Landed Cost of Shipping Acrylic from China: FOB, CIF and DDP Compared
Acrylic ships by volume, not by weight, and arrives scratched if it is crated badly. The cost components behind each term, and who carries each risk.
Reply within 12 hours · free DFM feedback
Acrylic is a low-density, high-volume cargo, so sea freight is usually charged on the space it occupies rather than its weight, and air freight is normally charged on volumetric weight. That makes crate design and nesting a freight decision as much as a packing decision, and it makes the Incoterm — FOB, CIF or DDP — a decision about who manages that risk, not just who pays which invoice.
What each term actually covers
| Cost or task | EXW | FOB | CIF | DDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture and export packing | Supplier | Supplier | Supplier | Supplier |
| Inland haulage to the Chinese port | Buyer | Supplier | Supplier | Supplier |
| Chinese export clearance | Buyer | Supplier | Supplier | Supplier |
| Ocean or air freight | Buyer | Buyer | Supplier | Supplier |
| Marine insurance | Buyer | Buyer | Supplier (minimum cover) | Supplier |
| Destination port charges and handling | Buyer | Buyer | Buyer | Supplier |
| Import duty and import VAT or GST | Buyer | Buyer | Buyer | Supplier* |
| Customs clearance at destination | Buyer | Buyer | Buyer | Supplier |
| Delivery to your door | Buyer | Buyer | Buyer | Supplier |
*DDP places import duty and clearance on the seller, which is exactly why DDP quotations vary so much between suppliers: they are pricing a tax and clearance risk in your country. Confirm in writing whether import VAT or GST is inside the DDP price and whether you or the supplier is the importer of record, because that also decides who can reclaim it.
Why acrylic behaves differently from other cargo
You pay for space
PMMA is roughly 1.19 g/cm³ and finished parts are mostly air. A crate of enclosures fills a container long before it reaches a weight limit, so quoting freight on kilograms alone will mislead you.
Surface damage is the failure mode
Acrylic rarely breaks in transit; it arrives scratched or with pressure marks through the masking. Protective film on both faces, interleaving and edge protection matter more than crate strength.
Bonded assemblies dislike shock
Solvent-bonded joints and thin unsupported spans need bracing inside the crate. Ask how assemblies are restrained, not just how they are wrapped.
We ship in foam-lined export crates with film protection on both faces and label crates to the installation sequence where a project calls for it. Where a claim is confirmed as a manufacturing non-conformance, our warranty and claims terms cover remakes and return shipping.
Building a landed cost you can actually compare
Ask each supplier for the same six lines, and you can compare quotations that arrived on different terms:
- Ex-works goods value — the parts or sheets alone.
- Export packing — crates, film, interleaving, bracing.
- Origin charges — inland haulage, export clearance, terminal handling.
- Freight — with the chargeable basis stated (volume, weight or volumetric weight) and the assumed crate dimensions.
- Destination charges — terminal handling, clearance, delivery.
- Duty and import tax — against the tariff classification you use for PMMA sheet or articles, which is your call to confirm, not the supplier’s.
Once you have those six lines, the term is a management question. FOB gives you control of the freight and visibility of every charge. CIF is simpler but the insurance cover is minimum unless you upgrade it. DDP is the least work for you and the most opaque, because the tax and clearance risk is priced inside a single number.
Sensible default by order type
| Situation | Term that usually fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First order, small quantity, no forwarder relationship | DDP | One number, one counterparty; you are paying for simplicity while you evaluate the supplier |
| Regular orders, you have a forwarder | FOB | You control freight cost and routing, and every charge is visible |
| Project shipment on a fixed installation date | FOB or CIF with upgraded insurance | You want control of the schedule and cover that matches the value at risk |
| Samples and pre-production parts | Air, DDP | Speed matters more than freight cost; volumetric weight still applies |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is DDP always more expensive than FOB for acrylic from China?
Not always, but it usually looks more expensive because it contains destination charges, clearance, duty and import tax that an FOB price leaves for you to pay separately. Rebuild both into a full landed cost before concluding either is cheaper.
How is freight charged on acrylic sheet and parts?
Sea freight is normally charged on the space the cargo occupies and air freight on volumetric weight, because acrylic is a low-density cargo. Ask the supplier for crate dimensions and the number of crates so your forwarder can quote on the correct basis.
Who is responsible if panels arrive scratched?
It depends on the term and on the cause. Damage arising from inadequate export packing is a supplier issue; damage arising in transit is an insurance and carrier issue, and under FOB that risk sits with you from the point of loading. Photograph crates before opening and record damage at delivery.
Can you ship acrylic by air?
Yes, and it is normal for samples and urgent replacements. Because acrylic is bulky, air freight is charged on volumetric weight, so keep sample crates tight. Samples ship in 48 hours from drawing approval.
What payment terms apply?
Our standard terms are a 30% T/T deposit with the balance per the agreed schedule. Terms are confirmed on the quotation together with the Incoterm.
Ask for the landed-cost breakdown, not just a price
Send the parts or sheet sizes, quantity and destination, and ask for goods, packing, origin, freight, destination and duty as separate lines. Quote within 12 hours.