Question 1

Standard samples are free of charge with freight collected at destination. Non-standard requirements - custom paint colour, special coating weight, specific width - are quoted case by case. A sample is the cheapest way to verify colour, spangle and coating adhesion before a container is committed.

Accepted Answer

Can I Get Free Samples of Coated Steel Before Placing an Order?Direct answer: yes - standard samples are supplied free of charge, with freight collected at destination. Non-standard requirements, such as a custom paint colour, a special coating weight or a specific slit width, are quoted case by case. A sample is the cheapest way to settle the questions that photographs cannot: colour under your own lighting, spangle, coating adhesion and edge quality.What a sample lets you verifyAttributeWhy a photo is not enoughColour and glossPaint appearance shifts with light source and camera white balanceSpangleRegular, minimised or zero spangle changes both look and forming behaviourCoating adhesionOnly a bend or impact test on real material shows itThickness feelHandling the sheet reveals stiffness that a data sheet cannotEdge qualitySlit edge burr and coating coverage at the edge are visible only in personHow to write a sample request that gets the right materialState the grade or coating designation, the thickness, the width, the surface treatment and - for colour coated material - the RAL or Pantone reference plus the specified paint system. A request for a coated steel sample with no colour reference will be answered with whatever is in the sample rack, and you will learn nothing about your actual project.Aluminized silicon sheet sample - colour, spangle and coating adhesion are judged in person, not on screenWhat happens after the sample arrivesTest it the way your line will. Bend it, form it, run it through a trial profile, leave it in the conditions the finished part will see. Coating adhesion failures show up fastest at a tight bend, and paint colour that looks right on a desk can read wrong on a finished panel under factory lighting.Then use the accepted sample as the reference standard for the order. Naming it explicitly in the PO - same colour, same coating weight, same finish - removes the most common source of dispute on coated material.On timingSamples of in-stock grades are drawn from the same inventory as the 5 MT trial tier, so they move inside the same short window as a stock order. Custom colour samples need a paint run and follow the custom timeline instead.Related readingMinimum order quantity and trial ordersPPGI/PPGL coating systems: PE vs SMP vs HDP vs PVDFAluminized steel catalogue

Question 2

FOB means the seller delivers on board at the Chinese port and the buyer controls freight and insurance. CFR puts freight on the seller; CIF adds minimum insurance. In all three, risk transfers on board at origin - which is the point most buyers misread.

Accepted Answer

FOB, CIF or CFR: Which Incoterm Should a Steel Buyer Choose?Direct answer: FOB means the seller delivers the goods on board at the named Chinese port, and the buyer arranges and pays freight and insurance. CFR adds the ocean freight to the seller's obligation; CIF adds freight plus minimum insurance cover. In all three, risk transfers when the goods are on board at the origin port - not when they arrive - which is the detail most buyers misread.The three terms side by sideTermFreightInsuranceRisk transfersSuited toFOBBuyerBuyerOn board at origin portBuyers with their own forwarder and freight contractCFRSellerBuyerOn board at origin portBuyers who want a fixed delivered freight costCIFSellerSeller, minimum coverOn board at origin portFirst-time importers wanting one all-in numberThe misconception that costs moneyUnder CIF and CFR the seller pays the freight, so buyers reasonably assume the seller carries the risk until arrival. It does not. Risk passes on board at the origin port, exactly as under FOB. If the vessel is lost in the South China Sea, a CIF buyer whose insurer was not properly instructed owns the loss.That is why CIF only includes minimum cover under the Institute Cargo Clauses - enough to satisfy the term, not necessarily enough for your cargo. Buy the cover you actually need, and confirm who is named on the policy.Hot rolled coil at the load port - under all three terms, risk transfers on boardWhich term fits which buyerIf you have a freight forwarder with better rates and a container plan, FOB gives you control and usually the lowest landed cost. If you are importing for the first time and want one number to compare suppliers, CIF is simpler. CFR sits between: you set the insurance, the supplier sets the freight.The mistake to avoid is comparing an FOB price with a CIF price. They are different products, and the gap is the freight plus insurance, not a margin difference.Two practical checksConfirm the named port, because FOB Shanghai and FOB Tianjin are not interchangeable. And confirm who handles export clearance and documentation under your chosen term - the Incoterm allocates it, but the fee structure in the quotation should reflect it.Related readingHot rolled steel catalogueGalvanized steel (GI) catalogueGalvalume (GL) steel catalogue

