Office furniture prices per 40HQ container are the first thing wholesalers, distributors and fit-out contractors check before importing from China. Short answer: a 40HQ container holds goods worth USD 11,400–30,500 (FOB) — or USD 14,400–35,700 delivered to a Jakarta warehouse including freight, insurance, tax and handling. The exact figure depends on the product type and how densely the container is packed. This guide breaks down simulations per scenario, the cost components, the ACFTA Form E route that brings import duty to 0%, and a first mixed-container composition.
Simulated price of one 40HQ container by product type
Two factors decide the price of a container: value per unit and how many units fit. Compact products such as staff desks keep goods value lower but unit counts high; executive desks and workstations carry higher value but take up more volume. The table combines both, using loading figures from our 20ft & 40HQ container capacity guide:
| 40HQ container contents | Units | FOB per unit | FOB value per container | Estimated landed cost, Jakarta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1200 mm staff desks | 300–345 | USD 38–52 | ~USD 11,400–18,000 | ~USD 14,400–22,800 |
| L-shape executive desks | 88–105 | USD 180–260 | ~USD 15,800–27,300 | ~USD 18,000–31,500 |
| 4-person workstations | 82–105 | USD 210–290 | ~USD 17,200–30,500 | ~USD 20,100–35,700 |
| Mixed container (example: 150 staff desks + 15 executive + 10 workstations + 30 cabinets) | 205 | — | ~USD 12,300–17,300 | ~USD 16,400–23,900 |
The landed estimates above include freight, insurance, 11% VAT, 2.5% PPh 22 income tax, THC and trucking — with 0% import duty under Form E. As an illustration, at the early-October 2026 rate of ~Rp 17,900/USD a staff-desk container lands in Jakarta at about Rp 258–408 million, or ~Rp 860k–1.18 million per unit — well below local wholesale prices. Series such as the BG-2605 staff desk and the BG-24826W modular workstation ship knock-down to keep these loading figures consistent.
Cost components from FOB to a Jakarta warehouse
Beyond the goods value, seven components make up a container's final invoice. These are the 2026 ranges you will see in a CIF-to-warehouse quotation:
| Component | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 40HQ sea freight (South China → Tanjung Priok) | USD 1,200–2,800 | Fluctuates with season and carrier |
| Shipping insurance | ~0.3–0.5% of CIF | Standard for commercial shipments |
| Import duty (ACFTA Form E) | 0% | Without Form E, MFN rates up to ~15% apply |
| Import VAT | 11% × CIF | Paid when the goods are cleared |
| PPh Pasal 22 | 2.5% × CIF | Creditable against annual tax |
| THC, DO & documents | ~USD 350–450 | Tanjung Priok clearance package |
| Trucking + unloading | ~USD 400–700 | Depends on warehouse location (Jabodetabek) |
Quick rule: budget 18–30% on top of the FOB value for everything outside the goods themselves. VAT and income tax cannot be removed — they are domestic taxes — while import duty is the biggest component that can be brought to zero. A step-by-step calculation example is in our guide to calculating landed import cost.
Form E ACFTA: the key to 0% import duty
Many would-be importers believe office furniture from China cannot get 0% import duty because it supposedly fails the ACFTA rules of origin. That belief is wrong:
- Myth: “Office desks from China always pay 5–15% import duty.”
- Fact: Office furniture (HS 9403) produced in China and meeting ACFTA origin rules gets the 0% preferential tariff when a Form E Certificate of Origin issued by the Chinese authorities is presented.
For Form E to be accepted at Tanjung Priok: have it validated before the vessel departs, keep the data consistent across Form E, invoice, packing list and B/L, and describe the goods clearly. Import VAT of 11% and PPh 22 of 2.5% still apply — Form E only removes import duty. Full procedure in our ACFTA Form E guide.
Example: a wholesaler's first mixed container
For a first purchase, a mixed container is usually safer than a single product line: capital is spread, fast-selling goods support cash flow, and the container still ships almost full. Example knock-down composition for a 40HQ:
| Product | Quantity | KD volume (CBM) |
|---|---|---|
| 1200 × 600 mm staff desks | 150 units | 27–33 (0.18–0.22/unit) |
| L-shape executive desks | 15 units | 9–12 (0.60–0.75/unit) |
| 4-person workstations | 10 units | 6–8 (0.60–0.80/unit) |
| 2–4 door filing cabinets | 30 units | 9–12 (0.30–0.40/unit) |
| Total | 205 units | 51–65 CBM (40HQ practical capacity: 64–68 CBM) |
The FOB value of this example is ~USD 12,300–17,300 and the landed cost ~USD 16,400–23,900. For margin reference: staff desks like these typically wholesale/retail at USD 95–140 per unit (40–55% gross margin) per our wholesale & distributor guide. The composition can be tuned to your market — everything combined in one mixed container without heavy minimums per model.
Five ways to lower the price per unit
- Fill the container. Freight is charged per container, not per unit — the denser the load, the cheaper each unit ships.
- Mix fast sellers with high-margin lines. Staff desks keep capital turning; executive desks raise the margin per transaction.
- Choose knock-down (KD) packing. Far less volume than assembled units, so more pieces fit per container — see the KD packing guide.
- Consolidate into one PO. Document, clearance and trucking costs appear once per shipment, not once per item.
- Compare FOB and CIF together. Ask for both in one quotation, then run the full landed cost before deciding.
Verifiable company facts
- Legal name: Foshan BG Office Furniture Co., Ltd. — 佛山市毕戈家具有限公司 (USCC 91440606MA4UKCYD6A)
- Founded: 2015, Lecong, Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong, China
- Facilities: 10,000 m² workshop, 2,000 m² showroom, ISO 9001 certified
- Export capacity: 300+ containers per year to 50+ countries, including regular shipments to Indonesia
- Services: OEM / ODM, mixed containers, knock-down packing, E0 standard panel material
- Lead time: 25–35 working days for catalogue models
- Contact: sales001@fsbige.com · Tel/WeChat +86-18928562556 · contact page
FAQ: container prices & Form E
How much does one 40HQ container of office furniture from China cost? Goods value runs about USD 11,400–30,500 (FOB) depending on contents; after freight, insurance, VAT and income tax the landed total is about USD 14,400–35,700. A full staff-desk container starts at roughly USD 14,400 delivered to Jakarta.
Is import duty on office furniture from China really 0%? Yes, with an ACFTA Form E certificate of origin for products meeting the origin rules. Import duty becomes 0%, while 11% import VAT and 2.5% PPh 22 still apply.
Is a single product line or a mixed container more economical? For a first container, mixed is safer: capital is spread, fast sellers protect cash flow, and the container still ships nearly full as in the simulation above.
Planning your first or next container? Send your product list, quantities and budget target via the contact page, email sales001@fsbige.com, or Tel/WeChat +86-18928562556. The BG team replies with FOB/CIF pricing and a loading simulation within one working day. The full catalogue is on the products page.