Why It Matters USA-Made Ground Screws
Domestic manufacturing isn't just a label. It's a financial advantage, a quality guarantee, and a supply chain you can actually control.
The IRA Changed Everything
The Inflation Reduction Act created a 10% domestic content bonus for solar projects using American-manufactured components. For a $5M project, that's $500,000 in additional tax credits — money that goes directly to your bottom line.
But the bonus requires genuine domestic content, not just a US-based distributor. The IRS looks at where the product was manufactured, not where it was sold from. Ground screws made in China and distributed from Iowa or New Hampshire don't qualify.
When Your Foundation Depends on Ocean Freight
Imported ground screws travel roughly 7,500 miles by container ship from Hebei Province to a US port. That journey adds 4-8 weeks to lead times and introduces variables no project manager can control: port congestion, customs inspections, tariff changes, and weather delays.
Domestically manufactured ground screws ship by truck from the factory floor. The supply chain has one step, one language, one timezone, and one set of regulations. When a solar project timeline depends on foundation delivery, that simplicity matters.
Domestic Route
Import Route
Steel Grade Matters More Than You Think
Most imported ground screws use Q235B grade steel — a common Chinese structural steel. Domestically manufactured ground screws use HSLA (High-Strength Low-Alloy) steel formulated by American steel mills to ASTM A513/A500 specifications.
The difference: HSLA steel delivers higher yield strength with lower weight, better weldability, and more consistent lot-to-lot performance. When your ground screw is the foundation for a 30+ year solar installation, metallurgy is not the place to compromise.
American HSLA Steel
- ASTM A513 / A500 specification
- Higher yield strength
- Superior weldability
- Consistent lot-to-lot quality
- Full mill certification available
Typical Import Steel
- Q235B grade (Chinese standard)
- Lower yield strength
- Variable weldability
- Inconsistent between batches
- Limited traceability
From American Steel to Your Jobsite
Every BDI ground screw is traceable from raw material to finished product — all within the United States. No offshore sourcing. No mystery middlemen.
American Steel Mills
HSLA steel formulated to ASTM A513/A500 specifications by domestic steel mills.
USA Steel MillsUSA Tube Conversion
Steel coil converted to precision tubing by American tube converters.
USA Tube ConvertersBDI Manufacturing
Formed, welded, and threaded at our ISO 9001:2015 certified
facility in St. Louis.
Coating & Inspection
Hot-dip galvanized per ASTM A123 with multi-checkpoint quality control.
St. Louis, MOYour Jobsite
6-8 weeks from order to delivery. No ocean freight. No customs delays. No surprises.
Anywhere in the USABDI Supply Chain
100% USAAmerican steel → American tubing → American factory → Your site
6-8 weeksTypical Import Chain
0% USAForeign steel → Foreign factory → Ocean freight → US port → Distributor → Your site
12-16+ weeks
Choose the Manufacturer, Not the Middleman
Get 100% USA-made ground screws with full domestic content traceability.