Top 10 Office Furniture Manufacturers in China: A Buying Guide

We introduced top 10 home furniture and hotel furniture manufacturers in China  in the past articles.Today I’m gone to write you a definite buying guide about top 10 office furniture manufacturers in China.

When import office furniture for whole sale or retail,it is very import to cooperate with qualified manufacturers.To protect good brand reputation,designs,quality,delivery time,after-sales services are top points.

When decorating your office space, good furniture is one of the key components that will bring your design together.A nice and comfortable office space not only bring high working efficiency,but also make your clients feel good. So if you’re looking for the perfect desks, chairs, or other pieces of furniture for your office, try looking through China’s office furniture market and office furniture manufacturers.

China produces most of the furniture in the world. This is because it produces around 41% of the entire world’s export products. Whether it’s furniture for a home office or you’re deciding on office furniture for your company, China manufacturers can supply what you need.

This guide will explain how to choose the right office furniture manufacturers, where you can get it, and how you can ship your furniture from China.

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Ⅰ、Top 10 Office Furniture Manufacturers in China

1.Aurora Office Furniture Group

1.1 Company Background

In 1965, the AURORA Group was established in Taiwan. This company started out selling office time clocks. With more than 50 years of experience and growth, the company offers all kinds of office supplies that you can use for your office. AURORA runs over 1,500 distribution channels in both Taiwan and Mainland China. In China, AURORA has several related companies- Aurora Office Automation, Aurora Office Furniture, Aurora 3D, Aurora Cloud Merchant, and Aurora Intelligent Equipment.

1.2 Factory Information

In China, you can find AURORA’s main manufacturing base in Jiading Park, Shanghai. Here they’ve established six major centers dedicated to producing office furniture. Their products are exported mainly to North America, Southeast Asia, and Western Europe.

1.3 Key Products

AURORA produces all kinds of products that you can use for your office. These include office automation equipment, communications technology, office cloud services, 3D printers, and other electronics. For office equipment, AURORA offers two main products for you to choose from:

• Office desks
• Office chairs

1.4 Recommend Reason

If you’re decorating your office, AURORA is a good supplier for office furniture. But a good office should be well-equipped too! AURORA can provide you other office services and products that can make your office top-of-the-line in automation and electronics.It is one of the leading office furniture manufacturers in China.

2.Lamex

2.1 Company Background

Being a pioneer in the office furniture market in China and Asia, Lamex aims to deliver quality, value, and service. The company was founded in Hong Kong in 1977 and now has showrooms across China. This includes Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Chongqing. They also have a direct sales office in Singapore and a distribution network that spreads throughout Asia.

2.2 Factory Information

As one of the best office furniture brands,Lamex prides itself on sustainable manufacturing processes that reduce the use of energy and manages its dust and wastewater. Annually, 4,000 tons of their factories’ scrap material is also redirected to recycling plants. It also houses most of its major activities on one site- a state-of-the-art plant, administrative and training functions, as well as warehousing. You can find this headquarters in North Point, Hong Kong

2.3 Key Products

Lamex sorts office furniture products according to use mainly into:

• Seating
• Desking
• Storage
• Panel
• Collaborative
• Accessories

2.4 Recommend Reason

The company categorizes its products in several ways, making it very easy to search for just what you need. Office furniture are sorted based on the type of space or their use. Their products are also easier to find and access because Lamex has over 200 service locations scattered in 20 different countries and continents. You can also be assured of product quality because Lamex is a member of the world’s largest global firms of office furniture manufacturers- HNI.

3. Sunon

3.1 Company Background

The company’s journey started back in 1991 when Ni Lianzheng started a business producing his own home and office furniture. A few years later, they removed the home furniture sector to focus on office furniture. It was by the year 2000 that Zheijang Sunon Furniture Manufacture Co., Ltd. was established. By then, the company ran several factories and a manufacturing base was built in Xiaoshan in 2002. The Sunon Group was established in 2004. Now, Sunon manufactures for IKEA and works with design teams overseas to design new products. You can find Sunon’s showrooms and flagship stores in the Middle East. In Berlin, the company even established its own university and research center for furniture.

