Metric Beams (MB): Sizes, Weight Chart, Prices & Specifications

Metric Beams (MB): Sizes, Weight Chart, Prices & Specifications<\/h2>

Metric beams (MB), also called metric I-beams or parallel-flange I-sections, are hot-rolled structural beams with an I or H cross-section dimensioned in millimetres — the standard beam family used across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The range covers IPE sections with parallel flanges, HEA/HEB wide-flange beams, and GB/T 11263 H-beams from 100 × 50 mm up to 900 × 300 mm. This page is the complete buying reference from Sino East Steel Group — a direct steel structure manufacturer in Tianjin, China: metric beam sizes and weight charts, material grades, 2026 FOB prices, applications, and the exact way to order MB sections for your project.

1. What Is a Metric Beam?

A metric beam is a hot-rolled structural steel beam whose dimensions are expressed in millimetres, with a web flanked by two flanges forming an I or H shape. The profile is highly efficient in bending about the major axis, responds well to welding and bolting, and is the default choice for floor beams, roof beams, crane girders, and plant structures worldwide. The designation is metric — for example “IPE 300” means a beam 300 mm deep, and “HEB 300” means a wide-flange section 300 mm deep and 300 mm wide.

Metric beams are produced to dimension and tolerance standards including EN 10365 / EN 10034 (European IPE, HEA, HEB, HEM series), GB/T 11263 (Chinese H-beam series HN/HM/HW), and JIS G 3192 (Japanese H-sections). Steel grades follow EN 10025-2 (S235JR/S275JR/S355JR/S355J2), GB/T 1591 (Q235B/Q355B), JIS G 3101 (SS400), or ASTM A36/A572. All dimensions and masses below are indicative series values — the EN 10204 3.1 mill certificate that ships with each heat states the actual measured values.

2. Metric Beam Sizes & Dimensions — IPE Series

The IPE (I Profil Européen) series has parallel flanges and a sloped web-to-flange transition, giving the best strength-to-weight ratio for beams bending in one plane. It is the most widely specified beam series in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Designation	Depth h (mm)	Width b (mm)	Web t (mm)	Flange tf (mm)	Mass (kg/m)
IPE 100	100	55	4.1	5.7	8.1
IPE 120	120	64	4.4	6.3	10.4
IPE 140	140	73	4.7	6.9	12.9
IPE 160	160	82	5.0	8.0	15.8
IPE 180	180	91	5.3	8.0	18.8
IPE 200	200	100	5.6	8.5	22.4
IPE 220	220	110	5.9	9.2	26.2
IPE 240	240	120	6.2	9.8	30.7
IPE 270	270	135	6.6	10.2	36.1
IPE 300	300	150	7.1	10.7	42.2
IPE 330	330	160	7.5	11.5	49.1
IPE 360	360	170	8.0	12.7	57.1
IPE 400	400	180	8.6	13.5	66.3
IPE 450	450	190	9.4	14.6	77.6
IPE 500	500	200	10.2	16.0	90.7
IPE 550	550	210	11.1	17.2	106
IPE 600	600	220	12.0	19.0	122

IPE 80 to IPE 750×137 and selected IPE 750×147/173/196 jumbo sections are also available on request. Standard lengths are 6 m, 9 m, and 12 m; random lengths and cut-to-size pieces are available.

3. HEA / HEB Wide-Flange Beam Sizes

Where beams must also resist lateral loads, twisting, or compression (for example roof beams supporting crane runway beams, or beams used as columns), the wider HEA and HEB series is more efficient.

Designation	Depth h (mm)	Width b (mm)	Web t (mm)	Flange tf (mm)	Mass (kg/m)
HEA 200	190	200	6.5	10	42.3
HEB 200	200	200	9	15	61.3
HEA 300	290	300	8.5	14	88.3
HEB 300	300	300	11	19	117
HEA 400	390	300	9.5	19	125
HEB 400	400	300	13.5	24	155
HEA 500	490	300	11.5	23	155
HEB 500	500	300	14.5	28	187
HEA 600	590	300	13	25	178
HEB 600	600	300	15.5	30	212

The HEA series is the lighter, economical cousin of HEB (about 25–30% lighter at the same nominal depth) and is widely used for roof beams and floor beams. The HEM series (extra-heavy) is available for crane girders and very heavy loads.

4. GB/T 11263 H-Beam Sizes (HN / HM / HW)

For projects in China, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the Chinese H-beam series per GB/T 11263 is the cost benchmark. HN sections (narrow flange) replace IPE duties; HM and HW replace HEA/HEB.

