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PLYWOOD RFQ / FROM REQUIREMENT TO QUOTATION
Plywood RFQ checklist: start with four details, then build a comparable quote
For your first plywood inquiry, send the application, length × width × thickness, quantity by item and destination. Add a drawing or finish reference if you have one. CUZI can discuss the face/back, core and processing choices that are still open. Before placing the order, connect each chosen construction, tolerance, sample, document and delivery term to one item code and quotation revision.
A useful RFQ moves your purchase forward. It gives the supplier enough to propose the right panel, gives your workshop a sample to evaluate, and keeps the price connected to the product you intend to receive. You can begin with the details you know and build the remaining specification together.
- Start the conversation: product/use, dimensions, item quantity and destination.
- Make the offers comparable: selected construction, finished scope, price unit and named delivery boundary.
- Prepare the order: agreed values, physical sample, documents, packing and the current revision.
Start with what you knowUse the RFQ outline in your inquiry
Adding a bond requirement? Use the EN 314, EN 636 and WBP guide to name the relevant requirement, edition, class and product documents.
What information is needed for a useful plywood quotation?
For the first reply, identify what the panel will become, its planned dimensions, approximate quantity and receiving country or port. A drawing, grain-direction note or finish photograph helps resolve the practical choices. For the final comparison, keep a separate line for every different construction, gauge, format or supplied finish.
- Fixed requirement
- A drawing interface, required finish, selected appearance or performance requirement that the proposal must meet.
- Open selection
- A core, grade or process you want CUZI to propose or compare. Describe the intended component so the alternatives answer your buying question.
- Separate alternative
- A different construction or scope with its own description, sample, price and effect on the finished part.
- Final item record
- The chosen construction, dimensions, finish, documents, quantity and commercial scope under the accepted item/quotation revision.
Is a quotation the same as a complete specification?
A price line reading “18 mm plywood” leaves the face, core, bond, tolerance and supplied work open. Compare the description against your item schedule and drawing, then record the supplier’s reply or exception beside each requirement. Carry the chosen sample and final revision into the purchasing record.
Use a separate item line for each accepted construction. You can discuss alternatives in one RFQ while keeping the original requirement identifiable.
A first inquiry can be four lines
Product / application: Birch plywood for cabinet sides Size: 1220 × 2440 × 18 mm Quantity: One mixed container; quantities by item to discuss Destination: CIF Rotterdam Please compare BB/CC with poplar and birch cores separately.
Use this sample inquiry as a starting point. Add your receiving date and any drawing for joints, grain direction or finished edges. If the construction is undecided, describe the use and ask us for options.
Start from the panels CUZI can supply
Plywood regular sizes are 1220 × 2440, 1250 × 2500 and 1525 × 3050 mm. Sizes including 1220 × 3050 and 1250 × 3660 mm are on request. MDF regular sizes are 1220 × 2440 and 2100 × 2800 mm; 1220 × 3050, 1830 × 3660 and 1220 × 3660 mm are on request. State the actual orientation, usable dimensions and cutting plan for your item.
Commercial and birch plywood options include 3–30 mm, poplar/birch/eucalyptus cores, BB/CC or C/D selections and E0/E1 options. Plain MDF offers 2.5–35 mm and E0/E1/E2; MR MDF offers 9–25 mm and E0/E1. Special surfaces and uses have their own specifications. Use the full product range to choose the relevant route.
- Minimum order
- One container; mixed loads are available. List quantities and units for each item.
- Production
- Regular production: 10–15 days. Confirm the start point, custom work and item mix; transit and receiving time are additional.
- Samples
- Free samples; buyer pays freight. Sample freight is credited in full against your formal order. Name the trial piece and destination.
- Price basis
- FOB or CIF with the named shipment or destination port. Keep the dated quote, currency and included scope together.
For sheet formats and gauge selection, use the plywood sheet sizes and thickness guide. For a drawing-based size, finish or processing request, explore custom panel supply. For model-specific supply, compare the product page and proposed quotation rather than applying one panel’s options to the whole range.