Question 3

T/T and an irrevocable L/C at sight cover most Chinese steel export contracts. T/T is cheaper and faster; L/C adds bank security at a cost and a documentation burden. The exact structure is fixed in the contract for each order.

Accepted Answer

What Payment Terms Are Standard for Chinese Steel Export Orders?Direct answer: two structures cover most Chinese steel export contracts - T/T, commonly a deposit with the balance against shipping documents, and an irrevocable letter of credit at sight. T/T is cheaper and faster to operate; L/C adds bank security in exchange for fees, a documentation burden and a longer timeline. The exact split and documents are set in the contract for each specific order.Common structures comparedTermTypical structureBuyer protectionBank costSpeedT/TDeposit on order, balance against B/L copyMediumLowFastL/C at sightIrrevocable, documents against paymentHighHigherSlowerD/PDocuments released against payment via banksLow to mediumMediumSlowD/ADocuments released against acceptanceLowMediumSlowWhy T/T dominates small and mid-size ordersT/T is cheap, fast and administratively light on both sides, which is why it suits trial orders and repeat business between parties who have already traded. The deposit covers raw material commitment; the balance against the bill of lading copy gives the buyer a document check before the goods clear.The weakness is obvious: the deposit is unsecured if the supplier fails to ship, and the balance can be argued over if the goods do not match. T/T works on relationship and on a supplier you have verified, not on paperwork.Colour coated coil - payment structure is normally agreed alongside the specification and lead timeWhat an L/C actually buys youAn L/C substitutes a bank's credit for the buyer's, so the supplier ships against a payment promise it can trust, and the buyer's money is released only against compliant documents. That is real protection - but only if the documents are exactly right.Discrepancies are where L/C costs get real: a certificate date, a shipment deadline, a description that does not match the invoice character for character. Every discrepancy is a fee and a delay, and the goods are usually already at sea when it is discovered.How to keep the four classic traps out of your L/CAvoid soft clauses that make payment conditional on the buyer's own action - a certificate of acceptance issued by the applicant is not a payment term, it is an option to refuse. Keep the description short and consistent across every document. Give the shipment deadline enough room for the real lead time plus loading. And confirm the document list with the supplier before the L/C is issued, not after.Related readingColour coated steel (PPGI) catalogueStainless steel catalogueHow to verify a Chinese steel supplier

Question 4

The four systems describe the same products under different numbers. Hot-dip galvanized sheet is ASTM A653, EN 10346, JIS G3302 and GB/T 2518 - equivalents in scope, not identical in every tolerance detail.

