Importing thermoformed refrigerator liners and door panels from China can cut unit cost substantially, but only if sheet grade, tooling and inspection are agreed before the first shipment.
This guide is written for engineers, purchasers and project managers who need a practical answer, not a resin data sheet.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines thermoformed refrigerator liners and door panels by three things: the base resin, the format or dimension, and the performance or certification level it has to meet. Typical options in this category include food contact inner surfaces; textured and smooth finishes; deep draw geometries. Materials most often specified are Polypropylene, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, High Density Polyethylene, Polystyrene, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the industrial equipment sector the decision is usually driven by thick gauge capability and flare and fire rating, with paintability as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include twin sheet panels, machine housings, kiosk shells.
The table below summarises the values that usually decide the material choice.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene | 1.04-1.06 g/cm³ | 30-50 MPa | -20°C to 80°C |
| Polypropylene | 0.90-0.91 g/cm³ | 25-40 MPa | -10°C to 100°C |
| Polystyrene | 1.04-1.06 g/cm³ | 30-50 MPa | -20°C to 70°C |
Polystyrene is frequently the default selection here: HIPS is the default thermoforming sheet for food packaging and appliance liners.
The landed cost of thermoformed refrigerator liners and door panels is built from several layers:
Before placing an order, work through this checklist:
Beyond the base resin, most suppliers offer UV stabilised, food contact, flame retardant, anti-static and recycled content versions of the same product. Ask which additive package is included, because it is often the difference between a part that lasts three years and one that lasts ten.
Each step below has its own control points, and skipping one of them is where most defects start.
Secondary operations such as printing, welding, machining and assembly are often cheaper to do in the same factory, and they reduce the risk of mismatch between components.
Use this checklist when comparing two or three supplier quotations.
Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.
Standard packing is export cartons on fumigation-free pallets, with custom labelling, barcode and retail packing available. We also handle consolidated containers and door to door delivery.
We can provide ISO 9001 quality system documentation, material certificates, RoHS and REACH statements, and where applicable food contact, flame retardancy or drinking water approvals. Tell us your target market and we will match the document set.
Colour is controlled with a masterbatch reference approved by the customer, and every production lot is checked against the approved sample under standard lighting before shipment.
Yes. {mat1} is one of our regular materials for this item, and we can supply virgin, modified and certified grades with full traceability. Material certificates and test reports are issued per batch.
A new tool typically takes 25 to 45 days depending on cavity count and complexity, followed by T1 samples within one week. Existing tools can usually start production within 10 to 15 days of order confirmation.
If you are planning a new industrial equipment project, send us your drawing, annual volume and target properties, and we will come back with a material proposal, a tooling plan and a budget quotation.
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