UK Manufactured Industrial Solders — Since 1770
Heaps, Arnold & Heaps Ltd manufactures industrial solders at our Rotherham facility for electronics manufacturers, automotive component assemblers, stained glass studios, plumbing and jointing applications, metal spraying and a wide range of UK industrial users. With over 250 years of metallurgical experience, we cast and extrude tin-lead solder alloys in bar, wire, stick and ingot formats to specifications matching every common industrial application.
All our solder is alloyed from refined source materials with documented composition, supplied with batch traceability, and produced in alloy formulations matched to your soldering process and joint requirements.
Why Buy Industrial Solders from Heaps, Arnold & Heaps?
- UK manufactured at our Rotherham facility — full material traceability
- All standard tin-lead alloys available — 60/40, 50/50, 40/60, 30/70 and bespoke ratios
- Multiple formats — solder bars, wire (various gauges), sticks and ingots
- Consistent alloy composition for predictable melting and wetting characteristics
- Documentation supplied with material certificates of analysis
- Trade pricing on bulk orders with scheduled production
- Over 250 years of expertise — established 1770
Tin-Lead Solder Alloys — Standard Formulations
We manufacture industrial solders in all common tin-lead alloy ratios. The composition determines the solder’s melting range, mechanical strength, wetting behaviour and joint appearance.
60/40 Tin-Lead Industrial Solders
The most widely-used general-purpose electronics solder. Melts at 188°C with a narrow plastic range — ideal for component-level electronics soldering where joints need to solidify quickly.
- 60% tin, 40% lead composition
- Melting point: approximately 188°C
- Applications: electronics, PCB assembly, fine engineering work
- Available as wire (various gauges) and bars for solder pots
50/50 Tin-Lead Industrial Solders
A workhorse solder for plumbing, sheet metal jointing and general fabrication. Wider plastic range allows joint manipulation during cooling — useful for wiped joints and plumbing work.
- 50% tin, 50% lead composition
- Melting range: 183-216°C
- Applications: plumbing, sheet metal, general jointing, stained glass
- Available as solder sticks, bars and wire
40/60 & 30/70 Tin-Lead Industrial Solders
Higher lead content alloys with wider plastic ranges. Used for wiped joints, heavy plumbing work, automotive body filling (historically) and applications where slow cooling and manipulation are required.
- Wider plastic ranges allow joint shaping during cooling
- Traditional plumber’s solder ratios
- Used in heritage plumbing restoration
- Available as solder sticks and bars
Bespoke Alloy Ratios
For specialist applications we cast custom tin-lead ratios, lead-antimony, lead-silver and other alloy combinations matched to your process requirements. Send us your specification and we’ll quote production.
Industrial Solders – Formats & Sizes
Solder Bars
- Standard cast bars for solder pot replenishment
- Typical weights: 1kg, 3kg and 5kg bars
- Bulk supply for production lines
- Consistent weight tolerance for inventory management
Solder Wire
- Various gauges from fine electronics wire to heavy gauges for industrial work
- Solid core (flux applied separately)
- Available on standard reel sizes for production use
- Custom gauge production for specialist applications
Solder Sticks
- Cast sticks for plumbing and sheet metal work
- Standard sizes for trade use
- Bulk packs for trade and industrial supply
Solder Ingots
- Larger castings for industrial solder pot use
- For high-volume production environments
- Custom alloys cast to order
Industrial Solders – Applications
Electronics Manufacturing
Tin-lead solder remains in industrial use for specialist electronics applications, military and aerospace assemblies, and equipment exempted from RoHS lead-free requirements. We supply solder wire and bars matched to electronics manufacturing processes.
Automotive & Component Assembly
Industrial solder for automotive electrical harness assembly, component bonding, radiator and heat exchanger manufacture, and specialist body solder applications (particularly classic and restoration work).
Stained Glass Soldering
Our 60/40 and 50/50 solders are widely used by professional stained glass studios for soldering lead came joints and copper foil construction. The consistent flow characteristics and reliable composition make a noticeable difference in finished joint appearance — particularly important for fine art and conservation work.
Plumbing & Heritage Work
Higher-lead-content solder sticks for traditional plumbing — wiped joints, heritage restoration, lead pipe repair — where modern lead-free solders aren’t appropriate or won’t work with the existing lead substrate.
Metal Spraying & Coating
Solder wire as feedstock for thermal spray applications, particularly tin-lead coating of bearing surfaces and other specialist coating processes.
Sheet Metal Fabrication
50/50 and 60/40 solder for sheet metal jointing, gutter and downpipe repair, decorative metalwork and architectural sheet work.
Capsol Plumbing Solders
For plumbing applications, see our dedicated Capsol Plumbing Solders range, including lead-free options for modern WRAS-compliant plumbing work.
Who We Supply
- Electronics manufacturers — assembly and production lines
- Aerospace and defence contractors — RoHS-exempt applications
- Automotive component manufacturers
- Classic and restoration vehicle specialists
- Stained glass studios — professional and educational
- Sheet metal fabricators
- Heritage plumbing specialists
- Metal spraying contractors
- Industrial maintenance teams
- Educational institutions — university engineering departments, technical colleges
Material Quality & Documentation
Solder performance depends on alloy consistency between batches. Variation between deliveries causes inconsistent flow, wetting and joint quality — frustrating for any production environment. All our solder is:
- Alloyed at our UK facility from refined source materials
- Composition-tested before extrusion or casting
- Batch-numbered for traceability
- Supplied with certificates of analysis stating exact composition
- Packaged to prevent oxidation during transport and storage
For production users, our material consistency between orders is what keeps customers ordering from us decade after decade. Solder is one of those materials where you don’t notice the supplier when it’s right — and notice them very quickly when it isn’t.
How to Order Industrial Solders
Solder orders are processed on a quote-led basis:
- Submit a quote request with your alloy specification, format (bar/wire/stick/ingot), quantity and expected order frequency
- We respond within 1 working day with pricing and lead time
- For ongoing production supply we set up a trade account with scheduled deliveries
- Solder is alloyed, formed, inspected and dispatched with documentation
For trade accounts and ongoing supply arrangements, contact our team directly to discuss credit terms and BACS payment.
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