How we work
Quantities, lead times, trade terms, payment and the document set that ships with your cargo. If a term here does not fit your procurement rules, state it in the enquiry and we will confirm whether we can meet it.
What buyers ask before they order
Five questions that come up before a first order, each answered in the section below.
Mill test certificates that don't match the steel
Forged or recycled MTCs are a documented problem in steel trading. Material ships with the certificate for its own heat number, and SGS, BV or your own surveyor can witness sampling if requested at order stage.
Jump to answerAnti-dumping duties on the landed cost
Several markets apply anti-dumping duties to specific Chinese steel plate categories, and rates vary by product code and destination. Check the current rate for your HS code with your own customs broker before ordering — accurate invoicing and certificate of origin are provided so the calculation is straightforward.
Jump to answerRust starting during the sea voyage
A multi-week voyage is enough for unprotected plate to corrode, particularly with seawater contact. Material is oiled or shop-primed on request, bundled on timber dunnage, and marked before loading.
Jump to answerA minimum order too large for a repair job
Industry minimums are typically 20 to 25 tonnes, roughly a container load. Stock held in Wuhan can be ordered from 1 tonne.
Jump to answerPaying a deposit and losing contact with the supplier
Letter of credit at sight is the preferred route: your bank releases payment only against compliant documents. Where a deposit applies, it is 30% with the balance against a copy bill of lading.
Jump to answerMinimum order quantity
Material held in stock
From 1 tonne
Bundles are broken to order. The minimum on any size held in stock is one tonne, which covers repair-yard quantities of a few plates.
Full container load
Approx. 25 tonnes
A 20ft container is weight-limited to roughly 25 to 28 tonnes of plate.
Mill order
Per rolling batch
Rolled-to-order material is subject to the mill's minimum rolling batch for that grade and size, confirmed on enquiry.
Lead times
Lead time runs from order confirmation to despatch from the port of loading. Which figure applies depends on whether the size is held in stock or rolled to order.
| Scenario | Time | What happens during it |
|---|---|---|
| From stock | 3-7 days | Ex-warehouse Wuhan. Material is already in stock against a heat number. |
| Mill order, standard grade and size | 30-45 days | Steelmaking and casting, rolling, heat treatment, inspection. The rolling window is confirmed once the mill schedules the heat. |
| Non-standard size or low-temperature grade | 45-60 days | Grades requiring impact testing at lower temperatures, or sizes outside the normal rolling programme. |
| Wuhan to port of loading | 1-5 days | Yangtze barge 3 to 5 days, road 1 to 2 days. This leg is included in the figures above. |
Vessel name and voyage number are sent when the cargo is despatched.
Shipping and trade terms
- 1
Wuhan mill and stock
Shipments start at the WISCO mill in Wuhan, on the Yangtze. Stock plate is held here from one tonne, broken to order; mill-direct orders are rolled to the batch minimum for that grade and size.
- 2
Inland transport
Wuhan is an inland river port, so plate first moves inland — by Yangtze barge or by road — to reach a deep-sea port.
- 3
FOB loading at Shanghai or Ningbo
The deep-sea port is normally Shanghai or Ningbo, where the shipment is loaded FOB; quotations already include the inland leg. Another port of loading can be arranged on request.
- 4
Ocean freight to destination
From there the shipment moves by ocean freight to its destination. CIF covers vessel booking and marine insurance so the shipment is handled by one party; FOB and CFR are also available, and EXW on request.
Incoterms: FOB / CFR / CIF
CIF covers vessel booking and marine insurance, so the shipment is handled by one party. FOB and CFR are available, and EXW on request.
Packing: Export seaworthy
Bundled and strapped with steel bands, timber dunnage, and anti-rust oil applied as standard; a shop primer coating can be arranged on request. Each bundle is marked with grade, heat number and dimensions. Containers are lashed and break-bulk is secured for the voyage.
Value-added processing
Beyond supplying certified plate, we coordinate the finishing work buyers commonly need before material goes to the yard — specify what you need when you request a quote.
Profile cutting
CNC flame or plasma cutting to your drawing or DXF file, subcontracted to qualified cutting shops near the mill.
Shot blasting
Surface preparation to a specified grade such as Sa 2.5 per ISO 8501-1, subcontracted, available on request.
Shop priming
Zinc-based weldable shop primer applied after blasting, subcontracted, available on request.
Edge beveling
Standard single-V or double-V (X) edge preparation to your welding procedure, subcontracted.
Ultrasonic testing
In-house ultrasonic testing to classification-society or customer-specified acceptance criteria.
Cutting, blasting, priming and beveling are subcontracted to qualified shops we work with regularly; ultrasonic testing is done in-house.
Typical geometry
On-site video
Real footage of the warehouse and processing floor, added as it is filmed.
Warehouse
Real on-site video coming soon
Crane operations
Real on-site video coming soon
Plate marking
Real on-site video coming soon
Processing line
Real on-site video coming soon
Payment terms
Irrevocable letter of credit at sight
Documents are presented to your bank and payment is released against a compliant presentation, under an irrevocable L/C — the standard trade-finance form for first-time and one-off orders.
T/T, 30% deposit and 70% against copy B/L
The balance falls due once the bill of lading is issued.
Deposit waived after an established order history
Once both parties have completed due diligence and there is an order history, the deposit requirement is waived.
Pre-shipment inspection
Pre-shipment inspection is witnessed by a classification-society surveyor, who confirms the mill's test results independently of ZCMetals and the mill's own quality department. See the certifications and MTC guide pages.
What you receive with the shipment
Customs clearance and class survey both depend on the document set. The cargo ships with:
- Mill test certificate (MTC) to EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2, issued per heat
- Classification society certificate copy for the grade supplied
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list with heat numbers, dimensions and piece weights
- Bill of lading
- Certificate of origin (CO, FORM E or FORM A, whichever applies to your country)
- Insurance policy, for CIF shipments
- Fumigation certificate or non-wood packing declaration
Third-party inspection can be arranged. SGS, BV or your own surveyor can witness sampling or inspect before despatch if requested at order stage.
Annotated guide to reading a mill test certificateSite visits
Material is held across several warehouses in Wuhan. Visits are arranged on request: you can inspect the plate, check the markings and read the certificates on site. For buyers who cannot travel, photographs and video of the specific material are sent before despatch, and SGS, BV or your own surveyor can attend in your place.
Arrange a visitFrom enquiry to delivery
- 1
Enquiry
Send grade, thickness, dimensions and tonnage. Enquiries are answered within 24 hours.
- 2
Quotation
Price, availability and lead time, with a stated validity date on every quotation.
- 3
Order confirmation
Contract covering grade, dimensions, tolerances, classification society, delivery term, payment and the document set.
- 4
Stock release or rolling
Stock is released immediately. Mill orders are scheduled and the rolling window is confirmed to you.
- 5
Inspection and documents
Mill test certificates issued per heat. Third-party or witnessed inspection carried out if requested at order stage.
- 6
Packing and despatch
Export packing, inland leg to Shanghai or Ningbo, loading.
- 7
Documents and tracking
Document set couriered; vessel name and voyage number sent on despatch. Schedule changes are notified as they arise.
Send a specification
Grade, thickness, dimensions and tonnage are enough for a quotation. If payment structure, lead time or a customs document conflicts with your procurement rules, state it in the enquiry.