GRP Grating Manufacturer: Building a World That Lasts

Choose molded when loads are moderate (≤ 5 kN/m²), spans are ≤ 1.5 m, bi-directional strength and anti-slip matter, and you need trench covers or mini-mesh. Choose pultruded when spans exceed 1.5 m, live loads exceed 5 kN/m², or the panel must be light and stiff. As a rule of thumb: if the panel is under 1.5 m span or must cover an awkward shape with cut-outs, molded is faster and cheaper. If span is over 1.5 m or the panel carries a concentrated point load (drums, pumps, valve operators), pultruded wins on stiffness per kg. See the comparison table above and the selection process guide.

Isophthalic polyester for neutral pH, fresh water and general industrial walkways. Vinylester (bisphenol-A epoxy) for acids, alkalis, chlorides and solvents — HDT 120–150 °C. Phenolic for offshore, tunnel and enclosed fire-rated areas (ASTM E84 Class A, low smoke/toxicity). Full chemical resistance chart on request. As a starting point: atmospheric outdoor structures can run isophthalic with UV veil; any wet or splash zone in chemical service must move to vinylester; offshore helidecks and escape routes run phenolic regardless of cost.

FRP is 75% lighter than steel, electrically non-conductive, does not rust in acid/alkali/chloride, needs no painting, and has 25-year design life in corrosive service. Steel wins on raw cost for dry, indoor, non-corrosive floors; FRP wins on lifecycle cost everywhere else. A typical 10-year TCO on a chemical-plant walkway is 0.6–0.8× steel when you factor painting, replacement and downtime. See FRP vs steel engineering guide.

Typical molded 38×38 mm mesh, 38 mm thick, on 1.2 m supports: uniform live load ≈ 5 kN/m², point load ≈ 5 kN with ≤ 4 mm deflection. Pultruded I-bar 50 mm on 2.0 m spans reaches ≈ 7.5 kN/m². Deflection (not strength) usually governs. We size to L/150 for foot traffic, L/200 for maintenance traffic, and L/300 where rotating equipment sits on the platform. Exact values depend on resin grade and bar profile — send us your span and load for a stamped chart.

Bolt or clip to steel substructure — never weld. Use SS316 G-clips or S-clips at every support intersection (minimum 4 clips/panel), snug torque M8: 8–12 N·m, M10: 15–22 N·m. Leave 3–5 mm expansion gap; fix one end, slot the other. See installation guide. Allow 6–8 mm expansion gap on panels longer than 3 m or operating above 60 °C; one end fixed, the other on slotted holes. Never weld FRP — it cannot be welded. All joints are bolted or clipped; bond adhesive is only used for handrail fittings, never for load-bearing panels.

Standard stocked molded panels: 7–10 working days. Custom colors / cut-to-size / pultruded profiles: 20–30 working days. MOQ is one standard panel (≈ 4.5 m²) for stocked sizes; custom molds carry a one-off tooling charge (contact engineering). Container shipments from 100 m² ship factory-direct. Sample panels (0.5 m²) available for testing at cost + freight. Urgent orders can be air-freighted from Shanghai within 7 days for pilot projects; volume orders ship by sea in 20 ft or 40 ft containers.

Yes — every order ships with mill certificate (resin batch, glass batch), dimensional inspection, and a COA. On request we supply SGS/Intertek load test reports, ASTM E84 fire test, ISO 75 HDT, and UV aging data. CE DoP available per EN 13706 for structural profiles. ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 documentation on request. All certificates ship in English; Arabic, Spanish, French or Russian on demand. For tenders we can bundle a single compliance PDF covering resin, glass, product and factory.

Yes — we cut to size, punch fixings, coving, ramps, stair treads with nosing, and bonded handrail assemblies. Send DWG/PDF with dimensions and load; we return stamped fabrication drawings within 48 hours for most enquiries. Tolerance: ±3 mm on panels under 2 m, ±5 mm on longer runs. Cut edges are always sealed with resin gel-coat to prevent water ingress into the glass fibre.

Stock: dark gray, light gray, yellow (safety), green, black. Custom RAL from 500 m² per color. Grit-top surface available in black, gray, yellow or red for visual hazard marking. Color stability ≥ 5 years under UV on outdoor grade. Custom colors typically add 7–10% vs. stock and require a 500 m² minimum. Color stability is tested per QUV-A 5000 h; after that period, ΔE color shift stays under 3 on outdoor grade.

Email drawings to [email protected] or use the contact form. Include: span, load (kN/m²), environment (chemical / marine / wastewater), required standard (ASTM/EN/DNV), quantity and destination port. We reply with FOB unit price, load chart and lead time within 2 business days. For long-term framework agreements we offer quarterly price review and 4-week stock buffer for repeat sections. We can also hold raw material (resin + glass) in bond for customers with forecasted demand, cutting lead time to 10 days on release.