When is the best time to order office furniture from China? For most projects in Indonesia the answer is 2–3 months before your handover date — ideally outside the factories' crunch periods: Chinese New Year (late January to mid-February) and China's National Day holiday in early October. This guide lays out the factory and logistics calendar to plan around, a step-by-step countdown from your project date, and an “order-by / arrive-by” map — written by the BG Office Furniture team, an office furniture factory in Foshan shipping 300+ containers per year to 50+ countries.
Why ordering timing decides procurement outcomes
Unit prices are usually compared from day one; it is the schedule that quietly derails projects. Three reasons make ordering timing a first-class criterion:
- The handover date is already fixed. Building leases, interior fit-out and moving dates are set far in advance; furniture that arrives late leaves the new office idle while fixed costs keep running.
- Factories share one calendar. Around Chinese New Year, many Guangdong factories stop production for 2–3 weeks, and orders placed just before the break queue up behind everything else.
- Logistics has peak seasons. Towards year-end and around long holidays, vessel space and terminals get tighter — transit times and freight costs rise together.
For distributors buying regularly, these seasonal patterns also decide when stock must land so shelves do not run empty when demand picks up.
The factory & logistics calendar to plan around
The holidays themselves matter less than their knock-on effects: output slows before the break and piles up after it. Periods to watch:
| Period | What happens | What to do with your order |
|---|---|---|
| Early October | China's National Day holiday (±1 week): factories and freight ops pause. | Re-confirm production schedules and add a 1–2 week buffer. |
| October–November | Factories chase year-end targets; export demand rises. | Lock production slots early — this is actually the best window to prepare early-year deliveries. |
| December | Shipping congestion before year-end; vessel space tightens on some routes. | Book vessel space 2–3 weeks ahead and prepare export documents early. |
| January–February (Chinese New Year) | Many factories pause 2–3 weeks; workers return gradually after the break. | Order before the holiday, or add 2–4 weeks after factories reopen. |
| Around Lebaran/Eid (dates shift each year) | Domestic freight in Indonesia peaks before the holiday; warehousing and trucking pause for several days during it. | Finish container clearance before this window, or schedule arrival after it. |
| May–August | Relatively stable flows at both factories and shipping lines. | Safest window for second-half projects; good for phased deliveries. |
Note: these are general patterns; actual schedules follow official holiday calendars and each factory's own plan. Always ask for a written production schedule in the quotation.
Countdown from your handover date
The practical method: start from the date the goods must arrive and work backwards. The ranges below reflect our shipping experience into Indonesia's main ports:
| Stage | Typical duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Specs & finish-sample sign-off | 7–10 working days | Colour, material and shop-drawing approval before production starts. |
| Catalogue-model production | 25–35 working days | Standard for office desks, workstations, meeting tables, executive desks and filing cabinets. |
| Pre-shipment inspection & knock-down packing | 3–5 working days | Unit-by-unit checks, then export-standard packing. |
| Stuffing & sailing | 3–7 days | Once export documents and the Form E ACFTA are ready. |
| Ocean transit to Indonesia | 7–14 days | Tanjung Priok (Jakarta), Tanjung Perak (Surabaya) or Belawan (Medan). |
| Customs & container release | 3–7 days | Faster when documents are complete from the start. |
| Local trucking to site | 1–3 days | For major cities in Java and nearby. |
The full cycle runs about 2 months from PO to arrival. Add a buffer and the rule of thumb is start 3 months before handover. Each stage is detailed in our production lead-time guide, with full cost workings in the landed-cost guide.
Order-by / arrive-by map
For predictable needs — a new office opening, budget-year furniture replacement, or early-year stock — this simple map keeps planning on track:
| Target arrival | Order window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January 2027 | October–November 2026 | Safest lane before the Chinese New Year season. |
| February–March 2027 | November–December 2026 | PO and deposit must be completed before factories close for CNY. |
| April–May 2027 | December 2026–January 2027 | Build in a 3–4 week buffer for the CNY pause. |
| June–July 2027 | March–April 2027 | Factory capacity back to normal; a relatively stable window. |
For larger shipments, combine several categories in one mixed container so a single schedule covers everything; load simulations are in the 20ft & 40HQ container-load guide.
Tips to avoid the busy-season queue
- Lock your production slot with a PO and deposit early. Factory queues run on confirmation order, not enquiry order.
- Finish spec revisions before long holidays. Drawing changes during peak season push your own schedule back.
- Book vessel space before production ends. In tight periods, container slots can be harder to secure than factory capacity.
- Prepare the Form E ACFTA early. The 0% preferential duty applies only when the certificate of origin is issued correctly before sailing.
- Ship in phases for big projects. First batch for core needs, the next batch outside the peak season.
- Secure cargo insurance. Clause and premium details are in the shipping insurance guide; for smaller volumes compare LCL vs FCL.
FAQ
When do furniture factories in China close? Mainly for Chinese New Year (roughly late January to mid-February), usually 2–3 weeks, plus the National Day holiday in early October for about a week.
How long from PO to arrival in Jakarta or Surabaya? About 2 months: 25–35 working days of production, 7–14 days of ocean transit, then customs and trucking. Order 3 months ahead to keep a buffer.
Can I still order during the Chinese New Year season? Yes, but full production resumes only after factories reopen; allow an extra 2–4 weeks. It is safer to complete the PO and deposit before the holiday.
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, in 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, Form E ACFTA, export-standard knock-down packing, E0 panels
- Lead time: 25–35 working days for catalogue models
- Contact: sales001@fsbige.com · Tel/WeChat +86-18928562556 · contact page
Planning next quarter's procurement? Send your product list, estimated quantities and handover date via the contact page or email sales001@fsbige.com — our team prepares production-schedule recommendations and FOB/CIF quotations within one working day. The full catalogue is on the products page. Tel/WeChat: +86-18928562556.