3.2 Factory Information

Worldwide, Sunon employs over 3,000 staff. The company utilizes a total of 700,000 square meters over three different manufacturing bases to produce high-quality furniture. Their production lines use advanced automation technology from different European countries like Italy and Germany. You can find Sunon’s products marketed in over 108 countries across Asia, America, and Europe.

3.3 Key Products

At Sunon, you can purchase these key office furniture products:

· Office chairs

· Space divisions

· Tables and desks

· Storage

3.4 Recommend Reason

As a professional office furniture manufacturer in China,Sunon can give you high-quality office furniture and more than that, they offer office furniture solutions as part of their services. So you won’t need to worry if decorating and laying out furniture in an office isn’t your forte. Their office solutions include interior design and space planning so that your furniture can be used to the best effect in your office.

4. Steelcase office group (China)

4.1 Company Background

Steelcase first started in Michigan, USA in 1912 as the Metal Office Furniture Company. Their first patent was for metal wastebaskets which replaced the traditional wastebaskets made of wicker. By 1919, the company grew its dealer network nationwide and produced furniture products like desks and cabinets. The company was officially known as Steelcase Inc. in 1954 and provided furniture for Sears Tower in Chicago- more than 400 truckloads full. The company continues to aim to innovate and transform the workplace environment.

4.2 Factory Information

Globally, Steelcase furniture group has around 12,700 employees and more than 800 dealers. In China, the company’s main showrooms are located in Shanghai and Beijing. The company also has dealers across China, including Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Qingdao, and many more.

4.3 Key Products

Steelcase has a wide variety of products to choose from when you’re looking for office furniture. These include:

• Seating
• Desks and tables
• Storage
• Technology
• Space division
• Accessories like office décor, lighting, and others

4.4 Recommend Reason

Steelcase assures product quality and innovation as they work with several popular companies across Europe and America like West Elm, Microsoft, and Mattiazzi. When you’ve selected and finished decorating your office with the furniture you’ve purchased from Steelcase, they can provide services for your business too. These extra services include workplace surveys, financial services, performance management, and others. These can help you manage your office system and the business itself, not just the physical look of your office.

5. NOVO Workstyle China

5.1 Company Background

UB Office Systems Inc. was established in Taiwan in 1973. Allied with Japanese Company, Itoki Corporation from Japan which was founded in 1890, they established a new business headquarters in China. This new company was formed by buying a former office chair manufacturer, Shanghai Albest Furniture Co., Ltd. The new company is called NOVO Workstyle, which deals with the manufacturing of office furniture.

5.2 Factory Information

NOVO Workstyle has its China-based headquarters and factory in Tai Cang City, Jiangsu Province. Here, it covers an area of around 52,000 square meters and is ISO9001 and ISO 14001 certified. They are also recognized as a level-III safety enterprise. NOVO Workstyle has several other offices in Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai.

5.3 Key Products

Though a relatively new company, NOVO workstyle offers the following key office furniture products:

• Executive desks
• Workstation benches
• Office chairs
• Collaborative space furniture (desks and seating)
• Storage furniture

5.4 Recommend Reason

As one of the high end office furniture manufacturers,though NOVO Workstyle’s products are not as numerous as most other companies, this is also an advantage. You won’t be overwhelmed when making decisions regarding what furniture to choose for your office. The furniture that they do feature are designed to fit different styles from classical to modern. Therefore, it can fit what sense of style you want your work environment to convey.

6. Quama

6.1 Company Background

Under the brand name Quama Furniture, Guangzhou Zhisheng Quama Furniture Co., Ltd. was founded in 1993. With its headquarters in Guangzhou,Guangdong, China, they produce and export furniture. Aside from having its own R & D and designing their own furniture, their services also include global sales and after-sales. They operate over 30 marketing outlets across China and also sell their products overseas in countries like Japan, the Middle East, Germany, and the US.

