How to import soda ash from China: a buyer's guide

Soda ash comes in two commercial grades: dense (heavy) for glass, and light for detergent, textile and water treatment. Quote the standard your plant works to — the producing plant's COA for our soda ash follows GB/T 210-2022 Class II superior (total alkali dry ≥ 99.2%, NaCl ≤ 0.70%, Fe ≤ 0.0035%). For sodium bicarbonate, state the use: food (GB 1886.2 / E500(ii)), feed or industrial. Include packaging (25 kg, 50 kg or 1,000 kg jumbo), quantity and your discharge port.

The plant COA gives specification limits; the lot COA gives actuals and travels with the shipment, matched to the bag markings. If you are replacing an incumbent supplier, send their spec — we confirm the grade and the mark on the current lot before anything ships. Producing-plant brands such as Malan or Zhongtian may appear on bag markings; Yizhou Chem is the exporter, not the brand owner.

The proforma invoice confirms grade, packing, quantity, FOB Tianjin price, loading month and payment terms. Standard terms are T/T with deposit, or irrevocable L/C at sight for established programs. Our written quotes are valid 15 days from the quote date.

Soda ash and sodium bicarbonate ship from scheduled production at the Alxa Yingen natural-alkali plant in Inner Mongolia. Each batch is tested at the plant; the batch COA is the contractual quality document. If you need third-party inspection (SGS / BV), tell us before loading — we arrange it against the loading schedule.

For every container we prepare: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin (Form E / RCEP where applicable, or the China–Pakistan FTA form for Pakistan), batch COA, and a health certificate for food grade. Indonesian buyers also receive the producing plant's Halal (IFRC) reference file on request.

Containers load at Tianjin Xingang or Caofeidian: 25–27 MT per 20′ FCL depending on grade and packing. Lead time is 10–15 days after deposit or L/C receipt. Mixed-grade loading in one FCL is routine — each grade keeps its own batch numbers, bag markings and COA.

Your broker clears against the document set above. Soda ash ships under HS 2836.20, sodium bicarbonate under HS 2836.30. Food-grade imports may need local registration — in Indonesia BPOM registration sits with your importer of record, in India FSSAI clearance likewise — and we supply the producing plant's authorization letters those files need. Check whether your country applies quality-control orders or trade remedies to soda ash (India applies a BIS Quality Control Order, IS 251) before you lock a shipment schedule.