Procurement & Documentation
Coating TDS vs SDS: A Buyer Document Checklist
Request the right coating technical and safety documents, match product references and track supplier clarifications before purchase approval.
Illustration only; not an inspection record or product performance test.
What is the difference between a coating TDS and SDS?
A technical data sheet supports product selection and application planning. A safety data sheet communicates chemical hazards and handling information. Buyers need both for the exact coating offered; one document cannot answer every technical, safety or shipment question.
This guide helps importers organise a document request before comparing suppliers. It does not certify a HANHU product, provide a workplace risk assessment or establish compliance for a destination market. Keep product approval with the responsible technical and safety specialists.
1. Match every document to the quoted product
Start a document register with the supplier's product name, product code, proposed use, document title, revision date and language. For a multi-component offer, ask which documents cover each supplied component. Record any difference between the quotation, packaging reference and document identifier as an open question.
A file with a familiar brand name is not enough. Ask the supplier to confirm that it applies to the exact proposed formulation and destination. Keep the original file and a dated clarification together so the purchasing team can trace the decision after a quotation changes.
2. Use technical documents to frame application questions
Jotun's public technical-services page distinguishes TDS, SDS and application guides as technical documentation resources. This illustrates why a buyer should request a document set rather than a single attachment. It does not transfer Jotun recommendations or performance to another supplier's product.
For your proposed coating, ask where the current documents address the intended substrate, surface preparation, system components and application restrictions. Request the relevant application guide when the TDS refers to one. If a requirement is missing, seek written clarification instead of filling the gap with a value from a competing coating.
Keep typical properties separate from a purchase specification. Ask which figures are descriptive and which requirements the supplier agrees to meet for the order. A brochure statement should be traceable to the appropriate product document before it enters the approval record.
3. Review safety information separately
The UK Health and Safety Executive explains that SDS information describes hazards, handling, storage and emergency measures, and that an SDS is not itself a risk assessment. Treat this as a useful distinction when building your purchasing workflow; UK guidance does not determine the rules in every export destination.
Ask the responsible specialist to check the supplied safety information against the actual use and local requirements. Purchasing can track document receipt and unresolved questions, but should not infer that a coating is harmless because it is water-based or because a hazard statement was absent from a sales page.
Technical support
Request Product Documents
Share the exact product reference, intended use and open questions.4. Send a clear document request
Use the same request format for each supplier so differences remain visible. Identify the project and product first, then list the files and clarifications required for review.
- Current TDS and any referenced application guide for the proposed system.
- Current SDS for each supplied component, with matching product identifiers.
- Written explanation of document or quotation discrepancies.
- Confirmation of which order requirements need separate evidence.
- Named contact responsible for resolving technical questions.
Mark each item received, under review or awaiting clarification. Agree who approves a changed document or substituted product. Price comparison can continue while technical acceptance remains pending, provided the unresolved items are visible.
FAQ: Does an SDS prove coating performance?
No. Hazard and handling information is not evidence that the coating meets a project's application or performance requirements. Ask for the relevant technical documents and any separately agreed supporting evidence.
FAQ: Should a buyer translate an SDS informally?
Ask the supplier and responsible destination-market specialist which language version is required. Do not replace controlled safety information with an informal purchasing translation.
Prepare your next coating enquiry
Share the exact product reference, substrate, intended use and missing-document list with HANHU. Use the related protective-coating information and supplier-evaluation guide to organise the discussion. Approval should remain tied to the proposed product and the people responsible for the project.