Most project schedules fail at the hand-offs, not the production line. A custom flexible stone order moves through sample approval, colour development, first-article approval, bulk production, pre-shipment inspection, and sea freight — and each stage has a different clock. If you plan backward from the installation date using only the production lead time, you will miss the sample and inspection windows. This guide gives a backward-planned schedule using the actual lead times: 2–3 days for a standard sample, 7 days for custom colour, 15–20 working days for a first bulk order, 10–15 for a repeat, and 15–45 days at sea depending on the destination.
Which stages belong in a flexible stone schedule?
A flexible stone order has more stages than a commodity purchase because the colour and the first article have to be approved before bulk production. The sequence is: specification and purchase order, sample or colour development, approval, first-article inspection, bulk production, pre-shipment inspection and packing, booking, ocean or air freight, customs clearance, delivery to site, and installation.
Each stage has a different owner. The factory owns sample preparation, colour development, production, and packing. The buyer owns the approval, the deposit, the inspection decision, and the freight booking. The forwarder owns the booking cut-off and the sailing schedule. A schedule that assigns every stage to the factory is not a schedule; it is a hope.
Write the stages down with a start event and an end event. “Sample” is not a duration; “sample approved in writing” is an event. “Production” starts after the deposit and the written approval, not after the PO date. The event-based version is the one you can track.
How long does each stage actually take?
Use the declared lead times, and separate working days from calendar days. The table below is the planning baseline for our standard process; confirm the specific order in the PO because custom patterns and peak seasons can change it.
| Этап | Typical duration | Clock starts when |
|---|---|---|
| Образец стандартного исполнения | 2–3 дня | Sample request and colour/pattern reference confirmed |
| Custom colour development | 7 дней | Pantone or physical colour reference received |
| First-article approval | Buyer’s review time, then written approval | Sample or first article delivered |
| First bulk order | 15–20 рабочих дней | Deposit received and sample/colour approved |
| Повторный заказ | 10–15 рабочих дней | Deposit received and the retained formula/mold confirmed |
| Pre-shipment inspection and packing | Confirm with the supplier; not automatically inside the production lead time | Производство завершено |
| Sea freight to the US | 15–35 days | Vessel departure |
| Sea freight to Europe | 25–45 days | Vessel departure |
| Air freight | 5–7 days | Booking and cargo acceptance |
Two details matter more than the numbers. First, the 15–20 working days for a first bulk order includes mold and colour work; a repeat order on a retained mold and formula is shorter at 10–15 working days. Second, the ocean transit time is port-to-port; it does not include booking cut-off, customs clearance, or inland delivery. Those are separate stages and they can add days at each end.
How do you plan backward from the installation date?
Start with the date the material must be on site, not the date the container should arrive at the port. Then subtract each stage in reverse, using the longest credible duration for the critical ones. A worked sequence looks like this:
- Installation start date: the date the first panel must be on the wall.
- Minus site delivery and unloading: confirm with the contractor; do not assume same-day port-to-site delivery.
- Minus customs clearance: confirm with the broker; a missing document can add days.
- Minus ocean transit: 15–35 days to the US, 25–45 to Europe, measured from vessel departure.
- Minus booking cut-off and inland transport to the port: confirm with the forwarder.
- Minus pre-shipment inspection, packing, and container loading: confirm the window with the supplier.
- Minus bulk production: 15–20 working days for a first order, 10–15 for a repeat.
- Minus first-article review and written approval: set a real deadline for the reviewer.
- Minus custom colour development: 7 days, or 2–3 days for a standard sample.
- Result: the latest PO date and the latest approval date.
If the result is earlier than today, the schedule is already late. The choice is then between compressing a stage (usually by air freight or by splitting the shipment) and moving the installation date. Do not compress the inspection or the cure time to recover a schedule; those are the stages that produce callbacks.
Where do schedules usually slip?
The production line is rarely the cause. The common slips are approval delays, incomplete colour references, first-article rejection, inspection findings, and freight booking.
- Approval delay. The sample arrives, sits on a desk, and the production slot moves. Set a written approval deadline in the PO and treat it as a milestone.