Accepted Answer

Steel Standard Cross-Reference: ASTM, EN, JIS and GB for Coated SteelDirect answer: ASTM, EN, JIS and GB describe broadly the same products under different numbers. For hot-dip galvanized sheet the four direct equivalents are ASTM A653, EN 10346, JIS G3302 and GB/T 2518. They are equivalent in scope rather than identical in every tolerance, so the PO should name the standard you need tested against, not just the product name.Coated and cold/hot rolled sheet cross-referenceProductASTMENJISGBHot-dip galvanizedA65310346 (Z)G3302GB/T 251855% Al-Zn (Galvalume)A79210346 (AZ)G3321GB/T 14978Hot-dip aluminizedA463see noteG3314see noteCold rolled sheetA100810130G3141GB/T 708Hot rolled sheet and coilA101110051G3131GB/T 912Why the numbers never line up neatlyEach system was built for its own market and evolved on its own schedule. Coating weight ladders differ by design - ASTM steps in ounces, EN in grams, JIS in both - and mechanical property tables are tabulated at different thickness breakpoints. A grade that matches on coating can still differ on yield strength, elongation or surface finish.Treat cross-reference tables as a starting point for a conversation, not as a substitution authority. Where a designer has specified a standard, supply against that standard.Aluminized silicon sheet - the grade where standard cross-reference needs the most careWhat to write on the purchase orderName the standard and grade together, then add the properties that matter to your application: coating weight with the side convention, thickness with the tolerance class, surface finish, and mechanical requirements. A PO that says only galvanized steel sheet leaves the supplier to choose, and the choice will usually favour the cheapest compliant reading.Where the material must satisfy two systems - common when a European design is manufactured in Asia - state both and say which one governs in a conflict.A note on the aluminized rowHot-dip aluminized is the one line where the national systems have no clean four-way equivalence; the EN and GB equivalents depend on whether you mean Type 1 (hot-dip aluminium-silicon) or another variant. Confirm the exact standard before ordering rather than relying on a generic cross-reference.Related readingGalvanized vs aluminized vs GalvalumeAluminized steel catalogueGalvanized steel (GI) catalogue

Question 5

One ounce per square foot equals 305.15 g/m2, but the traps are whether a figure is one side or both sides. ASTM G grades and EN Z grades both state total both-side coating mass, which is why G90 and Z275 are the same coating.

Accepted Answer

How Do I Convert Coating Weight Between g/m2, oz/ft2 and AS Grades?Direct answer: 1 oz/ft2 equals 305.15 g/m2. The conversion is easy; the trap is that some figures describe one surface and some describe both. ASTM G designations and EN Z designations both state the total coating mass on both surfaces combined, which is exactly why G90 and Z275 describe the same coating.Unit systems and what they measureDesignationSystemWhat the number meansExampleg/m2 both sidesMetric, generalTotal mass on both surfaces combinedZ275 = 275 g/m2 totalg/m2 per sideMetric, occasionally quotedOne surface only - double it to compare137 g/m2 per side = Z275oz/ft2ASTM imperialTotal both surfaces combinedG90 = 0.90 oz/ft2Z gradeEN 10346g/m2 total both sidesZ275, Z350, Z450G gradeASTM A653oz/ft2 total both sidesG60, G90, G115AS gradeAluminized (Type 2)g/m2 total both sidesAS80, AS120, AS150The single most expensive mistakeReading a per-side figure as a total. A quotation that says 275 g/m2 per side is offering double the coating of Z275, and a buyer who reads it as Z275 will either overpay or, in the other direction, accept half the corrosion protection they specified.Whenever a coating weight appears without units and without a side convention, stop and confirm. It is the one number in a steel quotation that is routinely ambiguous.Hot-dip galvanized coil - coating weight is stated as total mass on both surfacesQuick reference tableCommon ASTM G grades converted to total g/m2: G30 = 90, G40 = 120, G60 = 180, G90 = 275, G115 = 350, G140 = 427. Reading across a quotation, the pairing to remember is G90 with Z275 and G115 with Z350, because those two pairs appear in most export specifications.Why the grade ladder is not linear in costCoating cost does not scale purely with mass - line speed falls as coating weight rises, and heavy coatings need more zinc in the pot and more care at the edges. Moving from Z275 to Z350 costs more per tonne than the extra 75 g/m2 suggests, which is why specification reviews sometimes find that a lighter coating with a better substrate is the cheaper path to the same service life.Galvalume (AZ) coil - the same both-sides convention applies to aluminium-zinc coatingsRelated readingGalvanized vs aluminized vs GalvalumeGalvanized steel (GI) catalogueAluminized steel catalogue

Question 6

Tolerance is not one number. It depends on the standard, the thickness band and the width, and cold rolled sheet is held tighter than hot rolled. The PO should cite the governing standard rather than a bare plus-minus figure.

