Engineering and commodity plastics, fully documented
Polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS, polycarbonate, polyamide, POM, PMMA, TPU, PEEK and masterbatch — sourced from audited Chinese compounders with COA, FDA and RoHS papers on every lot.
Our plastic sourcing workflow
Datasheet review
We translate your application into a resin spec — base polymer, melt index, density, modifiers, certifications.
Compounder shortlist
Three to five audited compounders, each with capacity confirmed and recent COAs reviewed.
Lab sample
A small lot for melt-flow, impact, density and additive verification before the bulk PO.
Bulk PO
Fixed-price contract with batch traceability, COA per lot and an inspection clause.
PSI & ship
Pre-shipment retain sample, sealed bags, weighed pallets — then booked freight to your warehouse.
Plastic sourcing as engineering work
Plastic sourcing looks deceptively simple — order a tonne of ABS, ship a tonne of ABS — until you scale and discover that "ABS" is not a single material. It is a family of grades that vary in melt index, impact modifier loading, UV stabilization and regrind content. Two pellets that look identical can perform very differently inside an injection mold or an extrusion die.
Sourcing Captain treats plastic procurement as engineering work. We start from your application — a moulded part, a sheet, a film, a fiber — and select the resin grade by datasheet, not by trade name. Then we go to the compounder, not the trader, so we know who actually mixed the batch and whether the additive package matches the application.
Our base covers commodity polymers (LDPE, HDPE, PP, PVC, PS), engineering thermoplastics (ABS, PC, PA6/66, POM, PMMA, PBT), elastomers and TPEs, and high-performance materials including PEEK, PPS and PEI. Where the application requires food contact, medical, aerospace or rail certification, we route the order to a compounder that already holds the relevant approval — and we capture the documentation in the sourcing dossier.
Documentation you receive
Certificate of Analysis (COA)
Per-lot COA tied to the production batch, with melt flow, density, moisture and key additive levels.
FDA / food contact statement
Where the application calls for it, food-contact compliance documentation from the compounder.
RoHS & REACH
RoHS test reports and REACH SVHC declarations for the supplied grade.
Datasheet
Original technical datasheet from the compounder, in English, signed and dated.
Retained sample
Sealed retain sample held for 12 months for any downstream technical query.
Sourcing dossier
Audit summary, supplier name, batch traceability and inspection results — issued as a single PDF.
The hidden cost of buying plastic by trade name
The most expensive line item in a polymer procurement contract is rarely the resin price. It is the rejected batch that arrives the day before a production launch, with melt flow on the wrong side of spec and an additive package that fluoresces under the molder's vision system. By the time your QA team raises the alarm, the molding line is idle and the air freight bill for a replacement lot has tripled the original landed cost.
Buying through a sourcing partner who works compounder-direct, holds a COA against the spec, and runs a pre-shipment lab check on a representative sample turns that risk into a paperwork formality. Global buyers who run high-volume injection or extrusion lines tell us the QA savings alone justify the engagement.
Plastic sourcing — common questions
Can you source virgin and recycled grades?
Yes. We routinely source virgin prime, off-grade and recycled / reprocessed material — and we are explicit on the label, the COA and the price. We will never quote recycled at virgin pricing or vice versa, and we will refuse a job that asks us to.
How small is your minimum order?
Most commodity polymers ship from 10 tonnes (a full container of bagged or octabin material). Engineering grades start from 1–5 tonnes. PEEK and other high-performance polymers can ship from 50 kg.
Do you handle masterbatch and color matching?
Yes. We work with audited masterbatch houses on color, additive and functional masterbatches. For color matching we accept Pantone, RAL or a physical sample, and we issue a signed-off color reference before bulk production.
How do you certify food-contact and medical grades?
We route those orders to compounders that already hold the relevant certification — FDA, EU 10/2011, USP Class VI — and we capture the original certificate and a per-lot statement in the sourcing dossier. We do not "self-certify" food contact based on the resin name.
What incoterms do you support?
EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP and DDP are all routine. Most buyers prefer FOB China for full freight visibility, or CIF for a single landed price. We will recommend the right Incoterm for your trade lane and customs profile.
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Tell us what you need to source
Send specs, target volumes, and timelines. Our sourcing team replies within one business day with a sourcing plan and price guidance.