6.2 Factory Information

Currently, Quama Furniture has more than 3,000 employees working in their production bases stationed in Foshan and Guangzhou. These factories cover an area of over 500,000 square meters in total. The company has a yearly production capacity over 1 billion yuan.

6.3 Key Products

Quama furniture designs and produces hotel and villa furniture aside from office furniture. For office furniture, they sell their products according to the type of office space where they will be used. Their office furniture includes:

• Office desks and tables
• Office and swivel chairs
• Luxury sofas
• Working units for employees (independent, combined, and screened)
• Storage (eg. Cabinets and shelving)
• Hotel furniture

6.4 Recommend Reason

As one of the top office furniture manufacturers in Guangzhou,Quama Furniture offers space solutions that can fit different setups of an office. This means that their furniture can suit your specific style and layout for your workspace. Their office space solutions include industrial style, modern style, and even a loft-style for your office. On the other hand,Quama company produce hotel furniture,too.This was mentioned on our other article,as below.

Related article:Top 10 Hotel Furniture Manufacturers in China: The Definite Guide

7. Victory

7.1 Company Background

Victory has spent almost three decades providing high-quality office furniture since it was founded in 1990 in Guangzhou. Aside from providing well-designed office furniture, the company aims to provide you with a full solution when it comes to creating a work environment. Victory’s services include analyzing your work process, interior design, delivery, as well as installation.

7.2 Factory Information

Victory’s product manufacturing bases are certified ISO9001 and ISO14001, which means that quality and environmental management systems are effective and efficient. Their products are also certified by BIFMA- meaning that Victory’s products can stand the wear and tear of over eight hours use daily. Victory exports its products worldwide to over 70 countries.

7.3 Key Products

Victory can offer you the choice of office furniture different styles in different materials. Their key products include:

• Desks/ Benching
• Paneling
• Administrative space furniture (seating and desks)
• Conference/ Training space furniture (tables and seating)
• Collaborative Space furniture (desks, seating, and couches)
• Storage furniture
• Office Panels/ Space dividers

7.4 Recommend Reason

Victory’s site offers a way for you to filter their products by color, material, and type of space where it will be used. This is very convenient for you and will make it very easy to pick and choose exactly what furniture you want for your space. Victory produces their products in sets as well, so you can purchase groups of furniture for a room that all have the same style. This makes it easy to decorate your office in a cohesive design or style.Victory is not only commercial office furniture manufacturer,but also a company does a lot of good to the public.

8. Posh

8.1 Company Background

In 1992, POSH Office Systems (Hong Kong) Ltd. was established. POSH was acquired by Herman Miller and became a certified Herman Miller Company two decades later in 2012. The company specializes in providing furniture solutions for different fields- education, government, commercial, and healthcare environments. The company created the Living Office concept so that customers like you can create workspaces that can inspire and are comfortable to work in. The Living Office concept also has the goal of creating workspaces that support employees’ activities.

8.2 Factory Information

In 2010, POSH had yearly revenues of around $50 million- and that was ten years ago! They have more than 1,200 employees that work in different departments including design, engineering, and manufacturing. The company’s manufacturing operations are based in Dongguan, China. POSH has five major showrooms you can visit in China, but the largest one you can go to is in Hong Kong.

8.3 Key Products

POSH’s key product is mainly office chairs. But they also offer Herman Miller products which cover a wider range of office furniture:

• Storage (cabinets and drawers)
• Seating (swivel chairs, individual chairs, sofas, stools)
• Accessories (eg. Lamps, organizers, power access, screen mounts, etc.)
• Tables
• Desks and Workspaces
• Nurse’s station tables and seating

8.4 Recommend Reason

POSH has chairs as the most variety of office seating, so this is a good company to check if for your seating furniture. Because this company values the comfort and support of employees in the workplace, comfort and quality of their furniture are assured. This is a good priority for an office furniture company to have. After all, if your employees are comfortable and enjoy working in your office, they will be happier and will likely work much better.