PUT THE PANEL FILE BESIDE YOUR REQUEST
Turn the report into a clear plywood RFQ.
Give the supplier a panel it can identify and a component it can quote. ECQA's inspection records 100% birch plywood at 2500 × 1250 mm in 21, 24 and 30 mm. Its dimensions, sheet weights and inspection notes help you ask precise questions about the construction, supplied stage and packing you need.
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| Nominal panel | Recorded thickness | Measured sheet weight |
|---|---|---|
| 21 mm all-birch | 21.09 / 21.05 mm | 46.5 / 46.6 kg |
| 24 mm all-birch | 24.10 mm | 50.0 kg |
| 30 mm all-birch | 30.21 / 30.10 mm | 63.5 / 63.6 kg |
The report's 2500 × 1250 mm and the catalogue's 1250 × 2500 mm describe the same sheet footprint. Mark the required grain direction, trim allowance and finished-part dimensions on your drawing. Write the nominal quotation gauge and your finished-fit limits as separate fields; the readings above are recorded measurements.
Ask the next proposal to complete these purchasing fields.
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| Purchase field | Panel record | What to put in your RFQ |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 100% birch plywood; three recorded nominal gauges. | State face, back and every inner-layer species. Ask an alternative core to show its full construction and price separately. |
| Appearance and finish | CP is the inspection appearance basis. | Name the face/back grade you want, permitted repairs, visible sides and coating or edge work. Keep the selected physical range with the item. |
| Finished dimensions | Individual thickness readings and sheet weights above. | State supplied raw or finished stage, critical limits, checking conditions and part drawing. Ask for the offered range at that same stage. |
| Product and inspection files | 80 workmanship checks, PASS conclusion; recorded moisture readings of 6–10%. | Name the model-specific bond/emission methods and reports required for your market. Agree the checks, quantities and order-lot references for your purchase. |
| Packing and quantity | Measured pack dimensions and gross weights; pallet labels to be added at shipping. | Request sheets per pack, full/partial pack contents, final item/lot labels, count and unit, protection and outside dimensions/gross weight. Include your unloading limits. |
Choose the relevant working piece and panel file, then keep its trial with the selected quotation line. Use the item quantity handover for the final packing list and the repeat-item record when a construction or drawing changes.
Read the ECQA plywood inspection report · View the birch panel inspection records
Send one selected panel, then add your quantity and port.
| Selected item | Next buying step |
|---|---|
| 21 mm all-birch · 1250 × 2500 mm | Quote my 21 mm RFQ item |
| 24 mm all-birch · 1250 × 2500 mm | Trial the 24 mm RFQ panel |
| 30 mm all-birch · 1250 × 2500 mm | Request the 30 mm RFQ panel file |
| 18 mm commercial · birch face / poplar core / BB/CC | Request my commercial RFQ file |
Start with the selected construction, use, item quantity and named FOB or CIF port. You can add the drawing, sample brief and remaining choices in the message. CUZI's minimum order is one container, with mixed loads available; regular production is 10–15 days, with transport and receiving planned separately.
Build the final specification around the finished component
Describe the application and intended conditions: a painted door, exposed-edge shelf, concrete form, vehicle floor or another part. Mark the visible face, reverse, edge, holes and joints. Attach a dimensioned drawing with its revision and actual finish or neighbouring material reference.
