Case Analysis of the Full-Chain Service for Overseas Color-Coated Coil Orders of Shandong Zhongqiang Metal Material Co., Ltd.
I. Case Background: Accurately Undertaking Overseas Customized Orders
In the second quarter of 2024, Shandong Zhongqiang Metal Material Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Shandong Zhongqiang Metal") received a customized color-coated coil order from a construction and building materials enterprise in Southeast Asia. The order focused on "high corrosion resistance + multi-specification adaptation" — the customer needed to purchase 200 tons of aluminum-zinc coated color-coated coils for local commercial complexes and light steel structure residential projects. Among them, 120 tons were of regular width (1220mm), and 80 tons were of special narrow specifications (650mm, 800mm). Additionally, the customer required the front PVDF coating thickness to be ≥20μm and the salt spray resistance to be ≥1500 hours to adapt to the high-temperature and high-humidity climate in Southeast Asia.
Upon receiving the order, Shandong Zhongqiang Metal immediately launched the "customized service process": On one hand, the technical team conducted 3 rounds of online communication with the customer, and combined with the project drawings provided by the customer, confirmed the slitting accuracy (tolerance ≤±0.5mm) and coil weight (4-5 metric tons per coil, adapted to the customer's factory hoisting equipment) of the narrow-specification color-coated coils; on the other hand, the production department pre-allocated high-purity aluminum-zinc coated base materials and PVDF coatings to ensure the performance of raw materials met the order requirements. Finally, the order confirmation and production schedule were completed within 5 working days.
II. Production Fulfillment: Refined Management Ensuring Quality and Efficiency
To meet the customized specifications and performance requirements, Shandong Zhongqiang Metal adopted a "four-stage production process" and integrated quality control nodes throughout the process:
- Pretreatment Stage: For the aluminum-zinc coated base material, a three-step process of "degreasing - phosphating - passivation" was used. The fully automatic cleaning line removed oil stains and oxide layers on the surface, and a film thickness gauge was used to real-time monitor the passivation film thickness (controlled at 5-8μm), laying a foundation for coating adhesion.
- Coating and Curing Stage: Imported PVDF coatings (fluorine content ≥70%) were selected, and double-roll coating equipment was used to achieve uniform coating application. The front coating thickness was accurately controlled at 20-22μm, and the back coating (epoxy primer) was controlled at 8-10μm; then, the coils entered a hot air circulation oven, where the temperature was controlled in 3 stages (180℃ preheating, 230℃ curing, 200℃ heat preservation) to ensure complete cross-linking and curing of the coating, meeting the weather resistance requirements.
- Slitting and Finishing Stage: For the 650mm and 800mm narrow specifications, a numerical control slitting machine was used for precise cutting, and the slitting speed was controlled at 30m/min to avoid edge burrs caused by high-speed slitting; at the same time, a flatness detector was used to check the flatness of the color-coated coils (flatness tolerance ≤2mm per meter), ensuring convenience for subsequent deep processing.
- Quality Inspection Stage: 3 coils were sampled from each batch for salt spray testing (in accordance with ASTM B117 standard, no rust for 1500 hours), coating adhesion testing (cross-cut test, grade 5B), and impact resistance testing (no peeling after 50cm impact). All test data was synchronized to the customer in real-time to achieve "transparent quality control".
Finally, the 200 tons of customized color-coated coils were produced within 18 working days, 2 days ahead of the customer's required delivery cycle, and all test indicators met the standards with a 100% qualification rate.
III. Logistics and Transportation: Multi-Link Collaboration Ensuring On-Time Delivery
To achieve seamless connection of "production - loading - port shipment", Shandong Zhongqiang Metal collaborated with logistics partners to develop a special transportation plan:
- Loading Preparation: After production, a packaging method of "moisture-proof film + corrugated paper + steel pallets" was adopted. Each color-coated coil was independently wrapped with a moisture-proof film, the edges were protected with corrugated paper on the outer layer, and then fixed on steel pallets to prevent coating scratches or moisture during transportation; at the same time, the truck loading capacity was reasonably planned according to the coil weight and specifications (25-30 tons per truck, transported in 8 trucks) to avoid cargo extrusion caused by overloading.