Accepted Answer

What Thickness Tolerance Applies to Cold Rolled and Hot Rolled Steel Sheet?Direct answer: thickness tolerance is set by the governing standard, the thickness band and the width - there is no single plus-minus number that applies across a product family. Cold rolled sheet is held to tighter limits than hot rolled, and for both, tolerance widens as the material gets thicker and wider. A purchase order should cite the standard and the tolerance class, not just a headline figure.Which standard governs which productProductGoverning standardHow tolerance is expressedCold rolled sheet and coilASTM A568 / EN 10131Tighter limits, banded by thickness and widthHot rolled sheet and coilASTM A1011 / EN 10051Wider limits, widening with thicknessHot-dip coated sheetASTM A924 / EN 10143Base steel tolerance plus a coating allowanceCut-to-length plateASTM A6 / EN 10029Separate thickness and flatness tablesWhy a blanket plus-minus figure is a risky promiseA supplier who quotes a single figure such as plus or minus 0.02 mm for everything is either quoting the best case at the thinnest, narrowest end of the range, or has not checked the table. The same nominal thickness at a wider width carries a looser tolerance in every standard, because crown control across a wider strip is harder.Write the requirement as: nominal thickness, the standard, and the tolerance class where the standard offers one. That combination is checkable at inspection; a bare number is not.Cold rolled sheet - the tighter tolerance band is defined by ASTM A568 / EN 10131How tolerance affects your yield and your costThickness tolerance is a commercial lever, not just a quality note. Material rolled toward the minus side of the allowance yields more square metres per tonne - attractive until forming or structural demands need the section to hold. Material at the plus side costs more per square metre but protects the finished part.Decide which side you can live with before the order, and say so. It is far easier to agree a target than to argue about a delivered coil.Where the measurement is takenStandards define the measurement position - typically a set distance from the edge, at a defined number of points across the width. Two inspectors can reach different verdicts on the same coil by measuring in different places, which is why the standard citation matters as much as the number.Related readingCold rolled vs hot rolled: differences and tolerancesCold rolled steel catalogueHot rolled steel catalogue

Question 7

A third-party inspector attends before loading to check quantity, dimensions, coating weight, surface and packing against the PO. MESCO welcomes inspection by SGS, BV or an agreed surveyor before loading; scope and cost are agreed in advance.

Accepted Answer

How Does Pre-Shipment Inspection (SGS or BV) Work for Steel Orders?Direct answer: a pre-shipment inspection is an attendance by an independent surveyor - SGS, BV or another agreed body - before the container is closed, checking the goods against the purchase order. MESCO welcomes third-party inspection before loading. Scope, notice period and cost are agreed when the order is placed, so the attendance lands inside the production window rather than after it.What a typical inspection coversCheckWhat is verifiedQuantityCoil or sheet count, unit weight, total tonnage against the packing listDimensionsThickness, width, length; coating weight by weigh-strip-weigh or gaugeMechanicalSampling for yield, tensile and elongation where specifiedSurfaceSpangle, coating adhesion, paint film, scratches, edge conditionPacking and markingWrap, strapping, edge protection, shipping marks, labelsContainerFloor condition, blocking and securing before doors closeWhen to book itThe inspection is only meaningful once production is complete and the goods are packed, and it must finish before the container doors close. Booking too early catches partially finished material; booking too late means the box has already sailed.The practical sequence is: agree the surveyor and scope when placing the order, give notice once the production date is firm, and hold the loading slot until the report is released. On a custom order this has to be built into the 15-25 business day window from the start.Cold rolled coil staged for inspection - dimensional and surface checks happen before the doors closeWho pays, and how muchThe buyer normally commissions and pays the surveyor, because the inspector represents the buyer's interest. Where the contract places it on the seller it is priced into the quotation instead. Fees scale with scope - a documentary check, a dimensional and visual check, and destructive or laboratory sampling are three different jobs at three different prices.Get the scope in writing before the inspector travels. Most disputes about inspection cost come from a scope that was assumed rather than stated.What to do with the reportTreat a passed report as a release document, not a formality: it should be filed with the mill certificates and the packing list so that the three documents agree. If the report carries observations rather than a clean pass, resolve them before loading - after loading, the buyer's leverage drops sharply.Related readingHow to verify a Chinese steel supplierCold rolled steel catalogueGalvalume (GL) steel catalogue

Question 8

EN 10204 3.1 carries actual chemical and mechanical test results and is issued by the manufacturer's independent inspection department. Type 2.2 is a declaration of compliance with no test values. For steel export, 3.1 is the normal requirement.

