How to Specify Prepainted Aluminum Coil: A Buyer's Checklist.
Most delays in getting a coil quote come from the same cause: one detail missing from the first enquiry, followed by a back-and-forth to fill it in. This is the checklist that avoids that round trip.
Key takeaways
- A complete prepainted coil RFQ needs seven things stated together: alloy, gauge, width, coating system, finish and color, quantity, and destination.
- Missing any one of these is the most common reason a quote takes longer than it needs to.
- Orbit's confirmed ranges: 1xxx, 3xxx and 5xxx alloys, 0.20 to 2.00 mm gauge, up to 1650 mm width, coated coil up to 1.60 mm and 1350 mm wide.
- Minimum order quantity is 6.5 MT; lead time runs 5 to 13 days port to port to Europe and around 25 days to the USA, from Aqaba.
- Send everything at once, even where an item is still open, and say so explicitly rather than leaving it blank.
Why does a complete RFQ actually get quoted faster than a partial one?
Because a partial specification forces a question back to you before a real quote can be worked up, and that round trip is a common source of delay in coil sourcing. A supplier can propose sensible defaults for an open item, but cannot quote a real price and lead time around a genuine unknown.
Sending everything below in the first message, even where some of it is still open and you say so plainly, gets you a usable answer in one pass instead of three.
What exactly should go in a prepainted coil RFQ?
Seven items, sent together: alloy, gauge, width, coating system, finish and color, quantity, and destination. Each one changes what the coil actually is, not just its price, so leaving one out is not a minor omission.
- Alloy. State a preference within 1xxx, 3xxx or 5xxx if you know it, or describe the application and environment if the alloy is still open, and let the alloy be proposed against that.
- Gauge and width. Orbit rolls coil from 0.20 to 2.00 mm thick and up to 1650 mm wide, in coils up to 10 tonnes; coated coil runs up to 1.60 mm thick and up to 1350 mm wide. State the span, load, or forming operation if gauge is still open.
- Coating system. Name a system, PE, HDPE, PVDF, PU, PUPA, Epoxy, Acrylic or Epoxy-PE, or describe the exposure and forming operation if it is still open.
- Finish and color. Solid, metallic, woodgrain, brushed, matte, gloss, textured, anti-graffiti or anti-bacterial, in RAL or a custom reference.
- Quantity. Minimum order quantity is 6.5 MT. State your expected order size and whether this is a one-off or a repeat-order relationship.
- Destination and timeline. Coil ships from Aqaba, with transit to Europe of 5 to 13 days port to port and to the USA of around 25 days. State your destination port and any project deadline.
- Anything non-standard. Recycled-content documentation, a specific standard your market works to (ASTM or EN), or any certification requirement beyond ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
What if I don't know the alloy yet?
Describe the application and environment instead, and let the alloy be proposed against that description rather than guessing at a number. This is usually faster than researching an alloy designation yourself, since the application tells us more than a guessed alloy number would.
See what the 1xxx, 3xxx and 5xxx numbers actually mean if you want the background first, but it is not a prerequisite for sending an enquiry.
What if I don't know the coating system yet?
Describe the exposure the coil will face, coastal, industrial, high-UV, or sheltered, and whether the coil goes through a tight forming operation, and let the coating system be proposed against those two factors together.
See choosing a coating system for exterior aluminum coil for the general tradeoffs between Orbit's exterior systems, useful background if you want it before sending the enquiry.
How does lead time actually work?
From order confirmation, coil ships from Aqaba, with transit to Europe running 5 to 13 days port to port and to the USA around 25 days. Total lead time from RFQ to delivery depends on where your order sits in production scheduling at the time you order, which is confirmed once the specification is finalized.
If you are working against a hard project deadline, state it in the first enquiry rather than after a quote is already in hand, since it can affect how the order is scheduled.
Where do I send this?
Directly through Orbit's prepainted aluminum coil page or the contact form below. We respond to RFQs within one business day. The National Coil Coating Association (NCCA) is the trade association representing coil coating businesses in North America.
Common questions
What is the minimum information needed to get a quote?
Alloy, gauge, width, coating system, finish and color, quantity, and destination. Where any of these is still open, say so explicitly and describe the application instead, rather than leaving it blank.
How fast does Orbit respond to an RFQ?
Within one business day. A complete specification, sent in the first message, gets a usable quote back faster than a partial one that needs a follow-up question first.
What is the minimum order quantity?
6.5 MT. State your expected order size and whether it is a one-off purchase or a repeat-order relationship.
How long does shipping take?
From Aqaba, transit to Europe runs 5 to 13 days port to port, and to the USA around 25 days. Total lead time from order to delivery depends on production scheduling at the time you order.
Can I request recycled-content documentation with my RFQ?
Yes. Mention it alongside your alloy and coating preference and we will confirm the achievable figure for your specific order.
References
- National Coil Coating Association (NCCA): the trade association representing coil coating businesses in North America.
Ready to send a specification?
Send alloy, gauge, width, coating, finish, quantity and destination. We respond to RFQs within one business day.