered trade mark used by many stainless steel processors as part of their advertising strategy. The term is however erroneously sometimes used for non rust steels (DIN EN 10088).