Accepted Answer

How Do I Read a Mill Test Certificate? EN 10204 3.1 vs 2.2 ExplainedDirect answer: EN 10204 3.1 is a certificate that carries actual test results - chemical composition and mechanical properties - and is issued by an inspection department independent of production. Type 2.2 is only a declaration of compliance and contains no test values. For export steel, 3.1 is the standard requirement because the numbers can be traced back to a specific heat.The four EN 10204 certificate typesTypeTest results includedIssued byTypical use2.1NoManufacturer's production departmentNon-critical stock, internal use2.2NoIndependent inspection department of the manufacturerGeneral commercial supply3.1YesManufacturer's authorised inspection representativeSteel export standard3.2YesManufacturer plus an independent third party such as SGSHigh-specification or regulated projectsWhat a 3.1 certificate must showA usable certificate carries the heat number, the chemical composition for each specified element, the mechanical results - yield strength, tensile strength and elongation - the coating weight where relevant, the dimensions, the governing standard and grade, and the signature and date of the authorised inspector.The heat number is the linchpin. It is what links the paper to the physical coil, and it is the first thing to check when the certificate arrives.Stainless sheet - heat-number traceability is what makes a 3.1 certificate meaningfulHow to spot a certificate that does not add upCross-check the heat number against the coil tag and the packing list. Confirm the standard and grade quoted match the PO, not a neighbouring grade. Check that every element falls inside the specification range for that grade - a certificate showing values comfortably mid-range across a dozen elements is more plausible than one sitting exactly on every limit.Then sanity-check the mechanics against the grade. If the yield and tensile figures are identical to four decimal places across several different heats, the data has probably been templated rather than measured. Where the value of the order justifies it, a third-party check by SGS or BV closes the question.Why 2.2 keeps appearing in quotationsType 2.2 is cheaper and faster because no testing is performed for the document. It is legitimate for non-structural commercial supply, and it is not acceptable where a designer, a regulator or an end customer has specified 3.1. Ask which type is being quoted before comparing prices - a 2.2 quote and a 3.1 quote are not the same product.Related readingHow to verify a Chinese steel supplierStainless steel catalogueStainless 304 vs 316 vs 430

Question 9

Steel coil is dense cargo, so containers hit their weight ceiling long before they run out of space. A 20GP typically carries 20-25 t, and a 40-foot box rarely carries much more because the payload limit is similar while road axle limits often bind first.

Accepted Answer

How Many Tons of Steel Coil Fit in a 20GP, 40GP or 40HQ Container?Direct answer: steel coil is weight-limited, not volume-limited. A 20GP is normally loaded with roughly 20-25 tonnes, and a 40GP or 40HQ rarely does better because the box payload ceiling is similar and destination road-axle limits often bind before the container does. The practical figure is always confirmed at booking, against the carrier's payload and the importing country's road weight rules.Indicative capacity - confirm at bookingContainerInternal volumeBox payload limitPractical coil load20GPabout 33 m3about 28 t20-25 t40GPabout 67 m3about 26-28 t20-25 t40HQabout 76 m3about 26-28 t20-24 tWhy the 40-foot box does not double your tonnageA 40-foot container has roughly twice the volume of a 20GP but almost the same payload limit, because the extra steel in the longer box is spent on the box itself. For dense cargo such as coil, that extra volume buys nothing: a coil load typically fills only a third to a half of the internal space before the weight ceiling arrives.This is why coil buyers so often ship in 20GP units. Two 20-foot boxes usually move more tonnes, and unload more conveniently, than one 40-foot box - and they isolate damage or moisture problems to half the cargo.Hot rolled coil - dense cargo where weight, not volume, sets the container countWhat really sets the numberFour constraints decide the final figure, and the lowest one wins: the container's maximum gross weight, the carrier's declared payload, the road axle limit in the importing country, and the physical fit of coil diameter against internal width and height.Road limits are the constraint buyers most often miss. A box that is legal at the port can be overloaded on the truck that leaves it.How to get an exact figureGive the coil OD, ID, width and unit weight, plus the destination country, and the loading plan can be calculated rather than estimated - including how many coils per box and whether the stack needs a second tier.Related readingHot rolled steel catalogueGalvanized steel (GI) catalogueCold rolled vs hot rolled steel sheet

