There is no single MOQ for frits and glazes. Standard grades that a maker already produces can often be bought in smaller lots or mixed in one container. Custom grades usually need a minimum that justifies a separate furnace run or batch.
For export, the practical unit is often one container, filled by weight. Within that, many makers will combine several grades. Ask each maker for its minimum per grade and per shipment in writing.
Why the minimum depends on the grade
Frit is melted in continuous furnaces that run one recipe for a period before switching. Changing recipe takes time and creates a transition batch that may not meet either specification. So a maker prefers long runs of standard grades.
If your grade is one the furnace already runs for local tile plants, you can draw from that output. If you need a special chemistry, colour or expansion, the maker must run it for you, and the minimum rises. The families are described in what types of frit are made in Morbi.
Ready glazes are milled in batches, often in ball mills of a fixed size. The minimum for a custom glaze often matches one mill batch. Standard glazes may be available from stock.
Samples and trial lots
The first step is never a container. You start with samples of a few kilograms to test in the lab and in a small firing trial. Then many buyers order a trial lot large enough to run on a real production line for a day or more.
Only after the trial passes does a full order make sense. The tests involved are covered in what tests apply to frits and glazes.
Container loads
Frits, glazes and minerals are dense. A container reaches its weight limit before it is full, just like a tile container. The limit depends on the container size, the shipping line and road rules at both ends.
Ask the maker for a loading plan with the number of bags or pallets and the gross weight per grade. Packing options are in how frits and glazes are packed for export.
- A full container of one grade is the simplest and usually the most consistent, because it often comes from one production run.
- A mixed container of several standard grades suits buyers who supply several glaze lines.
- Less-than-container (LCL) shipments are possible for small lots, but handling at consolidation points raises the risk of torn bags and damp.
Batch consistency
A large lot from one run is more uniform than many small lots from different runs. If consistency matters to your customers, ask for each grade in your shipment to come from one production batch, with the batch number on every bag.
Ask how much of your grade the maker can hold in reserve for repeat orders, and how it keeps the recipe stable between runs.
Questions to ask each maker
- What is the minimum per grade for a standard product, and for a custom one?
- Can several grades share one container, and is there a minimum per grade within it?
- How large is the trial lot, and is it from the same furnace as the full order?
- What lead time applies to a standard grade and to a custom grade?
- Will each grade in my order come from a single batch?
Next step
We collect written MOQs and lead times from frit and glaze makers, check their furnaces and arrange tests before loading. To discuss your volumes, book a free sourcing review.