Have you ever had a moment when someone or something is called to your attention that you haven’t noticed before, but now that you’ve become aware of it, you see it constantly?
Take for example, the corporate logo of FedEx. I am sure most people are familiar with the logo by now, whether they have shipped a package, or simply seen one of their trucks driving down the road. Although, have you ever noticed the ‘hidden arrow’ in the title? Created from the gap between the letters of the ‘EX’ is an arrow pointing forward. It usually sits unnoticed until someone brings it to your attention, but from then on, you will see it every time. A great example of something hiding in plain sight.
As someone previously employed outside of the steel and construction industries, I used to have a similarly unaware view of the applications of curved steel. Now though, I see it everywhere around me. I filled my car up at the gas station the other day and as I pulled up, I immediately noticed the curved pipe bollards flanking every pump to protect them from being hit. Even walking into the convenience store I noticed the door handle was likewise made from curved tubing. There was even a nearby restaurant that had a bicycle rack made from curved pipes. These are common, everyday examples of how curved pipe and tube is everywhere around us. Perhaps the curved nature of these items causes them to blend in without drawing attention to themselves. Certainly, it can have the opposite effect as well. I was looking to purchase some bathroom fixtures recently and observed a great deal of curved stainless steel fixtures. From faucets to shower curtain rods, the sleek lines of curved stainless pipe were in use constantly.
It goes to show you how important curved pipe has become in daily life. It is everywhere around us, in the form of simple, functional designs such as door handles, or highly aesthetic design fixtures. So, take a look around sometime to see how much curved steel is used in public. You might just be as surprised as the first time I noticed the ‘hidden arrow’.