Question 10

Eye to sky means the coil bore faces upward and it is lifted with a C-hook; eye to wall means the axis is horizontal and the coil rests on its outer wrap. Eye to sky is the usual default for export coils because it stacks and secures better inside a container.

Accepted Answer

How Are Steel Coils Packed for Sea Freight: Eye to Sky or Eye to Wall?Direct answer: eye to sky means the coil stands on its edge with the bore facing upward, so a C-hook or a through-bore sling can lift it; eye to wall means the axis is horizontal and the coil rests on its outer diameter. Eye to sky is the usual default for sea freight because vertical coils stack and lash more predictably inside a container, while eye to wall is chosen when the buyer's decoiler needs a horizontal feed.The two orientations comparedAspectEye to sky (vertical)Eye to wall (horizontal)Coil axisVertical, bore faces upHorizontal, bore faces sidewaysLifting methodC-hook or through-bore slingForklift or sling under the wrapStacking in containerHigher - coils nest side by sideLower - limited by outer diameterMain damage riskEdge dent, moisture ingress at the borePoint loading and wrap abrasion at the contact lineTypical choiceExport sea freight, heavier coilsBuyers whose line requires horizontal feedWhat the protection layers actually doBoth orientations share the same protective stack: VCI or vapour-barrier paper against the steel, a full outer wrap, circumferential and radial strapping, and edge protectors on the rims. The difference is where the load sits. In eye-to-sky packing the weight travels down the coil wall, so the rim needs edge protection; in eye-to-wall packing the weight sits on one line of the outer wrap, which is why that orientation is avoided for soft or thinly coated material.Inside the container, coils are blocked with timber or airbags against fore-and-aft movement. This is the part buyers underestimate - a coil that shifts during a two-week sailing arrives with edge damage that no amount of wrapping would have prevented.Hot rolled coil packed for export - edge protection and blocking determine arrival conditionHow to specify it in the POState the orientation explicitly, then state the lifting method the destination will use. A coil packed eye to sky and unloaded at a yard with no C-hook becomes a manual handling problem at the worst possible moment.If the material is thin-gauge or carries a high-gloss or PVDF finish, mention it - those are the cases where eye-to-wall is normally declined and where extra interleaving is added.What to inspect at loadingPhotographs before the doors close: the blocking arrangement, the strapping pattern, the edge protectors and the container floor condition. These four images settle almost every damage claim before it starts.Related readingGalvalume (GL) steel catalogueCold rolled sheet and coilGalvanized steel (GI) catalogue

Question 11

3-7 business days for stock sizes and 15-25 business days for custom production, counted from confirmed PO plus deposit receipt. Sea transit is separate and depends on the destination port.

