A distributor does not buy a protector, it buys a range. The customer arrives with a panel of unknown thickness, so the range has to cover the common thicknesses in sensible steps, be labelled so the counter staff can pick without measuring, and be priced so a resale margin is visible on the sheet.
The range, not the product
A workable U range covers the panel thicknesses that actually arrive: thin sheet around 3-6 mm, board around 12-18 mm, thick board around 25 mm, and a couple of odd sizes for the jobs that always appear.
Each size should be a distinct item code with the inner width in the code. A range where the staff have to measure the channel to know what it is will be picked wrong.
Depth of range matters more than width: three sizes held in stock beat eight sizes ordered once and never repeated.
Specification at a glance
The table is a starting range for a packaging distributor. Adjust to the customers you actually serve; a glass merchant and a furniture workshop need different steps.
| Range item | Inner width | Leg | Wall |
|---|
| Thin sheet | 4 mm | 25 mm | 2.5 mm |
| Thin sheet | 6 mm | 30 mm | 2.5-3 mm |
| Board | 13 mm | 40 mm | 3 mm |
| Board | 19 mm | 50 mm | 3-4 mm |
| Thick board | 26 mm | 50 mm | 4 mm |
| Odd size | 31 mm | 60 mm | 4 mm |
Labelling, bundle size and the counter
Bundles should be labelled with inner width, leg, wall and length, and the label should be readable without opening the bundle. Counter staff pick from the label, not from the board.
Bundle size should match how the customer buys. A workshop that uses twenty pieces a week will not buy a bundle of two hundred, so a smaller bundle at a slightly higher unit price often sells better.
Pricing for resale and stock turns
Ask for the price per meter, the meters per bundle and the loading per pallet, in one table. That is what a resale price is built from, and it avoids a phone call per quote.
Stock turns matter more than the last percent of purchase price. A narrow range that sells through is worth more than a wide range that sits, so the first order should be a trial of the range rather than a container of one size.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
What range should a distributor start with?
Four to six inner widths covering thin sheet, board and thick board, in one or two legs and walls.
How should bundles be labelled?
Inner width, leg, wall and length on the outside, readable without opening the bundle.
Can I get a resale price table?
Yes, price per meter plus meters per bundle, so the resale price can be calculated without a call.
Is a container of one size a good first order?
Usually not. A trial of the range tells you which sizes turn before you commit volume.
Do you supply printed labels with our brand?
Yes, subject to artwork and the bundle labelling you want.
For a quotation, post the product dimensions, load and destination port to mona@hengnicepacking.com.
