MOQ, Lead Time & Shipping
Our minimum is 100 m² or 1 tonne — roughly 350 kg of 3 mm acrylic. Here is what that means in weight, time, cost and packing.
Most Chinese sheet manufacturers will not talk to you below a full container. We start at 100 m² or 1 tonne. This page sets out exactly what that means, what it costs to ship, and how long it takes — before you send an enquiry, not after.
Minimum order quantity
Our MOQ is 100 m² or 1 tonne, whichever suits the order. We apply whichever measure is more favourable to you: thin sheet is easier to reach by area, thick sheet by weight.
To put 100 m² in perspective:
| Material & thickness | 100 m² weighs about | Standard sheets (1220 × 2440 mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic, 3 mm | 350 kg | 34 sheets |
| Polycarbonate solid, 3 mm | 360 kg | 34 sheets |
| Polycarbonate solid, 5 mm | 600 kg | 34 sheets |
| Multiwall polycarbonate, 6 mm | 130 kg | 34 sheets |
A 350 kg trial order occupies a fraction of a 20-foot container. That is the whole point: you can test the material, the tolerances and our responsiveness on a pallet, then scale to containers once your customers confirm.
Why we can hold a low minimum when others cannot
We extrude our own sheet on seven production lines with 20,000 tonnes of annual capacity. A trial pallet runs on the same line as a 40-tonne order — we are not buying stock from a third party and marking it up, so a small order does not break a supply chain. Traders who buy from mills have to meet the mill’s minimum before they can quote you at all.
Lead time
| Order type | Production lead time |
|---|---|
| Standard sizes, stock colours (clear, opal, grey, brown) | 7–10 days |
| Non-standard thickness or width | 12–18 days |
| Custom colour matching | 15–20 days |
| CNC cut-to-size or formed parts | Add 3–7 days to the above |
Lead time starts when the deposit clears and the specification is frozen — not when the enquiry arrives. If a drawing changes after production starts, the clock restarts, so it is worth getting the DXF right before you sign off.
Incoterms and pricing
All quotations are issued in USD. We quote on three terms and will tell you which one is cheapest for your destination rather than defaulting to the one that is easiest for us:
- FOB (Shanghai or Ningbo) — you control the freight. Best if you already have a forwarder and consolidate with other suppliers.
- CIF — we arrange sea freight and insurance to your port. You handle customs clearance and inland delivery.
- DDP — delivered, duties paid, to your door. Simplest, and usually the right choice for a first order while you are still evaluating us.
Payment terms are 30% deposit with the balance against the copy bill of lading. For repeat customers we review terms after the third order.
Shipping
We ship to more than 30 countries. Sea freight is the default for anything above 300 kg; air freight is available for samples and urgent replacement parts.
| Destination | Typical sea transit from Shanghai |
|---|---|
| UK & Northern Europe | 30–38 days |
| US West Coast | 18–25 days |
| US East Coast | 30–36 days |
| Australia | 18–24 days |
| Middle East | 18–24 days |
Transit times are carrier schedules, not promises — port congestion moves them. We give you the booking reference so you can track the vessel yourself.
How sheet is packed
Sheet ships with protective film on both faces, interleaved and strapped to fumigated wooden pallets, edge-protected and corner-boarded. Cut parts are individually filmed and boxed. Damage in transit is rare; when it happens, photograph the pallet before it leaves the dock — that is what the insurer will ask for.
Samples
A4 sample pieces of any standard grade are free; you pay the courier. Samples of custom colours or non-standard constructions are charged at cost and credited against your first order.
What we need from you to quote
- Material and grade — or describe the application and we will recommend one
- Thickness, sheet size or finished part dimensions
- Colour and surface (clear, opal, frosted, textured, UV-coated, hard-coated)
- Quantity in m² or tonnes
- Destination port or delivery address
- Any drawing — DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES or PDF
Items 1–4 are enough for an indicative price. All six get you a firm quotation, usually within one working day.