3003 H24 Aluminum Foil for Korea: Factory-Direct Buyer’s Guide
3003 H24 Aluminum Foil for Korea: Factory-Direct Buyer’s Guide
Introduction
Korean manufacturers of food containers, HVAC appliances, honeycomb panels and automotive parts need an aluminum foil that is stronger than pure 1xxx foil yet still easy to form—and 3003 H24 is exactly that grade.
As an aluminum-manganese alloy in the half-hard, stabilized H24 temper, it combines about 20% more strength than commercially pure foil with excellent formability, corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity.
We are a China-based aluminum foil factory exporting 3003 H24 foil directly to South Korea (to Busan, Incheon and Pyeongtaek), not a Korean domestic mill; f
actory-direct pricing, flexible gauges and widths, KS-compatible production and food-grade compliance let Korean buyers secure a stable, lower-cost supply.
This guide covers the alloy, the H24 temper, properties, applications, Korean standards and logistics, and how to order.
What Is 3003 H24 Aluminum Foil?
3003 is a non-heat-treatable 3xxx-series alloy strengthened by manganese and by cold working. The H24 temper describes precisely how the foil is conditioned:
- H – strain hardened by cold rolling to raise strength.
- 2 – hardened to roughly half of its maximum work-hardening level (half-hard).
- 4 – then given a low-temperature stabilizing treatment that prevents age softening and restores useful ductility.
The result is a balanced foil that holds its shape and resists tearing during handling while still bending, embossing and shallow-drawing without cracking—the reason H24 is the standard temper for container and honeycomb foil.
Chemical Composition and Mechanical Properties
| Element | Mn | Cu | Si | Fe | Zn | Al |
| 3003 | 1.0–1.5 | 0.05–0.20 | ≤0.6 | ≤0.7 | ≤0.10 | balance (96.7–99.0) |
Manganese raises strength and corrosion resistance; copper is kept low so corrosion performance is not compromised; silicon and iron are controlled to protect formability. Typical H24 properties (values vary with gauge and standard):
| Property | 3003 H24 (typical) |
| Tensile strength | approx. 140–190 MPa |
| Yield strength | approx. 110–150 MPa |
| Elongation | about 5–15% (higher in thinner/softer gauges) |
| Density | about 2.73 g/cm³ |
| Thermal conductivity | approx. 150–180 W/m·K |
| Electrical conductivity | about 35–45% IACS |
Why Korean Manufacturers Choose It
- Moderate strength and durability to hold container and panel shape and resist tearing in handling.
- Excellent formability for bending, embossing, stamping and shallow drawing at high line speed.
- Superior atmospheric and moisture corrosion resistance, helped by manganese and the self-healing oxide film.
- High thermal conductivity for even heating in containers and efficient heat transfer in fins.
- Good weldability and easy coating, laminating and printing; lighter and rust-free versus steel.
For container makers this balance matters directly: pure foil stamps easily but deforms under hot food and buckles in lidding, while a fully hard foil cracks on the press. 3003 H24 sits in the middle, feeding automatic stamping and lidding lines at speed, holding a rigid wall and rolled rim, and surviving oven and freezer use without splitting—which is why it replaced pure foil on most high-volume container lines.
Main Applications
- Disposable food containers, baking trays, airline meal boxes, lids and cookware liners – the largest use of 3003 H24 container foil.
- Aluminum honeycomb core foil for lightweight sandwich panels in buildings, rail interiors, furniture and signage.
- Heat-exchanger, evaporator and condenser fins for air conditioners, refrigerators and cooling systems.
- Automotive heat shields, gaskets and EV battery cooling/thermal layers; EMI/RFI cable and electronics shielding.
- Layers in flexible packaging laminates, and radiant/vapor-barrier foil in construction.
Serving the Korean Market: Standards and Logistics
Foil supplied to Korea can be produced to KS D 1601 (the Korean Industrial Standard for aluminum foil) and ISO 15754, with mill test certificates.