Panel construction fields and why they matter
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| Field | What to write | What it resolves |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Component/drawing, service conditions, visible areas, fabrication and the main fit or finish question. | A proposal aimed at the component you need, with any project requirements identifiable. |
| Face / back | Species/cut, actual grade basis, permitted features/repairs, viewing sides and physical appearance reference. | Surface selection and finishing expectations. Use the face/back grade schedule. |
| Core and layers | Actual inner species/lay-up/gauges, relevant internal quality and exposed-cut/component requirements. | Differences hidden under similar faces. For a birch panel, identify face/back and inner construction separately. |
| Bond / intended service | Named requirement/method/edition and class where specified; relevant proposed-model data and actual conditions. | Ambiguous “waterproof” or “WBP” descriptions. Follow the bond-class guide for the project question. |
| Surface and supplied work | Raw, film, veneer, melamine or other construction; front/reverse/edge and supplied cutting/routing/finish. | Included operations and remaining workshop work. For film faced plywood, separate the overlay from its substrate. |
| Dimensions / fit | Nominal sheet and finished part dimensions, grain direction, critical limits and measurement/reference basis. | Usable yield and actual mating-part fit, without assigning one tolerance to every feature. |
| Market / documents | Destination, required product designation/method and documents, including relevant model and construction scope. | What must be supplied for the chosen board and market. Use the US/EU emission-document guide. |
Define the dimensions that affect your process
Keep nominal sheet size separate from finished component size. Identify the limits that affect a slot, hinge recess, adjoining joint, flatness or cutting layout. State trim allowance, grain direction and measurement conditions where they matter. Use the thickness and tolerance guide to prepare the actual checking basis.
List the documents required for the proposed item
Name the required method or project criterion and edition where specified. Identify what is needed before the order and what accompanies delivery. For structural, marine or fire-retardant work, connect the RFQ to the designer’s requirement and proposed model. A general brochure and a report for an identified construction answer different questions.
Set quantities, packing and delivery requirements
List each item in sheets, net m³ or finished parts, with its dimensions. For mixed containers, add bundle counts, dimensions and gross weights so the packing and load can be planned with the quotation.
The illustrative 2.44 × 1.22 × 0.018 m sheet has 0.0535824 m³ net volume. Five hundred such sheets give 26.7912 m³ before packing. Use the sheet quantity calculator for your planned dimensions; its result can carry those dimensions and sheet count into the inquiry.
Ask for FOB with the named shipment port or CIF with the named destination port and agreed rule/edition. Keep currency, price unit, validity, payment conditions, included processing/packing and exclusions visible. Record the receiving date, unloading equipment and any bundle weight/size or labelling requirements. Compare the same commercial boundary using the quotation and processing-cost guide.
Regular production takes 10–15 days. Confirm the production start and ready/dispatch schedule for your selected mix; booking, sailing, clearance and inland delivery belong separately in your receiving plan.
Choose a sample that settles the open buying decision
Ask for a finished colour or appearance range, a machined joint/profile, an edge/fixing detail or a complete component according to the question you need to resolve. Keep the proposed construction and sample code with the quotation line. A small piece can answer an edge or repair question; a full-size trial is needed when the decision depends on full-sheet or assembled-part behaviour.
Try the chosen board through your workshop’s process, finish and fittings. Record dimensions and results with the sample and drawing, then agree the production and delivery checks for that item.
WORKED BUYING EXAMPLE
Worked RFQ: two cabinet items, with an explicit question for the supplier
Illustrative cabinet item schedule: replace the chosen quantities and dimensions with your drawing, selected construction and receiving plan.
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| Field | CAB-SIDE | CAB-BACK | Supplier reply / decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use and quantity | Cabinet side; 120 sheets. | Concealed cabinet back; 80 sheets. | Keep both item quantities/units separate; confirm the remaining mix and complete packing/loading plan. |
| Dimensions | 2440 × 1220 × 18 mm, with the drawing’s required thickness limits. | 2440 × 1220 × 9 mm, with its component fit and finished limits. | State nominal/finished dimensions, offered tolerances and checking basis against each drawing. |
| Face / reverse | Selected visible face; inside/outside views and intended finish marked. | Concealed selection, with service openings and locally visible edges marked. | Name species, grade definition and permitted repair/appearance range; provide the matching sample reference. |
| Core / bond / documents | Chosen base construction; compare another core separately if proposed. | Chosen concealed-use construction, required bond and market documents. | Identify actual layers/model and required data. Mark every unresolved requirement or construction change. |
| Supplied work and shipment | State sheet or cut-part scope, finish/edge work and item label. | State supplied preparation, part orientation, quantity and bundle label. | Quote each item on the common currency, named FOB/CIF port and dated receiving/production scope. |
Quantity and specification check
The two lines total 200 sheets and 8.573184 m³ net panel volume: 120 × 2.44 × 1.22 × 0.018 plus 80 × 2.44 × 1.22 × 0.009. The first reply lists only nominal thickness, leaving the drawing limits unanswered. Ask for the offered limits before evaluating the joint, and keep any different CAB-SIDE core on a separate line.
