UNSPSC 11172001: Aluminum alloy 7178

Aluminum based alloy with the following main characteristics: Zn 6,30 to 7,30 percent, Mg 2,40 to 3,10 percent, Cu 1,60 to 2,40 percent, Fe 1,00 percent, balance equals Al + minor metallurgical pollutions. Alloy 7178 is a high strength alloy with magnesium and copper as the major alloying elements. It is heat treatable and develops improved mechanical properties from precipitation hardening.

UNSPSC 11172001 Aluminum alloy 7178, a Commodity code, reflects state and local procurement of specialized coiled aluminum for manufacturing and industrial applications. The Colorado Department of Corrections, through its correctional industries division, recently solicited 350,000 pounds of aluminum alloy 3105H21 coil stock in 21-gauge thickness for license plate production at the Canon City Tag Plant, with delivery in monthly installments of approximately 37,000 pounds each, pretreatment and conversion coating per ASTM B-449 specifications, and coils wound on 20-inch diameter cores not exceeding 45 inches outside diameter or 1,500 pounds per unit. The material must withstand embossing with steel dies to a specific height without breaking or surface tearing, meet defined tensile and yield strength requirements, and achieve a minimum 16 percent elongation. Solicitations in this family come from state correctional agencies and other production-oriented public entities; the Colorado Department of Corrections issued two related IFBs (IFB1CFAA20260001792 posted May 19, 2026 and IFB1CFAA20260001791 posted May 5, 2026) with response deadlines in May 2026, both using lowest-cost evaluation on a per-pound basis with freight prepaid, FOB Destination. Award criteria emphasize responsiveness, responsibility, and specification compliance, with a 5 percent preference extended to Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses holding federal certification. Vendors must pass Colorado Department of Corrections criminal background checks and comply with correctional facility access requirements including PREA guidelines, Use of Force training, and Defensive Tactics training when applicable.

The code shows limited recent state and local activity; the two Colorado opportunities represent the identifiable recent solicitations in this specialized aluminum category. Colorado is the primary jurisdiction posting under this code in the recent window. A third opportunity in the source block—Superior Court of Los Angeles seeking pallet rack wire decking (posted April 24, 2026, due May 7, 2026)—is miscoded to this commodity and does not reflect genuine aluminum alloy procurement. Vendors pursuing this code should monitor Colorado Department of Corrections solicitation channels (bidnetdirect.com and colorado.gov/vss) for correctional industries production contracts; the thin activity level suggests these are episodic procurement events rather than standing annual demand.