12 Tons of Embossed Stainless Steel Sheets Shipped in 15 Days

A construction materials distributor based in Hamburg, Germany, secured a contract to supply wall cladding and elevator cabin interiors for a new commercial complex. The architectural specification called for patterned stainless steel with a modern textured finish that could hide fingerprints and minor scratches in high-traffic public areas. The distributor approached us after a previous supplier failed to meet the delivery schedule, leaving them with a critical 3-week gap before installation was due to begin on site.

• Material: SUS304 stainless steel, 0.6mm and 1.0mm thicknesses

• Pattern: Water ripple (large wave), also known as water wave embossed finish

• Surface Finish: After embossing, a brushed hairline finish was applied to the raised texture to create a subtle, shimmering reflection under interior lighting

• Dimensions: 1219mm × 2438mm and 1219mm × 3048mm

• Quantity: 12 metric tons (approximately 2,600 sheets)

• Additional Treatment: Anti-fingerprint clear lacquer coating to preserve the brushed wave texture from handprints during installation and daily use

• Certification: EN 10088-2 material compliance, fumigation-free packaging for EU import regulations

• Critical Deadline: Container must be sealed and ready for shipment within 16 days of order confirmation, to catch a pre-booked vessel from Shanghai to Hamburg

• 8 tons of Water Ripple embossed SUS304 stainless steel sheets, 0.6mm × 1219mm × 2438mm, hairline-brushed on raised pattern, with anti-fingerprint coating

• 4 tons of Water Ripple embossed SUS304 stainless steel sheets, 1.0mm × 1219mm × 3048mm, hairline-brushed on raised pattern, with anti-fingerprint coating

• All sheets carefully matched for consistent wave depth and pattern alignment from sheet to sheet, ensuring seamless visual continuity when installed side by side

To meet the 15-day production target, we immediately allocated two dedicated embossing lines and an accelerated workflow.

1. Raw Material Verification: 304 stainless steel coils sourced from a Baosteel mill with full material certificates. Chemical composition checked with optical emission spectrometer (OES) — Cr 18.2%, Ni 8.1%, C 0.05%, fully compliant with EN 10088-2 grade 1.4301.

2. Precision Slitting & Cut-to-Length: Coils slit to 1219mm width, then cut to exact lengths (2438mm / 3048mm) on an automated flying shear line. Dimensional tolerance maintained within ±0.5mm.

3. Water Ripple Embossing: Flat sheets fed through a heavy-duty roller embossing machine with precision-engraved water wave rollers. Uniform pressure applied across the entire width to achieve consistent wave depth of 0.8–1.0mm. Pattern matched sheet-to-sheet for continuous visual effect.

4. Post-Embossing Hairline Brushing: The raised ripple surface passed through a hairline brushing line. Brushing grits of 240# followed by 320# created fine, parallel lines on the wave peaks, producing a dynamic light-scattering effect while softening reflections.

5. Anti-Fingerprint Coating Application: Clear nano-lacquer roller-coated at 8–10μm dry film thickness, then oven-cured at 150°C. Post-cure testing confirmed water contact angle ≥ 108° for excellent fingerprint resistance and easy cleaning.

6. Quality Gates Throughout the Process:

   • After embossing: 100% visual inspection for pattern consistency, wave depth measured with digital depth gauge

   • After brushing: Surface roughness checked with portable profilometer (Ra 0.4–0.6μm on raised areas)

   • After coating: Cross-hatch adhesion test (ISO 2409, rating 0), solvent rub test (MEK, 100+ double rubs), and fingerprint visibility test under angled lighting

7. Final Random Sampling: 5% of finished sheets pulled for full dimensional check, coating thickness measurement, and visual inspection under 1200-lux daylight simulation. All results documented in a final inspection report shared with the client before packing.

Given the textured surface, extra care was taken to protect the embossed pattern during packing.

• Each sheet was covered with a single-sided adhesive PE protective film (70μm, blue-tinted) to shield the embossed surface from dust and abrasion while leaving the reverse side breathable

• Sheets stacked face-to-face and back-to-back in bundles of 25–30, interleaved with 3mm EPE foam sheets to absorb any vibration during transit

• Each bundle wrapped in anti-moisture VCI paper, then sealed in a heavy-duty polyethylene bag with desiccant sachets to prevent condensation

• Bundles packed into 18mm thick fumigation-free plywood crates, with custom-cut foam corner inserts holding each bundle snugly in place

• Crates strapped with tensioned polyester strapping and labeled with: pattern type, dimensions, sheet count, net weight, and “Embossed Surface — Do Not Stack Upside Down” warning

• Container loading was completed in 4 hours under our logistics supervisor’s direction: crates loaded in two tiers with honeycomb cardboard dunnage between layers, all gaps filled with airbags to eliminate movement during ocean transit

The 12-ton consignment was fully produced, packed, and loaded into a 40ft HQ container in 15 calendar days — one day ahead of the client’s 16-day deadline. The container was trucked to Shanghai Port and loaded onto the pre-booked vessel on schedule. All shipping documents (Bill of Lading, Packing List, Commercial Invoice, Mill Test Certificates, and a Declaration of Conformity to EN 10088-2) were emailed to the client within 12 hours of vessel departure. The cargo arrived at Hamburg Port after a 28-day voyage. Upon devanning, the client reported zero transit damage and confirmed the ripple pattern matched perfectly across all sheets. Installation commenced immediately at the commercial complex site.

Looking for Corrugated Stainless Steel Sheet with guaranteed pattern consistency and on-time delivery?

We specialize in embossed finishes including water ripple, leather grain, linen, and custom patterns — with fast turnaround for bulk orders.

📧 judesteel@juqing.hk | 🌐 https://www.stainlesssteelss.com | 📱 +86 19033681875