Use the net volume with the item schedule; packing, gross weights and the complete mixed-container load still need the actual bundle plan.
Check a changed gauge before comparing its price
Suppose the supplier replies with a 9.5 mm CAB-BACK alternative to the requested 9 mm item. Keep the requested 80 sheets and the proposed 80 sheets on separate comparison lines. Ask why the construction differs and whether the actual back-panel joint, routed recess, fastener and finished fit accept that change. Record the offered limits, model and representative component before choosing the replacement.
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| Comparison line | Nominal quantity calculation | Price and selection record |
|---|---|---|
| CAB-SIDE: original | 120 sheets × 2440 × 1220 × 18 mm. Net volume per sheet: 0.0535824 m³; line total: 6.429888 m³. | For the same agreed construction and scope, line subtotal = 120 × price per sheet, or 6.429888 × price per net m³. |
| CAB-BACK: requested | 80 sheets × 2440 × 1220 × 9 mm. Net volume per sheet: 0.0267912 m³; line total: 2.143296 m³. | Keep the requested model and drawing limits. Line subtotal = 80 × price per sheet, or 2.143296 × price per net m³. |
| CAB-BACK: 9.5 mm alternative | 80 sheets × 2440 × 1220 × 9.5 mm. Net volume per sheet: 0.0282796 m³; line total: 2.262368 m³. | Use the alternative’s own model, finished limits and price basis. Select it as the replacement CAB-BACK line only after the fit and construction decision. |
The original two-item total remains 200 sheets / 8.573184 m³. Selecting the illustrated 9.5 mm back alternative keeps 200 sheets and changes the net volume to 8.692256 m³, an increase of 0.119072 m³. The alternative is another offer for the same 80 back sheets; it becomes the selected line when agreed. Keep the final packing and gross-weight calculation with that selected version.
Convert prices using the dimensions in each offer
For a price quoted per net m³, multiply by that item’s stated nominal volume per sheet to obtain the corresponding sheet price. For a sheet price, divide by that same volume to obtain its equivalent net-m³ price. Ask which dimensions and quantity measurement basis the supplier uses, and keep that basis in the quote. Compare the same construction, currency, processing, packing and named delivery point before drawing a price conclusion.
If the reply quotes 80 finished parts, resolve their drawing, dimensions, included operations and material quantity separately from 80 sheets. Use the finished drawing and actual cutting trial for a part quotation; retain the sheet quantity for a sheet quotation. Record setup, tooling, edge/finish work, packing and any material or machining allowance in the applicable line.
Request a component to resolve the RFQRequest the offered construction fileCompare my item and alternative replies
A follow-up message you can adapt
Please revise the quotation by item code. Confirm the offered thickness limits against the drawing, retain the quantities of 120 and 80 sheets, and list the proposed CAB-SIDE core alternative separately with its sample reference.
Prepare your inquiry files →Compare each quotation with your requirements
Close missing, conflicting and accepted fields
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| Reply condition | Record the difference | Next decision |
|---|---|---|
| A field is missing | Required core, grade definition, tolerance or delivery inclusion has no corresponding answer. | Ask for a written reply against the item/revision. An unanswered field remains open. |
| A field conflicts | The offered dimension, construction, process or delivery boundary differs from the request. | Identify correction, exception or separately described alternative; compare its sample and effect on the finished part. |
| A field is accepted | Agreed value, proposed model/sample and included scope are identified. | Carry the same field, reference and quotation revision into the purchasing and receiving record. |
Keep a short exception register with the shortlisted offer
A face species without its core, nominal gauge without a required fit limit, unfinished sample without the selected coating, or a different delivery point each needs its own decision. Mark the requested and offered values, the item, who replies next and the version used for the final schedule. Use the inquiry file checklist to send the questions still open.