9. Saosen

9.1 Company Background

SAOSEN was established in 1996 and was acknowledged worldwide because of its workmanship and wood veneer coating. SAOSEN has worked with Lino Codato, an Italian furniture designer, since 2005. It is also a licensed agent for well-known European brands. Aside from exporting its products to over 30 different countries, SAOSEN has received various design awards. The company is known as the pioneer in Asia to introduce powder coating on MDF, a green coating technology.

9.2 Factory Information

Equipped with advanced machinery from Italy, Switzerland, and Germany, SAOSEN’s main factory is located in Dongguan, China. This furniture manufacturer is the first to receive the China Green Star for product recognition. Their factory covers an area of around 150,000 square meters.

9.3 Key Products

SAOSEN offers the usual office furniture categories including desks and tables, seating, and workspace storage, but its featured products are:

• Conference and Meeting tables
• Fashion sofas
• Manager desks
• Executive tables/ desks

9.4 Recommend Reason

SAOSEN has many projects under its belt, designing for various spaces and well-known companies in the finance, commercial, IT, and educational sectors. This assures you that SAOSEN’s products have been tried and tested for their quality. If you want a warm atmosphere in a workplace that simulates the use of wood, SAOSEN is a good choice, recognized for its wood veneer coating.

10. Kinwai

10.1 Company Background

For almost three decades, the Kinwai Group has worked with commercial and residential real estate, as well as furniture manufacture. Established in 1993, the company’s mission is to help people create a better living space through the construction industry and furniture industry. One part of the company, Kinwai Commercial Furniture Domestic Branches, focuses on the manufacture and sale of commercial and office furniture. Kinwai Commercial Furniture aims to create an office space that provides efficient business environments.

10.2 Factory Information

Kinwai’s manufacturing base can be found in Jiangmen, Guangdong. Their factory covers an area of around 500,000 square meters. This includes their R&D building, as well as the Mollusk Production base that produces flat panel and upholstered furniture. They also have certifications for their quality management system and environment-friendly manufacturing.

10.3 Key Products

If you want a supplier that sells more office furniture options that are suited for a more personal home office or study, choose Kinwai. These include:

• Desks/ tables
• Seating
• Storage/ shelving & drawers

10.4 Recommend Reason

Kinwai can offer you a good supplier for your home office, especially because its furniture sets are mostly finished with wood. Wood can give your personal workspace a warm atmosphere because of this. Their office furniture products look classic and traditional or sleek and modern.By the way,Kinwai produces modern home furniture,too.

Ⅱ、Three Recommended Office Furniture Manufacturers in China

1. Dious-A big office furniture manufacturing company with more than 10 brands

1.1 Company Background

Guangdong Dious Furniture Industrial Co., Ltd. was founded in 1997 in Nanchang, Jiangxi. After eight years of selling office furniture through their own stores in Nanchang, the company moved to Zhongshan, Guangdong. Dious now aims to sell mid to high market customers and specialize in commercial furniture. Currently, you can find over 500 franchise stores of Dious furniture across China. Dious also has a branch office located in California, America.

1.2 Factory Information

Dious has over 4,000 workers employed across its 14 different manufacturing bases. The company has a strong R&D department for their furniture, having more than 50 designers. They are certified for their environmental management system and meet the standards for quality management systems. Dious is also certified for its occupational health and safety management.

1.3 Key Products

Dious can provide you with office furniture of different materials. This includes:

• Melamine office furniture
• Veneer office furniture
• Office chairs (leather or mesh)
• Office sofas (traditional or modern sets)
• Partitions
• Filing cabinets
• Hotel furniture
• Medical furniture

1.4 Recommend Reason

If you are on a bit of a budget for your office furniture, Dious is a good choice. Their office furniture products come in melamine and veneer, which can be cheaper, but still look very sleek and elegant. If you want to splurge a little bit, you have the option to go for their solid wood sets.