Designation	Depth h (mm)	Width b (mm)	Web t (mm)	Flange tf (mm)	Mass (kg/m)
HN 350×175×7×11	350	175	7	11	50.0
HN 400×200×8×13	400	200	8	13	66.0
HN 450×200×9×14	450	200	9	14	76.5
HN 500×200×10×16	500	200	10	16	89.6
HN 600×200×11×17	600	200	11	17	106
HN 700×300×13×24	700	300	13	24	185
HN 800×300×14×26	800	300	14	26	210
HN 900×300×16×28	900	300	16	28	243
HM 294×200×8×12	294	200	8	12	57.3
HM 440×300×11×18	440	300	11	18	124
HW 200×200×8×12	200	200	8	12	50.5
HW 300×300×10×15	300	300	10	15	94.5
HW 400×400×13×21	400	400	13	21	172

When your engineer specifies an IPE or HEB section but the project budget is tight, we can propose the equivalent GB series with a direct strength comparison — the section properties are close, and the price difference is often 8–15%. All figures above are indicative and must be confirmed against the mill certificate for the supplied heat.

5. Metric Beam Weight Chart (kg per metre)

Indicative unit masses for the most commonly exported metric beams, with freight planning data.

Designation	Mass (kg/m)	Mass per 12 m Length (kg)	Approx. Pieces per 24 t Container Load
IPE 200	22.4	269	74
IPE 300	42.2	506	39
IPE 400	66.3	796	25
IPE 500	90.7	1,088	18
IPE 600	122	1,464	13
HEA 300	88.3	1,060	18
HEB 300	117	1,404	14
HEB 400	155	1,860	10
HN 400×200×8×13	66.0	792	25
HN 500×200×10×16	89.6	1,075	18
HN 700×300×13×24	185	2,220	8
HN 900×300×16×28	243	2,916	6

A 40 ft container carries 24–26 tonnes of metric beams; jumbo sections (IPE 500 and above, HN 700+) are often shipped in open-top containers or as break-bulk cargo. Use the chart to plan container quantities and crane lifting plans on site.

6. Material Grades & Specifications

Grade	Standard	Yield Strength (MPa)	Typical Use
S235JR	EN 10025-2	235	Light roof and floor beams
S275JR	EN 10025-2	275	Standard building beams
S355JR	EN 10025-2	355	Heavy beams, long spans
S355J2	EN 10025-2 (27 J at −20 °C)	355	Cold regions, impact-tested
Q235B	GB/T 1591	235	Chinese-spec projects
Q355B	GB/T 1591	355	Chinese-spec heavy beams
SS400	JIS G 3101	245	Japanese/ASEAN-spec projects
ASTM A572 Gr.50	ASTM A572/A572M	345	US-spec high-strength beams

Every batch ships with EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates (heat number, chemical composition, mechanical properties). S355J2+N, S460M, and weathering grades are available on request with extended lead time.

7. Metric Beam Prices in 2026 (FOB China)

Indicative export pricing from our Tianjin base (FOB, 2026). Treat these as planning ranges — prices track global hot-rolled coil markets.

Product	Indicative Price	MOQ
IPE / HEA / HEB, S235JR / S275JR	USD 590–740 per tonne FOB	25 tonnes (mixed sizes OK)
IPE / HEA / HEB, S355JR / S355J2	USD 630–790 per tonne FOB	25 tonnes
Jumbo beams (IPE ≥ 450, HEB ≥ 500)	USD 660–830 per tonne FOB	25 tonnes
GB H-beams HN/HM/HW, Q235B / Q355B	USD 580–740 per tonne FOB	25 tonnes
Cut-to-length, end-plate welding, drilling, primer	Nominal surcharge per tonne	—

For a firm quotation send your designations, lengths, grades, and destination port to paul@sinoeaststeel.com. We quote FOB, CIF, or CFR for any port worldwide and can include the complete frame — see our Kenya and UAE cost guides for landed-cost examples.

8. Metric Beam Applications

• Floor and roof beams — IPE and HN sections spanning between columns in warehouses, factories, offices, and mezzanines.
• Portal frame rafters — HEA/HEB or HN rafters in pre-engineered and conventional steel buildings.
• Crane runway beams — HEB and heavy HN sections supporting overhead crane rails and surge forces.
• Plant and process structures — beam grids for equipment platforms, pipe racks, and access walkways.
• Bridges and culverts — rolled beams for short-span road bridges, pedestrian bridges, and temporary works.
• Agricultural and cold-storage buildings — galvanized or painted metric beams in humid environments.

For the full product range — beams plus columns, channels, and complete structures — see our steel structure products catalogue, and compare beam duty with our Universal Columns (UC), Metric Columns (MC), Parallel Flange Channels (PFC), and Tapered Flange Channels pages.