Accepted Answer

How Long Does a Steel Coil Order Take from Purchase Order to Loading?Direct answer: lead time is 3-7 business days for sizes held in stock and 15-25 business days for custom production. Both windows are counted from the point where the purchase order is confirmed and the deposit has cleared, and both end at container loading - ocean transit is a separate leg that depends on the destination port and sailing schedule.Where the days go, by order typeStageStock orderCustom orderOrder confirmation and deposit clearance1-2 days1-2 daysRaw material allocation or production0 (from stock)12-20 daysSlitting, cut-to-length or recoiling1-2 days2-3 daysInspection, marking and packing1-2 days2-3 daysContainer loading1 day1 dayTotal to loading3-7 business days15-25 business daysWhen the clock actually startsThe most common source of a missed date is a clock that started later than the buyer assumed. The countdown begins when three things are all true: the PO is confirmed in writing, the deposit has cleared, and the specification is frozen - including paint colour sign-off and the exact coating designation.A colour that is still being argued about on day three of a fifteen-day window is a delay that has nothing to do with the mill. Freezing the specification before issuing the PO is the single most effective way to protect the date.Colour coated coil leaving the paint line - paint changeover is the main variable in a custom runWhy custom runs take two to three weeksA custom coil passes through more set-up points than a stock order: substrate selection, coating or paint application, curing, cooling, then slitting or cut-to-length. Each transition has a changeover cost in time, and the coating line cannot be rushed without risking adhesion or coating-weight consistency.Inspection adds its own tail. Coating weight, mechanical properties and surface condition are checked at the end of the run, and if a third-party inspector such as SGS or BV is attending, that attendance has to be booked into the schedule in advance.What is not includedOcean transit is deliberately excluded, because a headline lead time that quietly bundles a 30-day sailing is how suppliers end up arguing about penalties. Ask for the production window and the sailing schedule separately and you can plan a real arrival date.Related readingColour coated steel (PPGI/PPGL) cataloguePPGI/PPGL coating systems: PE vs SMP vs HDP vs PVDFHow to verify a Chinese steel supplier

Question 12

MESCO's MOQ is 5 metric tons for sizes held in stock and 20 metric tons for custom production. Trial orders at the 5 MT level let buyers verify coating quality, packing and documentation before scaling to container volume.

Accepted Answer

What Is the Minimum Order Quantity for Steel Coils, and How Do Trial Orders Work?Direct answer: MESCO's minimum order quantity is 5 metric tons for sizes held in stock and 20 metric tons for custom production runs. Trial orders are accepted at the 5 MT stock level, so a first-time buyer can verify coating weight, colour, packing and paperwork on a small parcel before committing to container volumes.MOQ and lead time by order typeScenarioMOQLead timeTypical useSize held in stock, no modification5 MT3-7 business daysTrial order, urgent replenishmentCustom coating weight, paint, width or thickness20 MT15-25 business daysProject supply, OEM programmesMixed sizes within one container5 MT per sizeDepends on the slowest itemDistributor stock buildingWhy the line sits at 5 MT and 20 MTThe two numbers reflect two different cost structures. A stock size has already absorbed its setup cost - the coil is coated, slit and sitting in the warehouse - so picking 5 MT off the rack costs almost nothing extra.A custom run does not work that way. Changing coating weight means re-setting the zinc pot or the paint line; changing colour means a paint changeover and a curing oven ramp; changing width means re-slitting or re-rolling. Those costs are fixed, not per tonne, which is why a 5 MT custom order carries the same setup burden as a 20 MT one and prices out badly for both sides.GI steel coil in stock - the 5 MT trial tier is drawn from ready stockWhat actually counts as customAnything that is not a size already on the stock list: a coating weight outside the standard ladder, a specific RAL or Pantone colour, a width that is not a standard slitting width, a non-standard thickness, or a special surface treatment such as anti-finger print or a specific skin-pass roughness.If you are unsure whether your requirement is stock or custom, send the full specification - grade, coating designation, thickness, width and paint system - and it will be classified at quotation stage, normally the same business day.How a trial order runs in practiceSend the specification and target destination. A quotation follows within 24 hours on business days. Standard samples are free of charge with freight collected, so the material can be inspected before any deposit is paid.On a 5 MT stock order, production is essentially allocation plus cutting, and the 3-7 business day window covers slitting, inspection, packing and container loading. Once the trial parcel has been accepted, scaling to 20 MT or a full container is a repeat order rather than a new qualification.Related readingGalvanized steel (GI) catalogueHot rolled sheet and coilHow to verify a Chinese steel supplier

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