In short Compare offers for hydrated lime for sale not by the price per ton but by the cost per ton of available Ca(OH)₂ delivered to your site. To do this, the purity, delivery terms, freight, packaging, documents and batch consistency of each offer should be collected in a single table. This article shows how to make the comparison, using a worked example.
What should you look at first when comparing offers for hydrated lime for sale?
The first thing to check is whether the offers describe the same product and the same delivery terms. Two offers may carry the same name, "hydrated lime", yet be made for different purity, different fineness and a different delivery point. Before you start comparing, make sure each offer answers these three questions:
- What are the product's active substance content (Ca(OH)₂ or CaO + MgO) and CO₂ value?
- Is the price ex works, or delivered to your site?
- What is the packaging, and who is responsible for unloading?
We explained what information to prepare before requesting a quote in our bulk hydrated lime buying guide. This article focuses on the next step, once the offers are in your hands.
Why can the price per ton be misleading?
The price per ton does not show how much of the product will actually do the job. The part that works in your application is the available calcium hydroxide in the product. With a product of low purity, or one that has carbonated (high CO₂ value), you have to buy, transport and store more tons to achieve the same effect.
Four main factors make the price per ton misleading:
- Difference in purity: As the active substance content falls, the quantity needed for the same job rises.
- Difference in delivery terms: An ex-works price cannot be compared with a delivered price until freight and insurance are added.
- Difference in packaging and unloading: Bags, big bags and bulk tankers involve different labor, equipment and loss risks.
- Suitability for the application: In applications such as flue gas treatment, fineness and surface area directly change consumption; for these values, see our article on fineness and surface area in flue gas applications.
How do you calculate the delivered cost per ton of available Ca(OH)₂?
The calculation rests on a single formula: divide the delivered cost per ton by the product's active substance content. Delivered cost per ton = price per ton + freight per ton + packaging and unloading cost per ton.
Hypothetical example (not real prices): Consider the offers of two suppliers, expressed in "units".
| Item | Supplier A | Supplier B |
|---|---|---|
| Price per ton | 100 units, delivered to site | 95 units, ex works |
| Freight | Included in the price | 8 units/ton |
| Delivered cost per ton | 100 units | 103 units |
| Available Ca(OH)₂ content | 92% | 85% |
| Delivered cost per available ton | 100 / 0.92 = 108.7 units | 103 / 0.85 = 121.2 units |
| Product needed for 500 tons of available Ca(OH)₂ per year | 500 / 0.92 = 543 tons | 500 / 0.85 = 588 tons |
Although B's price per ton looks lower, its cost per available ton is about 11% higher. With B, about 45 tons more product per year has to be transported, stored and unloaded.
For the active substance content, use the Ca(OH)₂ value on the certificate. If only CaO + MgO is given, base the comparison on that same value for both offers and note the CO₂ value separately.
Which rows should an offer comparison table include?
Transferring the offers into a single table makes missing information visible at once. You can use the following rows:
| Row | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Product and standard | Product name, declared standard and class (in writing) |
| Active substance and CO₂ | Ca(OH)₂ or CaO + MgO (%), CO₂ (%) |
| Fineness | Share below 90 µm, or d50 / d90 values |
| Packaging | 25 kg bags, 1-ton big bags or bulk tanker |
| Delivery terms | Incoterms 2020 rule and place of delivery |
| Price and freight | Price per ton, freight, surcharges |
| Delivered cost per available ton | Value calculated with the formula above |
| Lead time and frequency | First delivery and regular shipment schedule |
| Minimum order and payment | Minimum quantity, payment terms |
| Documents | Batch certificate of analysis, SDS |
We can prepare a comparable offer that answers every row, so you can complete this table. Request a comparable offer for hydrated lime.
How do packaging and delivery terms change the cost?
Besides the price per ton, packaging also determines unloading and storage costs. Vişne Madencilik ships hydrated lime in 25 kg kraft bags, 1-ton big bags and bulk tankers (granular and powder).
- 25 kg bags: Practical for small volumes and for sites without a silo; require manual handling and palletizing. In damaged bags, the product comes into contact with moisture and carbon dioxide.
- 1-ton big bags: For medium and large volumes; unloaded with a forklift or crane; require an area protected from moisture.
- Bulk tanker: For large volumes; unloaded by pneumatic transfer from the tanker into the silo; require a suitable silo on site.
Always enter the delivery terms in the offer table using an Incoterms rule. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) defines the Incoterms rules as standards that set out how the tasks, costs and risks associated with the delivery of goods are shared between buyer and seller. The current version is Incoterms 2020, which entered into force on 1 January 2020. Using the same rule and the same place of delivery is a prerequisite for comparable offers.
Which documents and evidence should you ask for?
