Chem-End buying guides
How to compare blasting media quotations
Compare offers against the same specification, purchase quantity and delivery point. A lower unit price can still result in a higher purchasing cost when packaging, freight and other charges differ.
Chem-End · Updated 14 September 2026
Confirm that the products match
Place the manufacturer’s specifications side by side. Check media type, material, grading, hardness and your acceptance requirements. If a supplier proposes an alternative, ask your process owner to review it before comparing it as an equivalent.
Request the documents needed for that review. Keep any unconfirmed specification visible in your comparison instead of treating it as a match.
Use the same quantity and weight unit
Confirm the net weight covered by each price and whether “ton” means a metric tonne of 1,000 kg. A bag, drum or pallet price needs a confirmed net weight before you can compare it with a price per kilogram or tonne.
Use gross packaged weight and dimensions for the freight quotation. Do not substitute product net weight for shipping weight.
Compare costs at the same delivery point
Ask each supplier to identify the delivery term, its named place or port, and the costs included in the offer. For an FOB shipment, the buyer arranges and pays the main carriage; an FOB product price therefore needs additional transport costs before comparison with a destination quotation.
FOB is a sea or inland-waterway rule. For containerised or multimodal shipments, discuss the appropriate term with the supplier and forwarder rather than automatically using FOB.
Reference: ICC’s Incoterms® 2020 checklist. Confirm the detailed allocation of costs in the actual quotation.
A practical comparison worksheet
| Compare | Confirm for each offer |
|---|---|
| Product | Specification, manufacturer and acceptance criteria |
| Quantity | Total net weight, pack size and minimum order |
| Price | Currency, unit, validity and payment conditions |
| Delivery | Named place / port, delivery term and dispatch estimate |
| Additional costs | Packaging, freight, insurance, handling, clearance, duties and taxes, as applicable |
| Trial | Evaluation quantity, charges and acceptance process |
| Documents | Available documents and batch-specific records |
Keep unknown costs visible
A useful internal calculation is the quoted goods amount plus every additional cost your business must pay to reach the same delivery point. Do not add a charge twice if it is already included, and do not put zero against a cost that has not yet been quoted.
Use one currency and record the exchange rate and date for your comparison. Treat recoverable taxes consistently with your own accounting treatment.
Agree the trial and delivery before ordering
If a trial is needed, agree the quantity, cost and acceptance process first. A trial order and a recurring production order may have different commercial terms.
Confirm the selected specification, packaging, documentation and delivery terms in writing. At Chem-End, quotation enquiries can include your current specification and destination so we can check the relevant product and delivery options.