4 ready-to-use templates for contacting Indian steel suppliers — formal letter, email inquiry, follow-up, and WhatsApp format. Each template requests exact mass/weight per m², MTC, IS standard, and GST details.
Select a template below. Click Copy Template to copy the full text, then paste into your email client or WhatsApp. Replace all [highlighted] placeholders with your details.
Dear [Supplier Contact Name / Sales Team],
I hope this message finds you well.
My name is [Your Name], and I represent [Your Company Name], a [fabrication / procurement / engineering] firm based in [City, State]. We are currently sourcing sheet metal for an upcoming project and are interested in placing a regular order with your company.
Before we proceed, we require the following exact technical specifications for each material grade offered:
| Specification Required | Details / Format Expected |
|---|---|
| Material grade | e.g. IS 513 CR4 / IS 2062 E250 / SS 304 |
| Nominal thickness | mm (to 3 decimal places) |
| ✦ Exact mass per m² | kg/m² — mandatory, from MTC |
| Sheet dimensions available | mm × mm (L × W) |
| Thickness tolerance | ± mm per IS/BIS standard |
| Surface finish | e.g. CR, HR, 2B, No. 4, pickled & oiled |
| Zinc coating (galvanized only) | g/m² — e.g. Z275 / Z180 |
| MOQ per SKU | Number of sheets or kg |
| Price | ₹ per kg / per sheet — ex-works, GST exclusive |
| HSN code | For GST invoice purposes |
Please share your product catalogue, mill test certificate (MTC) samples, and current price list at your earliest convenience.
Delivery location: [City, State, PIN Code]
Payment terms preferred: [e.g. 30 days credit / advance + balance on dispatch]
GST Number: [Your GSTIN — 15 digits]
We look forward to establishing a long-term supply relationship with your company.
Warm regards,
Dear [Contact Name],
Thank you for sharing the quotation dated [Date] for [material type — e.g. 1.2 mm CR sheet IS 513 CR4].
We have reviewed the specifications provided; however, the exact mass per m² (kg/m²) is missing from the data sheet. This figure is a mandatory requirement on our purchase orders and cannot be substituted with a calculated estimate based on nominal thickness alone.
Kindly confirm the following for each grade and thickness in your quotation:
We are ready to proceed with a trial order of [quantity — sheets / kg / MT] once the above is confirmed. We are targeting PO issuance by [target date — e.g. Friday, 4 April 2026] — please revert at the earliest to avoid delay.
Regards,
[Date — e.g. 02 April 2026]
To,
The Sales / Technical Manager
[Supplier Company Name]
[Supplier Full Address]
Sub: Request for Exact Mass per m² Certification — Prerequisite for Purchase Order Issuance
Ref: RFQ No. [XXXX] dated [Date]
Dear Sir / Madam,
With reference to our Request for Quotation referenced above and subsequent discussions with your representative [name, if applicable], we wish to formally communicate the following prerequisite for issuance of our Purchase Order.
Our company policy requires that all sheet metal supplies be accompanied by documentation confirming the exact mass per unit area (kg/m²) for each material grade and thickness, as measured at the mill or warehouse prior to dispatch. This requirement exists for the following reasons:
We therefore request you to provide, prior to PO issuance, the following for each SKU in your quotation:
| # | Document / Data Required |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mill Test Certificate (MTC) or equivalent showing: heat/coil number, actual measured thickness, mass per m² in kg/m², and applicable IS/BIS standard |
| 2 | Written confirmation that material supplied will be within [±X%] of the declared mass per m² |
| 3 | HSN code and applicable GST rate (%) for each material SKU |
| 4 | Confirmation of delivery lead time to [City, State, PIN] from date of PO |
We are committed to building a long-term supply relationship and trust that the above is a standard industry requirement that your organisation can readily accommodate. We look forward to your prompt response.
Yours faithfully,
Use these standard numbers in your templates to communicate professionally with Indian suppliers
Grades CR1–CR5. Most common for general fabrication, enclosures, automotive. Specify grade (e.g. CR4 for drawing quality).
Grades E250, E300, E350. Used for structural supports, brackets, heavy fabrication. Specify grade and sub-grade (A/B/C).
Covers austenitic grades 304, 316, 316L. Specify surface finish (2B, No. 4) and thickness tolerance class.
Hot-dip galvanized plain sheet. Specify zinc coating mass (e.g. Z275 = 275 g/m² total both sides).
The load code that requires exact mass per m² for structural calculations. Reference this when justifying your MTC requirement.
For hot-rolled mild steel sheet and strip. Commonly used for general engineering, agriculture, and construction applications.
Including your GSTIN on every written request signals you are a registered business. Indian suppliers treat registered buyers more seriously and respond faster — it also enables proper B2B invoicing from the start.
Writing "IS 513 CR4" instead of "CR sheet" immediately communicates technical credibility. Professional suppliers will confirm the standard on their MTC; non-compliant or grey-market suppliers often cannot — revealing material quality issues before you order.
In Indian steel trade, many distributors quote without providing Mill Test Certificates. Specifically requesting MTC filters out re-rollers and non-primary sources. A reputable supplier of primary steel (SAIL, JSW, Tata, Essar) will always have MTC available.
Write "price per kg + GST @ 18% extra" explicitly. Some suppliers quote inclusive of GST, others exclusive. The HSN code for flat-rolled steel products is typically 7209/7210/7211/7212 — confirm this with the supplier to ensure correct invoice classification.
A large percentage of mid-sized Indian steel distributors and traders primarily operate on WhatsApp for quotations and order tracking. Template 4 is formatted specifically for this — concise, structured, and includes all critical technical requirements without overwhelming the format.
The key phrase in all four templates is "from the Mill Test Certificate — not calculated." Calculated mass (density × nominal thickness) can differ from actual mass by 2–5% due to thickness variation across a coil. For structural applications, only MTC-confirmed mass is acceptable.