A request for quotation is only as useful as the specification behind it. The more completely you describe your material and the rolls you need, the more accurately a converter can price the job, confirm it is a fit, and avoid a round of follow-up questions before work can even be scheduled.
That said, an incomplete RFQ is not a wasted one. If you do not know every dimension or number below, send what you have and note what’s missing — a converter can usually work with a partial spec and help fill in the rest. This guide walks through what a complete paper slitting and rewinding RFQ covers, in the order a converter typically needs it.
The Seven Specifications That Matter Most
Short on time? These seven specifications are the fastest path to a usable quote. Supplying these usually gives a converter enough to start evaluating and pricing the job — the sections below fill in the detail and context behind each one.
- Material or grade — whatever name or grade designation you use for it.
- Parent-roll dimensions — width, outside diameter, and core size.
- Finished-roll width, or widths, if you need more than one from the same parent stock.
- Finished core size for the rolls you need back.
- Target outside diameter, footage, or roll weight for the finished rolls.
- Quantity, and whether the order is a one-time run or the start of recurring production.
- Packaging, labeling, freight, or handling requirements that affect the job — including your freight plan. Customers arrange inbound and outbound freight; Paper Dimensions packages and stages finished rolls for pickup or your carrier.
Missing one or two of these is not a blocker — send what you know. The rest of this guide walks through each specification in more depth, plus everything else that helps a converter quote and schedule the job precisely.
Material Information
Start with what the paper actually is. A converter needs enough detail to know how the material will run and whether any special handling applies:
- Material name or grade — whatever name or grade designation you use for it, even informally.
- Basis weight or caliper, if known — this identifies the stock and affects how it winds and slits.
- Coating, finish, color, or treatment, when relevant — a coated, laminated, or one-side-treated material may need to be handled or wound differently than plain stock.
- Whether the material is customer-owned or needs to be sourced and discussed with the converter. Contract converters routinely run material a customer already owns and ships in; say so on the request rather than assuming it’s implied.
If you are not certain the material is one a particular converter can source or stock, don’t guess — describe it and ask. Every order is different, and not every optional service or material applies to every job.
Parent-Roll Information
The parent roll is the roll you’re starting with — what arrives at the converter to be slit or rewound. Describe it with as much of the following as you have:
- Parent-roll width
- Outside diameter
- Core size (inside diameter)
- Roll weight or linear footage, if available
- Number of parent rolls
- Any existing label or specification sheet from the mill or your supplier — a photo of it is often the fastest way to communicate this section
If you’re not sure how to take these measurements accurately, our guide to measuring a paper roll walks through each one, and our guide to roll anatomy covers the vocabulary in more depth if any of these terms are new.
Finished-Roll Requirements
Next, describe the roll (or rolls) you need back — this is the other half of the specification a converter configures a job from:
- Finished width, or widths, if you need more than one from the same parent stock
- Finished core size
- Desired outside diameter, footage, or roll weight
- Number of finished rolls
- Direction or orientation requirements — only if your process requires a specific wind direction or unwind side
- Tolerances — only if your equipment requires a specific tolerance; otherwise the converter’s standard capability applies
Splitting one parent roll into several finished widths in a single pass is routine, so don’t hesitate to list more than one finished width if that’s what the job needs.
Slitting and Rewinding Needs
Most RFQs come down to one or both of two processes. Paper slitting cuts a wide roll into narrower rolls at a specified width. Paper rewinding changes the roll itself — a different core size, a smaller outside diameter, or a specific length — without changing the width. If your rolls need to be both narrower and rebuilt onto a new core or diameter, the job needs both processes, and that’s normal: many orders run slitting and rewinding together in the same pass. If you’re not sure which one (or both) your project needs, describe the roll you have and the roll you need — the converter will identify the process from the two specifications. For a wider overview of how these processes fit into paper converting generally, see our guide to what paper converting is.
Quantity and Scheduling
Volume and timing shape how a job is planned:
- Estimated quantity — total footage, weight, or roll count
- Whether this is a one-time order or the start of recurring, repeat production
- Your desired completion date
A desired date helps a converter plan the work, but it is not the same as a promised turnaround — actual scheduling depends on the order and the converter’s current production load, so confirm timing directly as part of the quote rather than assuming a standard lead time.
Packaging and Identification
How finished rolls are packaged and labeled is part of the specification, not an afterthought. Where relevant, describe:
- Roll wrapping — individually wrapped, or another method
- Palletization or cradle packaging
- Labeling requirements
- Blind shipment requirements, if the order needs to ship under your branding rather than the converter’s
- Any other customer-specific packaging instructions
These are project requirements to work out with the converter, not guaranteed defaults — not every packaging option applies to every order or material, so state what you need rather than assuming a standard.
Inventory and Warehousing
If your project involves more than a single shipment, it’s worth raising inventory and warehousing needs at the RFQ stage:
- Whether a customer-owned inventory program fits your project — material held by the converter and released against your production schedule
- Your anticipated release schedule
- Recurring production requirements the program would need to support
Availability and suitability for a specific inventory or warehousing program need to be confirmed for your project — describe what you’re considering and it can be discussed alongside your quote.
Freight Responsibilities
Freight is worth stating plainly, because it is a common point of confusion: customers arrange all inbound and outbound freight. Paper Dimensions does not provide shipping services — it packages and stages material for your carrier or for pickup. Pickup and delivery timing, along with any special freight details, should be coordinated as part of the project once the order is quoted, so let the converter know your general freight plan when you submit your request.
Supporting Files
Documents and images often resolve ambiguity faster than a written description. Useful attachments include:
- Material specification sheets
- Drawings
- Photos of the roll, its label, or its end face
- Purchase-order requirements
- Packaging examples
The quote request form accepts file attachments, subject to the file type and size limits listed next to the upload field on that page.
RFQ Checklist
Before submitting a request, a quick pass through this list will catch most of what a converter needs to quote it accurately. Not every line applies to every project — use what fits your job.
- Material name or grade, basis weight, and any coating or finish
- Whether the material is customer-owned or needs to be sourced
- Parent-roll width, outside diameter, core size, and count
- Finished-width(s), finished core size, and target diameter or footage
- Number of finished rolls needed
- Any orientation or tolerance requirements your equipment needs
- Estimated quantity and whether the order is one-time or recurring
- Desired completion date
- Packaging, labeling, and blind-shipment requirements
- Whether a customer-owned inventory program is worth discussing
- Your freight plan for inbound and outbound material
- Any spec sheets, drawings, or photos to attach
If Specifications Are Unknown
It’s common to start an RFQ without every number in hand. If that’s where you are, describe the application instead — what the paper is for, what equipment it will run on, and whatever specifications you do know. That’s enough to start a conversation. What this guide doesn’t cover is engineering design work: a converter configures orders to the specification you provide, so the more of your own equipment’s requirements you can describe, the better the resulting quote will fit.
Ready to submit what you have? Use the quote request form, or reach the team directly at 920-885-3335 or customerservice@paperdimensionsllc.com. You can also send a message through the contact page if you’d rather describe the project before attaching formal specs.
Key Takeaways
- A complete RFQ describes two rolls: the one you have and the one you need — material, parent-roll dimensions, and finished-roll dimensions.
- Missing numbers don’t disqualify a request; note what you don’t know and start the conversation with what you do.
- Packaging, blind shipment, and inventory programs are project-specific — describe what you need rather than assuming a default.
- Customers arrange all inbound and outbound freight; the converter packages and stages the order for pickup or your carrier.
- Attaching spec sheets, drawings, or photos to your request often resolves ambiguity faster than describing it in words alone.