9. How to Select the Right Metric Beam

Series	Depth/Width	Best For	Economy
IPE	~2.0	Beams bending in one plane, light–medium loads	Lightest per span
HEA	1.0–1.97	Roof beams, beams with lateral loads	Medium
HEB	1.0–1.67	Heavy beams, crane girders, beam-columns	Heavier, stronger
HEM	~1.0	Very heavy loads, short spans	Heaviest
GB HN	1.8–3.0	IPE-equivalent duties on Chinese-spec projects	Best price/tonne

Selection is a balance of bending strength, deflection, lateral-torsional buckling, and price per tonne. For anything beyond a simple single-span beam, run the numbers with our steel structure design guide (AISC 360 / Eurocode 3) or let our engineers size the beams for your loads free of charge.

10. Why Buy Metric Beams Direct from Sino East Steel Group

Sino East Steel Group is a direct China steel structure manufacturer, not a trader. Since 1993 we have operated a 50,000 m² fabrication facility in Tianjin Industrial Park, Daqiuzhuang — China’s largest steel processing hub — with rolling-mill supply agreements, CNC cutting and drilling lines, and in-house fabrication and galvanizing capacity.

• Factory-direct pricing — no middleman margin, typically 15–35% below regional resellers.
• Certified quality — ISO 9001:2015, ISO 3834-2, EN 1090 EXC3/EXC4, AWS D1.1; EN 10204 3.1 certificates on every heat.
• Annual capacity of 100,000+ tonnes — standard beams ship in 1–2 weeks; fabricated beams in 3–4 weeks.
• One-stop processing — cutting, drilling, coping, end-plates, shot-blasting, primer, or galvanizing.
• Export documentation — invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, EN 10204 3.1 certificates for smooth clearance.

We welcome third-party inspection (SGS/BV/TÜV) at any stage — check our manufacturer verification checklist to see what a serious supplier should provide.

11. How to Order Metric Beams from China

1. Send your beam designations (or drawings), lengths, quantities, grade, and destination port.
2. Receive an itemized FOB or CIF quotation within 24–48 hours.
3. Approve the cutting list and any processing (holes, copes, end-plates).
4. We produce and inspect; third-party inspection optional.
5. We ship FCL, open-top, or break-bulk from Tianjin Port with full documentation.

For project-level buying — beams plus columns, purlins, and bracing — read our procurement guide for importers first.

12. Tolerance, Testing & Packing

Metric beams are rolled to EN 10034 or GB/T 11263 tolerances and tested for yield, tensile, and elongation properties, plus Charpy impact for S355J2. Sections are bundled on timber dunnage, steel-strapped, and tagged with your project and designation. Standard container loads are 24–26 tonnes per 40 ft; jumbo sections ship open-top or break-bulk. Typical transit: 3–4 weeks to the Middle East, 4–6 weeks to Africa, 4–5 weeks to Europe, 3–5 weeks to the Americas — full details in our shipping and installation guide.

13. Metric Beam FAQ

Q: What is a metric beam?
A: A metric beam is a hot-rolled I- or H-section structural beam dimensioned in millimetres — the IPE, HEA/HEB, or GB HN/HM/HW series. It is used as a floor, roof, or crane beam in steel buildings.

Q: What is the difference between IPE and HEB beams?
A: IPE sections have parallel flanges with a depth about twice the width — very efficient for pure bending. HEB sections are wider with thicker flanges and webs, so they carry heavier loads and resist twisting and lateral loads better.

Q: What sizes do metric beams come in?
A: IPE sections run from IPE 80 to IPE 750; HEA/HEB/HEM from 100 to 1000 mm depth; GB H-beams from 100×100 to 900×300 mm. We stock the export range 100×50 to 900×300 mm.

Q: How much does a metric beam cost in 2026?
A: Indicative FOB China prices are USD 590–740 per tonne for S235JR/S275JR, USD 630–790 per tonne for S355, and USD 580–740 per tonne for GB Q235B/Q355B H-beams.

Q: What is the weight of an IPE 300 beam?
A: IPE 300 weighs about 42.2 kg/m, so a 12 m length is roughly 506 kg. Use our weight chart above for container and crane planning.

Q: Which standard are metric beams made to?
A: European beams follow EN 10365 dimensions with EN 10034 tolerances and EN 10025-2 grades; Chinese beams follow GB/T 11263; Japanese-spec beams follow JIS G 3192 with SS400 grade.

Q: Can you supply metric beams with EN 10204 3.1 certificates?
A: Yes — every heat ships with an EN 10204 3.1 mill certificate, and SGS/BV/TÜV verification can be arranged.

Q: Can beams be cut, drilled, and galvanized?
A: Yes. We provide cut-to-length, coping, drilling, end-plate welding, shot-blasting with primer, and hot-dip galvanizing to ISO 1461.

Q: How do I get a metric beam quotation?
A: Email your designations, lengths, quantities, and destination port to paul@sinoeaststeel.com or message us on WhatsApp — you will receive an itemized FOB/CIF quotation within 48 hours.