Dious Office Furniture Company Introduction

2. Jiulong Yousheng –High quality office furniture company but with affordable prices

2.1 Company Background

Jiulong Yousheng Office Furniture Co., Ltd. was founded in the year 2000. Since it was established, the company has focused on designing and creating humanized furniture that supports and efficient work environment. Jiulong aims to provide you with service that starts even before you buy your furniture until after you’ve made your purchase. This is why the company has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Henan, Hebei, Hubei, Sichuan, Suzhou, Yunnan, Shanxi, and Liaoning.

2.2 Factory Information

Jiulong is based in Foshan, Guangdong. They are certified with ISO 9001, this means that they have passed the international standards for a quality management system. Jiulong is also certified for their environmental management systems. Around 500 people are employed in the company to manufacture their products. Jiulong’s mainly markets domestically, to the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

2.2.3 Key Products

Though Jiulong has a smaller range of products, they are well-designed and sleek. These include:

• Leather and net swivel chairs
• Office sofa sets (including coffee tables)
• Executive/ Manager’s office sets (desks with matching chairs and cabinets/shelves)

2.2.4 Recommend Reason

With its smaller range of products, it’s easier for you to pick and choose what you want. That also means that Jiulong’s office supplies are produced in a larger number without sacrificing quality. Their prices are quite competitive and quality is satisfying.If you would like to buy office furniture for your projects or for wholesale,I think this company is worth cooperating.

Jiulong Yousheng Office Furniture Company Introduction

3. Juou Office Furniture Company (Foshan)

3.1 Company Background

Founded in 2003, Foshan Juou Furniture Co., Ltd. is an industrial company that does R&D, production, sales, trade, and export of modern office furniture. They also manufacture furniture for schools and hotels. Juou focuses on providing you with office furniture suitable for large-scale businesses. The company’s motto is, “Creating customers, serving the society, and happy employees.”

3.2 Factory Information

Aside from having strong R&D, Juou has a factory that covers around 20,000 square meters. The machinery used for the production of their furniture is of high quality from Germany and Italy. Approximately 200 well-trained technical staff are employed by Juou furniture.

3.3 Key Products

Juou prides itself on being able to provide you with a wide range of office furniture products for you to choose from. These include:

• Executive/ Manager desks
• Front desks
• Staff desks
• Conference tables
• Space dividers
• Public space furniture
• Sofas
• Seating
• Swivel chairs

3.4 Recommend Reason

Juou has an impressive catalog of differently designed swivel chairs that come in different colors and materials. If you are a person particular about seating, Juou is a good company to check out. Seating can be a very important aspect of your office furniture because this is what most employees will use the whole day at work. A happy and comfortable work chair means more productivity.

Welcome to contact us if you have any difficulty in communicating with the suppliers.We will recommend more good furniture manufacturers according to our past experience cooperating with them.

Juou Office Furniture Company Introduction

Ⅲ、Where can you find Office Furniture Suppliers and Manufacturers?

1. Alibaba

Alibaba can provide you with security for your furniture purchases because you can check which suppliers have been verified. This means that the supplier’s facilities and products been inspected on-site by both Alibaba and a third-party inspection company.The website also gives you important information that you need on each supplier:

• Overview of the Company
• Main products offered
• Number of years in the business
• Transaction levels
• Total Revenue
• Top 3 Markets (countries/ regions that buy from that supplier)
• Production Capacity
• Certifications
• Quality Control
• R&D Capacity
• Trade Capacity
• Business performance

Once you’ve chosen your supplier, you can easily contact them through Alibaba as well through the site’s messaging feature.We can’t deny that there are many good suppliers on alibaba.However,please identify the suppliers before you cooperate.As some of our clients complaint,some sellers are not factories but their websites showing they are.Sometimes they are only one-person company.