An offer is only meaningful if every batch shipped arrives at the same quality. Request the documents at the quotation stage:
- Batch certificate of analysis: Active substance, CO₂ and fineness values for every shipment.
- Safety data sheet (SDS): Set up your storage and occupational safety arrangements accordingly.
- Declaration of standard: A written declaration of the standard specific to your application, such as EN 459-1 for building lime or EN 12518 for drinking water treatment.
- Continuity of supply: Production sites, capacity and shipment schedule.
Vişne Madencilik operates three integrated plants: Çelemli (Yüreğir, Adana), Narlı (Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş) and Çukurova / Gündoğan (Ceyhan, Adana). The Lime Hydration Plant and Packaging Unit in Narlı opened on 17 April 2025. The company states that its total quicklime capacity exceeds 2,250 tons per day and that it exports to more than 30 countries. For details, see the Our Factories and Integrated Management System pages. Product values are listed on the hydrated lime product page.
How does the same method apply to other products?
The logic of delivered cost per unit of active substance also works for products other than lime:
- Flue gas treatment: Here the real measure is the cost per kilogram of SO₂ or HCl captured. We calculated lime demand by method in our article on lime in flue gas desulfurization.
- Calcium carbonate: Compare prices for a product that meets the required particle size distribution and whiteness; we explained how to read d50 and d97 in calcium carbonate offers.
- Moisture absorbers: Calculate the cost per unit of water that can be bound instead of the price per gram; you will find the cost per unit of water bound by a moisture absorber in our container moisture absorber guide.
Frequently asked questions
Why can there be large price differences between offers?
The gap looks large because offers are often made for products of different purity, with different packaging and under different delivery terms. Directly comparing an ex-works price with a delivered price, or a product containing 85% active substance with one containing 92%, is misleading. Once the offers are converted to delivered cost per available ton, the difference often changes.
Should I ask for an ex-works or a delivered price?
If you do not organize your own freight, asking for a delivered price makes the comparison easier. Whichever you choose, ask all suppliers to quote under the same Incoterms 2020 rule and for the same place of delivery. Freight, insurance and risk sharing are then identical across the offers, and the figures can be compared directly.
Where do I find the active substance content?
The active substance content is given on the batch certificate of analysis. The Ca(OH)₂ percentage, the CaO + MgO total and the CO₂ value should be read together. Typical values on the product page are a guide, but the decision should be based on the certificate supplied with each shipment. At the quotation stage, state in writing which values and methods you want to see on the certificate.
Are bags or bulk tankers more economical?
That depends on your monthly consumption and the equipment at your site. If you have a silo and high consumption, bulk tankers reduce unloading labor and packaging waste. At sites without a silo, 1-ton big bags are more practical; for small volumes, 25 kg bags. Make the choice by adding the packaging and unloading cost to the delivered cost per ton.
Can I buy hydrated lime in small quantities?
Yes. Vişne Madencilik also ships hydrated lime in 25 kg kraft bags for small-volume purchases. Minimum order quantity and delivery terms vary with the delivery point. Simply state the quantity, packaging and place of delivery you need in your quote request.
How quickly will I receive a quote?
We respond to your quote request within 24 hours. When the information on product, application, monthly quantity, packaging and delivery point is complete, the quote can be prepared faster and more accurately. Our sales team will ask you for any missing information. With this information, send your quote request now.
Conclusion
- Offers for hydrated lime for sale should be compared not by the price per ton but by the delivered cost per ton of available Ca(OH)₂.
- Purity, CO₂, fineness, packaging, the Incoterms rule and freight should be collected in a single table.
- A low price per ton can turn into a higher effective cost through low purity and additional freight.
- A batch certificate of analysis, an SDS and a written declaration of standard should be requested at the quotation stage.
Request a comparable offer for your hydrated lime requirements, covering product, quantity, packaging and delivery point. We respond to your request within 24 hours.
Phone: +90 232 463 00 03 · Email: sales@visnemadencilik.com
Sources
- Incoterms® rules — International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Incoterms® 2020.
- EN 459-1:2015 — Building lime, Part 1: Definitions, specifications and conformity criteria — CEN, 2015 (iTeh Standards record).
- BS EN 12518:2014 — Chemicals used for treatment of water intended for human consumption. High-calcium lime — BSI (standard record).
- Safe handling of lime — European Lime Association (EuLA), 2015.
- Vişne Madencilik: Hydrated Lime product page, Our Factories and Integrated Management System pages (product, packaging, plant and capacity statements).
Author
Related articles
- Bulk hydrated lime buying guide — information to prepare before requesting a quote, quality criteria and packaging.
- Lime in flue gas desulfurization — lime demand by method and reagent selection.
- How to select hydrated lime for flue gas treatment — specification and on-site trial plan.
- How to choose a container moisture absorber — lime-based moisture absorbers and other options.