- Land Transportation to Port: A logistics company with dangerous goods transportation qualification was selected, and 13-meter high-sided trucks were arranged for point-to-point transportation (from the Shandong factory to Tianjin Port, with a total distance of approximately 400 kilometers). The vehicle location was tracked in real-time via GPS during transportation to ensure transportation efficiency; meanwhile, communication with Tianjin Port Customs was conducted in advance, and customs clearance documents such as commercial invoices, packing lists, and quality inspection reports were prepared to shorten the port customs clearance time.
- Port Connection: After the goods arrived at Tianjin Port, an exclusive freight forwarder coordinated with the terminal hoisting team to unload the goods accurately using gantry cranes, avoiding cargo damage caused by manual handling; then, the goods were packed into containers designated by the customer (40-foot high-cube containers, 25 tons per container). After packing, customs inspection was submitted immediately. Finally, customs clearance and shipment were completed within 3 working days after loading, and the goods were shipped to a port in Southeast Asia via a container ship.
IV. Customer Deep Processing Application: Multi-Scenario Transformation Releasing Product Value
After the goods arrived at the customer's factory, the customer processed the color-coated coils into various products through deep processing according to the needs of different construction projects. The specific application scenarios are as follows:
- Flat Plate Processing: The 1220mm regular-width color-coated coils were processed into 1.2m×2.4m flat plates using a leveling machine, which were used for indoor ceilings and wall decoration of commercial complexes; during processing, due to the high flatness and strong coating adhesion of the color-coated coils, there was no warping or coating peeling after leveling, directly eliminating the secondary leveling process and improving processing efficiency by 30%.
- Tile Pressing Processing: The 800mm narrow-specification color-coated coils were processed into trapezoidal tiles (wave height 25mm, wave pitch 150mm) using a cold-bending tile press, which were used for the roofs of light steel structure residential buildings; thanks to the good cold-bending performance of the color-coated coils, there was no coating cracking during tile pressing, and the formed tiles had a regular shape without subsequent repair. The daily output of a single tile pressing line could reach 5000㎡.
- Slitting Processing: The 650mm narrow-specification color-coated coils were further slit into 100mm and 150mm narrow strips, which were used to make decorative lines for building exterior walls and door/window frames; during slitting, due to the burr-free edges of the color-coated coils, no additional grinding was required for subsequent bending and welding processes, and the processing accuracy met the customer's requirements (dimensional tolerance ≤±0.3mm).
- Decorative Accessory Processing: The remaining leftover materials (width ≥50mm) were processed into circular and square decorative accessories using a laser cutting machine, which were used for entrance signs and wall embellishments of commercial complexes; the high weather resistance of the PVDF coating ensured that these outdoor accessories would not fade or rust within 5 years in the high-temperature and high-humidity environment of Southeast Asia, reducing the customer's subsequent maintenance costs.
Customer feedback showed that the deep processing qualification rate of this batch of color-coated coils reached 99.5%, which was 2.3 percentage points higher than that of other brand products purchased previously. Moreover, the processed products were highly recognized by local design institutes and owners in project applications.
V. Case Summary: Customized Services Building Competitive Advantages
In this case, through the full-chain service of "accurate order docking - refined production - collaborative logistics - customer deep application", Shandong Zhongqiang Metal not only achieved efficient fulfillment of overseas customized orders but also built competitive advantages through the following core capabilities:
- Customized Production Capability: It can quickly respond to non-standard specification requirements (such as narrow width and special coating thickness), and at the same time ensure product performance through full-process quality control, meeting the climate and application scenario requirements of different regions.
- Full-Chain Collaboration Capability: It connects the links of "production - logistics - customs clearance", shortens the delivery cycle through advance planning and real-time communication, and reduces the customer's supply chain costs.
- Customer Value Extension Capability: By providing color-coated coils with stable quality, it facilitates the customer's subsequent deep processing, indirectly improves the customer's product competitiveness, and achieves a "win-win" situation.
In the future, Shandong Zhongqiang Metal will continue to optimize its customized service system, develop more targeted color-coated coil products for the climate and application needs of different overseas markets (such as the Middle East and Africa), and further expand its overseas market share.
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