2. Attend Furniture Fairs (CIFF)

• Home furniture
• Commercial furniture
• Hotel furniture
• Office furniture
• Furniture machinery
• Décor and textiles
• Raw materials

This fair happens twice a year, in the spring and the fall.Normally it is held on March in Guangzhou and on September in Shanghai. The CIFF will cover around 400,000 square meters and will showcase over a thousand different furniture brands for you to choose from.

Here is the fair website:https://www.ciff-gz.com/en

By the way,you can attend Canton Fair,too.We talked about this topic many times.Here we don’t repeat again.

Related article:How to Buy and Import Furniture from China: A Complete Guide

3. Furniture Markets

There will be many competitive sellers in furniture markets for you to choose from. Getting your furniture here will mean that you will definitely be able to find something that suits what you need, and at a lower price too. Furniture markets will offer you not just popular brands, but also local furniture, that can have their own unique elegance and style.

Some of the most popular furniture markets are located:

• Guangzhou
  • Jin Hai Ma Furniture Market
  • Pazhou JSWB Furniture Market
  • Dashi Furniture Center
• Foshan
  • Louvre Furniture Mall
  • Sunlink Furniture Market (North and South)
  • Red Star Macalline Brand Furniture Exhibition and Wholesale Center
  • Tuanyi International Furniture City

4. Find a Furniture Sourcing Company

Not sure how to start the process of purchasing your office furniture from China? Finding yourself a furniture sourcing agent can be a great help. They can save you a lot of money, stress, and time. How so?

• They manage your communications

When you’re a foreigner, it’s easy to have miscommunication with your suppliers in China, especially if you don’t speak their language. Being clear and well understood when making your order will make sure that your purchase goes smoothly.

• They can be your eyes and ears in China

When you’re in another country, it’s hard to make informed decisions because you won’t be able to check for facts personally. Your China furniture sourcing agent can gather important information from different manufacturers and suppliers to help you make your decisions. They can be an invaluable business partner. Because they are locals, they’re familiar with the Chinese furniture markets and can give you “insider information” and tricks of the trade. That includes negotiating with manufacturers to get a lower cost on your furniture.

• They can keep track of the purchasing process from start to finish

Furniture sourcing agents can help you pick the supplier, negotiate with prices, make sure the right products are purchased, and keep an eye on the delivery. They can update you on your furniture purchase and can keep you from unnecessary worrying. Your furniture sourcing agent can check that your purchase fits your requirements.

5. Factory Showrooms

Factory showrooms are where you can find a office furniture manufacturer’s products fresh from the factory. They can show their newest products and even the not so popular furniture pieces that may be very hard to find in dealer or branch stores.

Here are the advantages you can get from getting your office furniture needs from factory showrooms:

• Prices are lower       

Because furniture pieces are delivered here straight from the factory, there are no extra charges for shipping, supplier’s commission fees, or a bump in prices that other stores may add because they supply the furniture second-hand.

• Promotions and sales

Factory showrooms are dedicated especially to the manufacturer’s products and brands. This means that the chance that you can find your office furniture on sale, or promotion for certain products or sets more often.

• Product availability  

All the available products of a specific manufacturer are mostly displayed in their showrooms. So it’s more likely that you’ll find office furniture available in a wider range of colors, sizes, materials, etc. Unlike your regular furniture retail store, a factory outlet will have furniture even from previous seasons. They’re also likely to have even harder to find or less popular products that you want.

Ⅳ、How to negotiate with Office Furniture Manufacturers？

Are you on a budget for purchasing your office furniture? Do you want to save money on your purchases? Don’t forget to negotiate with the furniture manufacturer/ supplier. Aside from outright asking for a discount, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

If the product price itself is not something you can have discounted, you can save in other ways. Maybe you can get a lower downpayment price? If you purchase in bulk, you can likely get a discount. You can also try asking for improvements on your warranty too.

You never know who has the best price for the quality. The furniture market industry is competitive. So if you tell one supplier that you’ll go to the manufacturer that offers the best price, they will likely try to match prices.

