Inspite of matt black being a popular finish in accessories for utes and SUVs, stainless steel has lost none of its shine with vehicle owners.
Automotive accessory manufacturer Best Bars says more vehicles are going on New Zealand roads wearing polished bars and fittings, made from stainless steel, than at any time in the past 30 years.
Best Bars says it has expanded its range of products offered by the Advantage brand, to meet surging demand caused by the buoyant ute and SUV market.
In the Advantage stainless steel range, there are a variety of sports bars mounted behind the cab of a ute, as well as cab protectors, front nudge bars (designed and tested to comply with airbag crash test ratings for specific vehicles), rear protection bars, and sidebars or pipes.
The stainless steel accessories range is designed to protect vulnerable areas of a vehicle, and these items often have a useful role, such as nudge bars supporting ladder racks, etc.
Best Bars says the Advantage range differs from similar imported products because it is designing and manufacturing it with a focus on quality, while matching the vehicle and its styling.
The safety critical components of these products – such as nudge bar mounts and side bar mount for airbag compliance – are manufactured and tested at the Best Bars facility in Auckland.
Also, the Advantage range is made from the best available automotive grade of stainless steel, selected to suit the harsh driving environments within New Zealand.
“We source the best grade and thickness of stainless steel possible for automotive use – the 304 grade – so that our customers can be sure they are getting a product that lasts the distance,” says Best Bars chief executive officer, Stephen de Kriek.
“Consumers are not aware that there are different grades of stainless steel and they only find out when it’s too late,” he says.
“Much of New Zealand is close to salty sea air and then, of course, you have the thermal areas around Rotorua and other parts of the Bay of Plenty, which is very corrosive,” says de Kriek.