For the original numerical illustration, one subtotal of 1,000 calculation units for 50 usable parts gives 20 per accepted part; another of 900 for 40 gives 22.50 before excluded costs. These are hypothetical amounts and output assumptions. Use the detailed cost-comparison guide to align construction, processing, yield and delivery before calculating an actual total.
Product-specific outlines on commercial plywood, marine plywood and wholesale MDF add the details needed by those constructions.
Use the editable RFQ outline in your inquiry
Start with the first four lines. Add the selected technical and receiving details as the item develops. The outline can be downloaded, copied from this page or opened in the existing inquiry form; edit it for your actual order.
Product / application: Length × width × thickness, with units: Quantity by item / unit / proposed mixed container: Destination country / named FOB shipment or CIF destination port: Face/back species, grade basis and physical range, if selected: Core / full construction / bond and emission requirement, if selected: Supplied cutting / edge / finish / packing and remaining workshop work: Drawing revision / critical fit / finish / sample reference: Required model documents and open alternative choices: Production / dispatch / required receiving date: Bundle labels / dimensions / gross weight / unloading needs:
Use this outline in my inquiryDownload the editable RFQ text template ↓
Send the schedule to CUZI with your inquiry. Drawings and photos can be emailed to info@cuzicn.com. Keep the same project/item revision with the file and the form so the correspondence stays connected.
Questions before preparing the order
Resolve the open choices without delaying the first inquiry
How much detail belongs in the first inquiry?
Send the application, dimensions, quantity by item and destination. Add the drawing or finish you have and mark choices still open. The final item schedule adds the agreed construction, tolerances, samples, documents and commercial scope.
Can I compare alternatives in one RFQ?
Yes. Keep the base requirement and name each allowed alternative separately. Ask for the proposed construction, sample, price effect and any change to processing, quantity or delivery so the replies remain comparable.
Need help choosing the core or face grade?
Describe the finished component, visible surfaces, intended finish and process. Ask CUZI to propose identifiable options for that use, then compare their samples and data before choosing the final item.
Can plywood and MDF be requested together?
Mixed loads are available with a minimum of one container. Keep a separate specification, quantity and unit for each plywood or MDF item, with a common port, pack/receiving plan and required schedule.
Does the calculator confirm how much fits in a container?
It calculates area, net panel volume and estimated net panel mass when you enter a density. Actual loading requires the pack dimensions, counts, gross weights, shipment limits and receiving arrangement for the complete mix.
Which date should I include?
Give the required receiving date and destination, then ask for the production-ready/dispatch and transport assumptions. Regular CUZI production is 10–15 days; shipping, handling, clearance and inland delivery are additional.
Can I send a drawing or report through the inquiry?
Use the inquiry to identify the item and the question, then email drawings, finish photographs or files with the same project/revision reference. Keep the files in the existing correspondence when you have already received a reply.
When is the specification ready for the order?
When the required item values, proposed model, sample/finish, relevant documents, quantities and delivery scope are identified in the current agreed schedule. Record any remaining condition and who resolves it before the corresponding production or dispatch step.
How can I use the inspection report in a plywood RFQ?
Name the selected panel, then add the full construction, face/back appearance range, supplied stage, finished-fit limits and required product files. Keep the report readings with the proposal and ask for the actual order lot, pack contents and inspection scope.
Which dimension basis belongs in the quotation?
Retain the quoted nominal format and gauge for the agreed invoicing calculation. State finished-part limits and measurement stage separately, with the drawing and sample reference. Mark the grain direction when the length/width notation is reversed.
Carry the quote into packing and receiving
Give the receiving team the item code, chosen construction, dimensions, quantity unit, sample and current order revision. Connect expected bundle labels and counts with the inspection plan. Keep delivery observations and later workshop trials identifiable under the same item.
- Photograph bundle labels and visible packing condition before opening affected packs.
- Record expected and received quantities by item using the agreed unit.
- Keep dimensional check locations/methods and observed appearance with the selected criteria.
- Identify material needing review and the person or next step that resolves the question.
Download the panel receiving record and quotation comparison record. Use the product-specific sample worksheets for the selected panel, and the incoming-inspection guide for the handover.