If it’s possible, you can try offering a deposit of 50%-60% on your purchase. If a supplier gets the assurance of a bigger upfront payment, they are more likely to offer you a larger discount as well.

Never go for the first offer when it comes to the price. Ask for a better price or try making a counteroffer.

If it’s possible, you can try offering a deposit of 50%-60% on your purchase. If a supplier gets the assurance of a bigger upfront payment, they are more likely to offer you a larger discount as well.

If you see that a supplier is reliable, you can show them that you can be a source of business for a long time or for big orders. Making this transition to one supplier can gain you special discounts and other perks. Remember to contact your supplier and talking about this first before making the transition.

Don’t be a problem customer. Keeping a good relationship with your supplier is vital. They won’t want to work with you if you haggle over every penny.Offer a reasonable bargain and keep communication open, and be respectful!

Ⅴ、How to Inspect Furniture Quality?

You may have an idea of the office furniture you want. Maybe a chair or desk may look perfect, but are you sure about its quality? Here are some things that you should check before making your purchasing decisions:

The most straight forward type of inspection for your furniture. Here are things to look for:

• Discoloration
• Scratches and other physical damage
• Symmetrical quality
• Dimensions
• Inadequate finishing
• Warping (especially if the product is made of wood)

• Drop test
• Assembly test
• Stability tests
• Endurance tests/ Load tests
• Wheels function tests
• Weight

When you make your furniture purchase choice, you need to make sure it’s packaged well so it gets delivered safely.

• Protection against abrasions
• Shipping climate controls

Tips:Some furniture suppliers would use bad quality materials in order to save costs.Be careful when buying.It is better to hire a local professional furniture sourcing company to do the quality check during production and after production.

Ⅵ、Shipping Furniture from China

You’ve chosen your office furniture and from which supplier to get it. After making a deposit, it’s time to send your furniture from China to your country. But how exactly do you proceed with shipping? Here are some things you need to take note of:

Some countries have regulations on certain materials, like wood, so be sure to look up your local regulations before deciding on what furniture you’ll purchase from China.

This refers to things like the weight of your office chairs, or the dimensions of the manager’s desk you want. Ocean freight is the one cost-effective way to get your office furniture delivered from China to your country. There will be two ways to do it:

• Full Container Load (FCL)
• Less than Container Load (LCL)

Knowing your furniture specs like dimensions and weight will let you know how much you can load into a container.If you just buy small quantity furniture,I think you save not too much because you have to pay the shipping charge and importing charge.Therefore,buying full container could be a better choice,not only office furniture,but office supplies and any other legal products.

This is essential because you won’t be able to return office furniture if something is damaged. You can’t get a refund either.

Look for the nearest port of arrival. This can save you extra shipping costs from the port to your warehouse. Also, make sure to keep the schedule of arrival in mind. Stocking your purchases for a period of time before they can be delivered to your warehouse can cost extra fees.

When you ship your furniture from China, you won’t just pay the shipping fee. There are other fees like processing fees, insurance, customs fees, transportation from port to warehouse, and others. You can ask your sourcing agent about these, but be sure to check on your local fees as well.

Ⅶ、Dealing with Product Quality Problems when you buy Furniture from China

Buying furniture is an investment because it will dictate how your business looks and even how it functions. So when you buy furniture from China, which can be notaries for quality problems, how do you deal with these? Here are some tips:

Make sure you get a good supplier. Check their certifications and past business transactions. Were their previous customers satisfied? Do as much research as you can to make an informed decision about your supplier choice.

Making your purchases under a contract helps protect you from quality issues. Suppliers are encouraged not to produce products that won’t meet your standards/ requirements as stated in a contract.

Not everyone has the time or the money to fly to China themselves to do an on-site inspection of the manufacturer’s factories, facilities, or products. A quality inspecting agent can do that for you. Make sure to get one that is familiar with the product you’re purchasing.Make sure to have inspections done before your product is shipped out. This way, problems with quality can still be solved while they can. Once your office furniture is shipped, and you only see quality problems once they’ve arrived in your country, there won’t be much you can do about it. This is especially costly if it’s a mass quality problem with a big order.