For food-contact containers and lids, we support the Korean food-contact requirements overseen by MFDS as well as FDA 21 CFR and EU 10/2011, with controlled heavy-metal limits (for example lead and cadmium).
Electronic and shielding uses can be supplied with the relevant conductivity and surface data.
Shipments move FOB/CFR/CIF to Busan, Incheon or Pyeongtaek in moisture-proof export packing on wooden pallets or in cases, with PVC film or interleaving where the surface is critical.
Korean buyers receive production-gauge samples, MTC and, on request, SGS/BV inspection before loading; Korean- or English-speaking sales and clear shipping documents keep customs and delivery smooth.
Common Specifications and Area Yield
| Parameter | Typical range |
| Temper | H24 (also O, H14, H16, H18 on request) |
| Thickness | about 0.02–0.50 mm (container/honeycomb commonly 0.03–0.20 mm) |
| Width | about 100–1600 mm, slit to order |
| Length | about 1000–16,000 mm; core 76 mm / 152 mm ID |
| Surface | dry, oil-free, single-bright; optional protective film/coating |
At about 2.73 g/cm³, g/m² = thickness (μm) × 2.73, so area per ton is easy to estimate for costing containers:
| Gauge | g/m² | Approx. m² per ton |
| 40 μm | 109 | 9,160 |
| 50 μm | 137 | 7,330 |
| 70 μm | 191 | 5,230 |
| 100 μm | 273 | 3,660 |
| 150 μm | 410 | 2,440 |
Quality Control, Pricing and Ordering
Quality control covers gauge and width tolerances, flatness, surface quality, tensile/yield values by temper and alloy chemistry on the MTC, under ISO 9001 with third-party inspection available.
Pricing follows the aluminum ingot base plus a processing fee and moves with the market; gauge, width, quantity, coating and custom slitting affect the number, so compare per ton and per finished part on identical specs and Incoterm.
Common trade terms are 30% deposit with the balance against the bill of lading. To quote, send alloy/temper (3003 H24), thickness and tolerance, width, roll or sheet dimensions, surface/coating, quantity, application and destination port.
Verify a new supplier on production-gauge samples rather than photos: run the foil on your stamping, fin or honeycomb line at normal speed, measure thickness across the width, check tensile and elongation, inspect the surface for oil and pinholes, and confirm food-grade paperwork for the Korean market.
A signed pre-production sample then sets the standard for the bulk lot, and a live video or audit of the rolling line confirms genuine factory capacity rather than a trader.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are you a Korean factory?
A: We are a China-based aluminum foil factory that exports 3003 H24 foil directly to South Korea; this gives factory-direct pricing and flexible specs while we produce to KS-compatible and food-grade requirements and ship to Busan, Incheon or Pyeongtaek.
Q: What is 3003 H24 foil used for?
A: Disposable food containers and lids, honeycomb core foil, HVAC heat-exchanger fins, automotive heat shields and EV cooling layers, shielding and construction vapor barriers.
Q: Why H24 instead of O or H18?
A: H24 is half-hard and stabilized, balancing shape-holding strength with the ductility needed for stamping and shallow drawing; O is for the deepest forming and H18 for maximum rigidity.
Q: Does it meet Korean and food-contact standards?
A: It can be supplied to KS D 1601 with MTC, and for food use to MFDS, FDA and EU requirements with controlled heavy-metal limits; confirm the target standard when ordering.
Q: How strong is it versus pure aluminum foil?
A: 3003 H24 runs roughly 140–190 MPa tensile, about 20% stronger than commercially pure foil, while still forming well.
Q: What is the MOQ and lead time?
A: MOQ is commonly several tons per specification with trial orders and samples available; lead time depends on gauge, quantity and any coating or custom slitting.
Conclusion
3003 H24 is the balanced, stronger-than-pure aluminum foil behind Korean food containers, honeycomb panels, HVAC fins and automotive thermal parts.
A factory-direct exporting mill can supply it to Korean standards and food-grade requirements, shipped to Korean ports at a lower, more flexible cost than domestic-only sourcing—ordered on certificates, tolerances and approved samples rather than price alone
