Honeycomb board is priced by area and thickness, not by weight, because it is mostly air. A wholesale quotation therefore has two parts that matter: the price per square metre for a given construction, and the cost of moving a product that fills a container long before it reaches the weight limit. Buyers who compare only the first number usually choose badly.
What sits behind a per square metre price
Four things set it: thickness, cell size, facing grammage and the paper grade used for the facings. Thickness adds core paper and height, cell size changes how much paper is in the core, and facing grammage changes the most expensive component of the board.
That is why a quotation should state all four. A price for a 20 mm board means nothing until the cell and facing are named, because the cheapest and most expensive 20 mm boards differ substantially.
Specification at a glance
The table shows the variables that move a wholesale price, and which way they move it.
| Variable | Effect on price | Effect on performance |
|---|
| Thickness up | Higher, plus more freight volume | Much stiffer |
| Cell down | Higher paper content | Denser surface, cleaner cut |
| Facing grammage up | Higher | Stronger facings in bending |
| Recycled facing | Lower | Slightly less stiff at same weight |
| Cut to size | Cutting cost, less void in transit | Ready to use |
| Mixed sizes in one load | Same rate, better loading | Less void, lower landed cost |
Volume, loading and the real landed cost
A container of honeycomb board is volume limited. Sheets nest, so a mix of sizes usually loads better than a single size, and cut-to-size sheets can waste space if the cut leaves awkward offcuts. Planning the sizes together is worth more than a small price concession.
Ask for the loading plan with the quotation, not after the order. The number of square metres per container is the figure that decides your landed cost, and it varies with thickness more than with anything else.
Selling it on: distributors and converters
A distributor needs the sheet size, thickness, cell and facing on the price list, in the same order every time, so the resale price can be calculated without a phone call. We will quote in that format if you tell us it is for resale.
A converter needs the board to cut and bond predictably. Consistency of thickness and cell matters more than the last percent of price, because a change in the board shows up in the finished component.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Do you quote per sheet or per square metre?
Per square metre for the construction, converted to a sheet price for the size you order.
What is the minimum wholesale order?
It depends on construction and size, and is stated in the quotation rather than as one fixed figure.
Can a distributor get a price list format?
Yes, with size, thickness, cell and facing stated in a consistent order for resale pricing.
Is recycled paper cheaper?
Usually, at the same weight. It is slightly less stiff, so a construction may need adjusting.
How many square metres fit in a container?
It varies with thickness and sheet size. We will calculate the loading plan rather than estimate it.
Tell us the piece size, quantity per shipment and how it is handled at mona@hengnicepacking.com and we will advise on the board build.
