Rapid Metals

Rapid Metals, supplier of metals and plastics with custom cutting

Rapid Metals is a British family-run company that presents itself as a metal supplier with over 30 years of activity in the sector. Its catalogue covers a wide range of metals, alloys and plastics aimed at commercial, industrial and bespoke requirements. The company offers custom cutting on all its products as standard, with no minimum order quantity, and sells both online and in physical stores.

Catalogue of metals and alloys

The metal range includes aluminium, brass, bronze, cast iron, copper, steel, stainless steel and tool steel. These materials are available in multiple formats: angles, box sections, channels, flats, hexagons, plates, rounds, round tubes, sheets, oval tubes, threaded rods, tread plates and tee sections, among others. The company also sells engineering steel in specific grades such as BDMS (080a15), En16t (605m36t), En19t (709m40t), En1a (230m07), En24t (817m40t), En3b (070m20), En36b (655m13), En40b (722m24t) and En8 (080m40).

Engineering plastics

In addition to metals, Rapid Metals supplies plastics in acetal and nylon varieties, available in round formats and as end caps. As with metals, these plastics can be cut to size according to the customer's requirements.

Custom cutting and weight calculator

Cutting to any length is a standard service and does not require a minimum purchase quantity. The company provides users with an online weight calculator that allows selecting the material and section to obtain an approximate weight.

Special offers and volume discounts

The website shows a special offers section with items sold as described and not subject to further cutting. Examples listed include a lot of six aluminium box sections of 1.1/2″ x 1.1/2″ x 1.6 mm wall and approximately 2000 mm length, and a mild steel box section of 80 mm x 80 mm x 3.6 mm wall and 1500 mm long. The company applies automatic discounts on online orders: 10% for purchases over £1000 and 20% for orders over £2000. For large recurring orders, it offers the possibility of opening a credit account with additional savings.

Delivery and collection

Rapid Metals operates two branches, in Nuneaton and Redditch, where customers can collect their orders. Free delivery is available on orders over £95 + VAT for shipments to mainland UK, selecting the appropriate courier according to size and weight. There is also the option of free branch delivery for orders over £50 within a 10-mile radius of either of the two sites, for lengths up to 7500 mm. The courier service covers most of mainland UK, as well as most islands and highlands. The stated lead times are 1 to 5 working days for courier shipments and 1 to 4 working days for collections, with the aim of dispatching within 1 or 2 days.

Customer reviews

The company shows an excellent rating on Trustpilot on its website based on more than 900 reviews. Testimonials highlight the ease of placing orders, the precision of custom cutting, the speed of delivery and the usefulness for small businesses, hobbyists and model engineering projects.