What particle evidence is requested?
Ask for the method behind mesh or laser-diffraction numbers. A brochure particle range is not a CoA for the lot that will ship.
QUOTE FIELDS
Pigments manufacturer quotation fields we normalize
Dry powder, flush, and mill-base lots are easy to mis-compare when Color Index, particle profile, surface treatment, and bag liner are left off the RFQ. This page lists the fields we keep on one worksheet so factory replies can be read side by side. Pigments Sourcing does not mill colorants and does not certify tint strength.
SAME-BASIS STEPS
Keep pigments manufacturer quotes on one commercial and technical line
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Lock the identity request
Record Color Index, CAS if known, organic versus inorganic family, and whether a surface-treated grade is expected. Leave the field blank when the buyer wants suppliers to propose an equivalent rather than inventing a neighboring C.I. number.
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Name packaging and labels
Ask for bag or drum material, net kilograms, pallet pattern, and whether an inner liner or anti-static bag is included. A 25 kg bag and a 500 kg super-sack are not the same landed unit until the quote says so.
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Split the cost columns
Product subtotal, bagging, samples, testing, freight, duties, and destination charges stay in separate cells. Unit price is not compared until currency, quantity, Incoterm, and exclusions match.
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Hold unverified claims
ISO 9001, REACH status, TSCA statements, and lead time remain supplier answers for this pigment SKU. Alternatives go on a second line pending buyer approval. No savings percentage is attached to a completed worksheet.
When a mill proposes a substitute shade or a different carrier, park it on a second row instead of averaging two unmatched products. Resin system and solids belong on that second row if the alternative is a dispersion. Combustible-dust notes, packing group, and warehouse temperature still wait for the named pigment SDS rather than a family brochure.
MANUFACTURER DOCUMENTS
Questions we copy onto every pigments manufacturer RFQ
How is moisture treated?
If the grind is sensitive to moisture, request the assay method and the storage statement that will travel with the SDS, not a generic warehouse claim.
When is a sample useful?
Define whether the sample checks hue, tint strength, grind, or compatibility. Pass/fail stays with the buyer lab. This desk does not run drawdown trials.
What transport notes stay open?
UN number, packing group, and whether the powder raises a combustible-dust question are SDS-driven. Final carriage follows carrier rules, not this page.
Send a pigments manufacturer requirement for factory quotes
Include Color Index, form, quantity, packaging, US destination, and delivery timing. Optional budget and supplier preference can be added without changing the original requirement text.