Frequently Asked Questions
The questions that come up on almost every first enquiry, answered on the site instead of in your inbox. If yours is not here, ask — it probably belongs here.
Can you supply a mix of products, or items not listed on this site?
Yes — a mixed order is the normal case, not the exception. One container can carry foil, plate and extrusions from three different lines and still leave on a single invoice. Where an item falls outside what we hold — a custom temper, a fabricated part, a coated finish — we buy it in through our supply network and deliver it under the same contract, with the same inspection and the same documents. Send the whole list, including the awkward lines.
What happens if one line of my order goes wrong?
You raise it with us, and only us. Every line on the packing list — the ones we hold and the ones we sourced in — sits under the same contract, the same invoice and the same claim contact. You are not left forwarding photographs between three suppliers who each say the other one packed it.
What alloy do I need for a marine hull?
5083 or 5086 in H116/H321 temper for hull plate, 5754 or 5083 for superstructure. The reason is magnesium content: it gives seawater corrosion resistance and keeps weld strength without heat treatment. Avoid 6xxx below the waterline and avoid 2xxx in marine service entirely.
What is the difference between EN 10204 2.2 and 3.1?
A 2.2 certificate is the supplier stating that the material meets the standard — no test values, no signed heat analysis. A 3.1 certificate carries the actual heat analysis and mechanical test results, signed by the mill inspector who ran them. If your project has a classification society or an aerospace customer behind it, 3.1 is normally the minimum accepted.
What is your minimum order quantity?
2 tonnes for stocked flat-rolled product, 1 tonne for foil, and 500 kg per extrusion die. Below the mill minimum we consolidate, so small orders ship but wait for a shared container.
Can I get a sample before ordering?
Yes. Standard A4 samples of stocked grades and finishes ship free by courier; you pay the freight. For an extrusion we can send a 200 mm section off an existing die, or quote a trial tooling cost for a new one.
How fast can you quote?
Within 24 hours on working days for stocked grades. Mill-production items take 24–48 hours because the mill has to confirm the rolling schedule before we commit a date.
Which Incoterms and ports do you work with?
FOB Shanghai, Ningbo and Qingdao are routine. CIF, CFR, DAP and EXW are available. We quote the Incoterm you name, and we state which port we based the freight on so you can compare against your own forwarder.
What happens if the material fails inspection on arrival?
Send the inspection report and photographs within 14 days of arrival. Claims are settled by us, not passed to the mill for you to chase. In practice that means replacement material, credit against the next order, or a negotiated allowance — and we say which one before you accept it.
Do you hold stock, or is everything made to order?
Both. Common grades in common gauges — 1050, 3003, 5052 sheet and coil in H14/H24 — are held at the Wuxi warehouse and ship in 7–12 days. Everything else is mill production on a 15–45 day schedule depending on category.