Buying acrylic sheet or fabricated acrylic parts from China for delivery in Canada: mixed inch and metric drawings, building-code questions, import paperwork, freight routes and winter conditions.
Reply within 12 hours · production from 20 pieces per design
Canadian orders of acrylic from China raise four questions. First, units: Canadian drawings often mix inches and millimetres, so mark which is controlling and which dimensions are critical. Second, building use: if the acrylic is used as an interior finish or glazing, check the flame-spread and other requirements of the National Building Code of Canada, or the provincial code, before you choose a grade. Third, import: the importer needs a CRA business number with an import-export account, and a customs broker confirms the tariff classification and duty. Fourth, route: West Coast ports are the shortest sea leg from China; inland and eastern deliveries add rail or truck. Quote to the delivery address, not the port.
Drawings in two systems
| On the drawing | What to tell us | Why |
| Sheet called out as 1/4 in | Whether 6 mm sheet is acceptable | 6 mm is 0.35 mm thinner than 1/4 in |
| 4 × 8 ft panels | Finished size in mm, or accept 1220 × 2440 mm | Metric sheet is 1 to 2 mm larger |
| Holes and slots in inches | Which features are critical | We confirm converted dimensions on the quotation |
| Mixed units on one sheet | Which unit controls | Avoids rounding twice |
Cold, heat and Canadian sites
Acrylic stays clear and rigid in a Canadian winter, but it is less tolerant of impact when cold. Panels that move between a heated building and an unheated space see a wide temperature swing. With a typical coefficient for cast acrylic of 7 × 10⁻⁵ per °C, a 1200 mm panel changes length by about 5 mm between −30 °C and +30 °C. Slot the holes and leave room in frames for that movement. Our guide to acrylic temperature limits covers the hot end of the range.
Import, freight and paperwork
- Business number. The importer needs a CRA business number with an import-export program account.
- Classification and duty. PMMA sheet usually falls under heading 3920.51 and finished acrylic articles often under 3926.90. Your broker confirms the tariff item and rate, and handles GST on import.
- Ports. Vancouver and Prince Rupert are the West Coast gateways from China. Montreal and Halifax serve the east, often with transshipment. Name the delivery city so the quote includes rail or truck.
- Incoterms. Compare FOB and DDP quotes on the same basis; see landed cost of shipping acrylic from China.
What we supply, and what we do not
AcrylicFabWorks, the acrylic division of SinoPlastix, supplies Calypto cast acrylic sheet and fabricated acrylic parts from one ISO 9001-certified plant in Suzhou, China. The sheet is cast on our own line at 135 tonnes a month, in 1–30 mm. Full sheets are quoted from 10 sheets; cut panels and parts from 20 pieces per design. Samples take 48 hours and production 7 days from drawing approval. We have no Canadian office, stock or installation team. For one-off local jobs a Canadian shop is quicker; for repeat production, send us the drawing. We work in acrylic only.
FAQ
What do I need to import acrylic from China into Canada?
A CRA business number with an import-export account, a customs broker to confirm the tariff item and duty, and a plan for GST on import.
Does acrylic crack in Canadian winters?
It stays clear and rigid in the cold but is less tolerant of impact. Allow for thermal movement between heated and unheated spaces and avoid tight fixings.
Can you work from drawings in inches?
Yes. Send the drawing as it is, mark the critical dimensions and which unit controls; we confirm the metric sheet and converted dimensions on the quotation.
Do you have stock in Canada?
No. We ship from Suzhou, China, on FOB, CIF or DDP terms.
Get a delivered price to your Canadian site
Send the drawing or cut list with the delivery city. We reply within 12 hours.
Or email [email protected]