- Colour revision. A Pantone reference is not a physical match. If the client changes the reference after the first sample, the 7-day colour clock restarts.
- First-article rejection. A rejected FAI resets production. The fix is to agree the acceptance criteria before the sample is made, not after it fails.
- Inspection findings. A failed pre-shipment inspection can add a sort, a rework, or a re-inspection. Build a buffer before the booking cut-off.
- Booking and peak season. Space is tighter around major holidays and in the pre-holiday peak. Confirm the cut-off with the forwarder before you fix the installation date.
- Missing documents. A missing certificate of origin or a mismatch between the invoice and the packing list can hold clearance. The document set is part of the schedule.
The pattern is that every slip happens at a hand-off between two parties. Put the hand-off dates in the PO and name the person who owns each one.
How do air freight and sea freight change the plan?
Air freight moves the transit stage from weeks to 5–7 days, but it costs more per kilogram and is usually reserved for samples, small trial orders, or a schedule recovery. A 150 m² trial order can travel by air when the project cannot wait for a container; the freight cost is higher, but the material arrives in time for the installation window.
Sea freight is the default for bulk orders: 15–35 days to the US and 25–45 to Europe, port to port. The trade-off is not only cost; it is the booking cut-off and the sailing frequency. A missed sailing can add a week before the container even leaves. The air freight versus sea freight guide covers the decision in more detail.
Our standard term is FOB Shanghai. Under FOB, the buyer arranges the ocean freight and insurance, so the sailing schedule and the booking cut-off are the buyer’s responsibility. If you are comparing quotes, confirm which Incoterm each quote uses; the ICC Incoterms 2020 rules define where the risk and cost transfer.
What should the purchase order schedule contain?
A schedule clause in the PO is more useful than a delivery date alone. It should state the milestones and the consequence of missing them:
| Milestone | Что указывать |
|---|---|
| Sample/colour approval | The date by which written approval is due, and who approves |
| Deposit | The date the deposit is due; production starts after it clears |
| First article | The date the FAI is submitted and the acceptance criteria |
| Производство завершено | The working-day count from deposit and approval |
| Inspection | The inspection window and the re-inspection rule |
| Latest ship date | The date the container must be on board, not the date it is booked |
| Документы | The document set and the date electronic copies are due |
| Delivery | The Incoterm and the named place |
Payment terms interact with the schedule. Our standard terms are 40% deposit and 60% before shipment or against the bill of lading copy; the exact trigger should be written in the PO so the balance does not become a schedule surprise. The MOQ and order planning guide explains how the order quantity interacts with the production run.
How do you recover when a stage slips?
First, find out which stage slipped and whether it is recoverable. An approval delay can be recovered by an immediate written approval and a production slot rebooking. A colour revision resets the 7-day development and the sample approval. A failed inspection needs a corrective action and a re-inspection date.
Then choose the least damaging recovery: split the shipment so the critical area gets material first, switch the urgent portion to air freight, or resequence the installation so the delayed pattern is installed last. Do not shorten the inspection or the adhesive cure to make a date; those shortcuts show up as defects after handover.
Finally, update the schedule and tell the contractor the same day. A revised date that is communicated early is a planning problem; a revised date discovered at the port is a dispute. For the full container-cost view, see the cost and logistics guides.
Часто задаваемые вопросы
Can production start before the colour is approved?
No. The production clock starts after the deposit and the written colour or sample approval. Starting earlier risks producing a batch that has to be replaced.
Does the 15–20 working days include inspection and packing?
Confirm it in the PO. The production lead time covers manufacturing; inspection, packing, and container loading may be separate. If they are not written down, they are not in the schedule.
How much buffer should I add?
Add buffer at the approvals, at the inspection, and at the port. The exact amount depends on the project and the season; the important thing is that the buffer is visible in the schedule rather than hidden in an optimistic delivery date.
Can I expedite a custom colour order?
Air freight can compress the transit stage, and a priority production slot may be available, but the 7-day colour development and the sample approval still have to happen. Confirm capacity before you promise a date.
What happens if the first article is rejected?
The production clock resets to the corrective action and the new first article. The schedule should have a re-approval milestone, not just an initial approval date.
