What actually decides the price of clad metal
Two suppliers quoting the same drawing can differ by a fifth without either being dishonest. The difference is in the parts of the price a drawing does not show.
At a glance
Specification at a glance
| Cost element | Share of a typical quote | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless faces | Large and volatile | Nickel and chrome, grade, gauge, mill surcharge |
| Aluminium core | Moderate | LME aluminium, alloy 1050 or 3003, gauge |
| Rolling and bonding | Moderate | Passes, line speed, structure complexity |
| Annealing | Small but load-bearing | Cycle time, atmosphere, batch size |
| Cutting and yield | Varies widely | Nest, diameter, tolerance, edge quality |
| Testing and documents | Small | Per-grade reports, retained samples |
| Freight and packing | Small to large | Route, container fill, packing specification |
The metal is the price, everything else is the margin
Stainless and aluminium are quoted against published indices plus a mill surcharge, and both move. A quote is therefore a snapshot with a validity period, not a catalogue price. When a buyer compares two quotes taken a month apart, most of the difference may be the market rather than the supplier.
Ask for the metal basis separately from the conversion charge and the comparison becomes possible.
Yield is where two quotes really differ
A circle cut from sheet leaves a web. The nest decides how much of the sheet becomes product, and the nest depends on the diameter and the tooling. A supplier quoting a diameter close to stock tooling can be cheaper than one quoting a bespoke diameter, even buying metal at the same price.
This is also why a small change in diameter sometimes changes the price by more than a change in gauge.
Tolerance and documentation have a real cost
A tight gauge tolerance slows the rolling and rejects more at inspection. A retained sample per lot, a full dimensional report and a third-party test each add a few percent. None of them are expensive in absolute terms, and all of them are visible in a quote if the buyer asks which items are included.
Freight is part of the price whether or not it is quoted
Two suppliers quoting FOB differ only in the factory. Layered on top comes the route, the container fill and the packing. A quote that reaches the buyer's door includes all three, and comparing it against an FOB quote is comparing two different products.
State the Incoterm when asking, and insist the same term comes back.
How to make quotes comparable
Same structure drawing, same gauge with tolerance, same diameter or coil width, same surface, same edge, same packing, same Incoterm, same validity window, same document list. Send that list to every supplier and most of the spread disappears, which is usually a relief for the buyer and uncomfortable for the supplier who was quoting a thinner structure.
Questions
Common questions
Why did the price change since last month?
Stainless and aluminium move with the market and mills apply surcharges. Ask for the metal basis and the conversion charge separately to see which part moved.
Is a cheaper quote usually a thinner structure?
Often. Check the layer split and the total gauge before comparing the number, then check whether the tolerance and document list are the same.
Does a bigger order reduce the price per kilo?
Yes, mainly through yield and setup, with diminishing returns once the run fills a coil or a container.
Do you publish a price list?
No. Metal moves and every structure is quoted against a drawing. The quotation states its validity period.
What makes a quote more expensive than expected?
A bespoke diameter, a tight gauge tolerance, a cut edge specification, or a document set that includes third-party testing.