Shipping and lead times
How goods leave our works, what it costs, and when it actually arrives.
This page explains how we ship and what determines the date on your order confirmation. Anything on this page can be replaced by what is written in a signed contract or proforma invoice — that document wins.
Incoterms
We quote EXW by default and can quote FOB, CIF, CIP or DAP on request (Incoterms 2020). Tell us the destination port or the delivery address and we will put the term and the cost in the quotation, not after you have ordered. Duties and import taxes at destination are the buyer's, unless the quotation says DDP in writing.
Lead time
Lead time starts when the deposit clears and the specification is frozen — not when the enquiry arrives. Stock items ship faster than made-to-order; a changed colour, print, thread or certification class changes the compound or the tooling, and therefore the date. The lead time on each product page is the normal range for a standard configuration; the one on your order confirmation is the one we are bound by.
Freight
Sea freight is the default for full pallets and above. Air and express are available for samples and urgent top-ups and are quoted per shipment, because the rate moves weekly. We will tell you the chargeable weight and the volumetric weight, so you can see which one you are paying for.
Documents
Every consignment travels with a commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading or air waybill. Certificate of origin, fumigation certificate, mill/test certificates and any inspection report you need are prepared on request — ask at order stage, because some of them take days and cannot be issued after the goods have left.
Damage in transit
Check the outer packaging before you sign the carrier's receipt. If a package is crushed, wet or short, note it on the receipt and photograph it before opening. A clean signature makes a transit claim very hard to win, for us as well as for you.