Doing this will encourage your supplier to make good on your standards and requirements and will help ensure product quality.

Ⅷ、Separating Furniture Manufacturers from Trading Companies

Do you want to purchase your office furniture straight from a “manufacturer” or a “trading company”? First, we need to differentiate the two.

Manufacturers are the ones responsible for and focused on making your products from raw materials. Trading companies, on the other hand, work as a middle man that connects buyers and sellers. Trading companies aren’t involved with the production process but are affiliated with one specific manufacturer or several factories.

When searching the net, you’ll find that many companies selling the products you want are actually trading companies and not the actual manufacturer. So how can you tell if the company you’re dealing with is the manufacturer or a trading company?

Legitimate companies in China will always have a business license. Request a readable photo of the license. Using Google Translate, check the business scope. If you’re working with a factory, they’ll be clearly indicated as a “manufacturer”.

Usually, manufacturers will focus on producing one product type because having a lot of different components can mean a high cost of machinery. Trading companies will have a very wide variety of products because they are likely connected with several factories to provide a “one-stop-shop” kind of experience.

Trading companies usually have more easily memorable, catchy, or recognizable names. This is because they want to be more marketable overseas to grow their client base. Manufacturers are focused on making products. Usually, you’ll find that manufacturers have the name of their location in the name, for example – “Foshan Office Furniture Manufacturing Company”. A trade company might have a name such as – “Workspace Furniture Trading Company.”

Try using Google maps to check the location of the address of the company. If it’s located in the middle of a metropolitan city like Shanghai or Shenzen, that’s not the actual manufacturing location. Though manufacturers also can have city-based sales offices, usually, a little research can reveal if that office is not actually related to the manufacturing company.

Again, manufacturers are focused on making products. So making their website sleek and easy to use, or all in English isn’t much of a priority. Trading companies have appealing websites. Manufacturers in China, even some of the largest ones, have very basic websites.

Technical questions like “What equipment do you use for measuring a specific feature?”, about their testing processes, something only experienced or specialized technical staff would know. If it takes a while for the company to give you an answer, maybe more than a few hours, it’s likely that they’re not the actual manufacturer.

Working with a manufacturer can be very beneficial for bulk orders of one type of product. It’s also more likely that you can talk to a manufacturer about custom products or special adjustments. If you’re more focused on customer services and relations and a wider range of products, a trading company would be more suitable for you.

Ⅸ、Other supplies for your office that you can buy from China

You have your furniture, but that’s not the only thing that you’ll need for your office. When it comes to manufacturing power, China is on the top of the list. They can offer you other supplies for your office like:

• Office logo signs
• Storage furniture – eg. Cupboards, lockers, drawers
• Specialized furniture – eg. Reception desks, coffee bars
• Construction materials – eg. Ceramic tiles, sanitary ware, doors and windows, glass partitions, lighting
• Office supplies – eg. Stationery (paper, ink, pens, clips, etc.), desk organizers/ accessories
• Office equipment – eg. Printers, photocopy machines, shredders, TV screens/ monitors, conference room equipment, etc.

Summary

All in all, China is a good choice to purchase your office furniture. You can get very good quality office furniture from the right supplier. Many regions in China can make high-quality furniture because they have good access to raw materials. Just make sure to do your research! It will save you a lot of stress and problems. For smaller orders, you can shop online or work with a furniture trading company. If you need your office furniture for bigger projects, it’s advisable to get a sourcing agent and to work with manufacturers for lower prices.

Remember, shipping is important too. Check the quality of your furniture before it gets shipped and take note of other fees like customs, processing, etc.

You can also get all kinds of office supplies from China, not just office furniture.

Now that you know what to do, you can set off on your office project or venture with more confidence.

Good luck!