PVDF aluminium coil is sold by tonnage, typically with a minimum of a few tonnes per colour, and a 40ft container holds roughly 20–25 tonnes of coil depending on core size and packing. How many square metres that is depends entirely on gauge: thinner ACP-skin coil gives far more m² per tonne than thick roofing coil. Plan the order by tonnage first, then convert to m² for your production.
MOQ — coil is a tonnage product
Unlike finished panels you can order by the container of pieces, coil is a metal commodity ordered by weight. A typical minimum is a few tonnes per colour and gauge, because the mill sets up a coating run per colour. If you need many colours in small amounts, expect a higher price or a larger combined minimum.
How much fits in a container
A 40ft container holds roughly 20–25 tonnes of aluminium coil; a 20ft holds proportionally less but is often weight-limited before it is volume-limited, since aluminium is dense in coil form. Packing (eye-to-sky vs eye-to-wall, wooden cradles) affects the exact figure — your supplier confirms net weight per container.
Tonnes to square metres — gauge is everything
Aluminium weighs about 2.7 kg per m² per mm of thickness. So 0.50mm coil is ~1.35 kg/m², and one tonne is ~740 m². Thick 1.0mm roofing coil is ~2.7 kg/m², so one tonne is only ~370 m². Same tonne, half the area. Always convert using your exact gauge before you commit, so the order covers your project.
Planning a coil order cleanly
Give the mill: gauge, alloy/temper, coating and micron, RAL colour, coil width and inner diameter, and total tonnage (or the m² you need, and let them convert). Order a little extra per colour for setup scrap and future repairs. Because coil ships by weight, freight is priced per tonne — build that into landed cost with the 2024 rebate change in mind.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOQ for aluminium coil? Usually a few tonnes per colour and gauge, because the mill sets up a coating run per colour.
How much coil fits in a 40ft container? Roughly 20–25 tonnes, depending on core size and packing.
How many m² is one tonne of coil? About 740 m² at 0.50mm, but only ~370 m² at 1.0mm — aluminium is ~2.7 kg/m² per mm of thickness.
Can I order many colours in small amounts? Yes, but expect a higher price or larger combined minimum, since each colour needs its own coating run.
Related: PVDF aluminium coil sourcing · how many m² of panels fit in a 40ft container · ACP price 2026.
Talk to the factory: GSM BuildTech (Beijing Guanshimao Technology Co., Ltd.) makes insulated aluminium panels, FR aluminium composite panels, standing-seam aluminium roofing and PVDF aluminium coil in Tianjin, China. Email sales@insulatedaluminumroof.com or WhatsApp +86 155 2274 6824 for factory-direct pricing. See the technical reference & FAQ.