The stainless steel welded pipes manufactured using the 201 variety are not the same as those found in American ASTM or Japanese JIS standards. Dubbed 201A, this type does not contain as much nickel as its American or Japanese counterparts. Instead, it relies on manganese as an alternative to nickel, containing only about 1% nickel. Originating from India, this nickel-saving stainless steel has different names across various regions, such as J4 in India, 202A in Taiwan, and 1Cr15Mn8Ni1N in Mainland China. Despite these differences, it serves as a cost-effective option to produce top-quality stainless steel welded pipes.

Since the late 1980s, the introduction of stainless steel into the decoration market has primarily focused on the use of 304 stainless steel materials. While its popularity has grown rapidly, it has largely remained confined to sales in large and medium-sized cities. Acting as a high-end decoration material, its main applications are seen in upscale hotels and restaurants, particularly in the adornment of doors, windows, and stair railings.
During a business trip to Urumqi, Xinjiang, in the mid-1990s, I observed an interesting phenomenon. In a highly-rated hotel, only the topmost section of the stair handrail was made of stainless steel, while the remaining pillars were constructed using wood and other materials. This stark contrast highlighted the limited usage of stainless steel, especially outside the developed regions of the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta. Smaller cities and rural areas in the mainland were noticeably devoid of stainless steel materials in their decorations.
The primary deterrent for wider adoption of stainless steel pipes in the decoration industry is the higher price of 304 stainless steel. This price differential has significantly hampered its application and accessibility in various projects.

During the late 1990s, China was introduced to a new stainless steel material called J4, produced by an Indian company. This low-cost material quickly caught the attention of many stainless steel welded pipe enterprises and decoration manufacturers, leading to a surge in production and sales. However, only a few manufacturers were able to offer this material.
Seeing the potential business opportunity, some Chinese private enterprises quickly invested funds to start producing their own version of J4. Around 2006, the Indian company stopped selling this material in China and only provided a small amount. As a result, the domestic welded pipe industry struggled to find alternative providers of J4.
Despite the brief halt in production, J4 continues to be a popular choice for many stainless steel applications due to its affordability. However, the industry has since become more diversified, with a wide range of stainless steel materials now available on the market.

http://www.syexports.net/