Sofas and office chairs for a furniture importer in the Netherlands
Fabric sectional sofas and leather-upholstered moulded-plywood lounge chairs from two specialist factories in China, each inspected when its production was finished, consolidated into one container and shipped to Rotterdam.
One mixed seating order, two specialist factories, one container
FBM Sourcing sourced and shipped a mixed seating order for a furniture importer in the Netherlands: fabric sectional and modular sofas in several configurations, leather-upholstered moulded-plywood lounge and office chairs, and matching ottomans and sofa storage modules. The two product lines came from two different specialist factories in China. Every specification that decides how upholstered furniture survives resale — cushion foam density, fabric grade, frame construction, seat dimensions and leather colour standards — was documented in writing before any factory was engaged, and that document became the reference for comparing factories, approving samples and inspecting the goods. The order was consolidated into one container and shipped to Rotterdam. It ran in 2014.
A distribution order is judged differently from a project order: every unit has to match the approved sample, because stock going out to resale cannot be hand-picked around the way a project installer sometimes can. That is why the specification was fixed in writing first, and why the approved sample, not the drawing alone, was the reference at inspection.
Client type
Containers
Destination
Year
What went into the container
The order was run product line by product line, because each line comes from a different kind of factory and is checked against different details.
01
01 · Fabric sectional and modular sofas
- Sectional sofas in L-shaped configurations
- Three-seater sofas
- Modular sofa units
Materials and finish. Cushion foam density, fabric grade, frame construction and seat dimensions were fixed in writing before the factory was engaged, and fabric swatches were confirmed against the approved sample before production.
Quantity. The record for this order does not break quantities down by line; the whole order shipped in one consolidated container to Rotterdam.
02
02 · Moulded-plywood lounge and office chairs
- Lounge chairs with moulded-plywood shells
- Office lounge chairs on swivel bases
- Leather upholstery on shells and seats
Materials and finish. Walnut veneer finishing on the shells, leather in the colour standard agreed with the client, and swivel bases with chrome brackets; leather colour samples were confirmed against the approved sample before production.
Quantity. Part of the same consolidated container; the record for this order does not break quantities down by line.
03
03 · Matching ottomans and sofa storage modules
- Ottomans matched to the sofa ranges
- Sofa storage modules
Materials and finish. Fabric, foam and dimensions were matched to the sofa ranges they were sold with, and checked against the same approved samples.
Quantity. Shipped with the sofas and chairs in the same consolidated container.
How the order ran
01
Specification fixed in writing
Cushion foam density, fabric grade, frame construction, seat dimensions and leather colour standards were documented before any factory was engaged, and that document became the reference for comparing factories, approving samples and inspecting the goods.
02
Two factories, matched to what each line makes
The sofas were matched to an upholstery plant with export production in fabric sectionals; the lounge chairs went to a factory that makes moulded-plywood shells, veneer finishing and swivel bases. Matching each product line to the plant that actually builds it, rather than pushing both through one supplier, is what keeps quality consistent on a mixed seating order.
03
Samples and sign-off
Fabric swatches, leather colour samples and dimension specifications were confirmed against the approved samples before production, and the approved sample became the reference for the bulk run.
04
One coordinated production schedule
Orders were placed with both factories on one schedule, planned so that production at the upholstery plant and at the seating plant would close at the same time and the whole order could consolidate into a single loading.
05
Inspection when production was finished
At each factory, when its production was finished and before packing, our team checked the goods: cushion foam density against the specification, fabric thickness and moisture readings taken with gauge instruments, seat and back dimensions measured unit by unit, and seam and stitching quality on both fabric and leather. On the chairs, the veneer shells were checked for finish consistency, the chrome brackets and swivel bases for secure fixing, and the leather for colour match against the approved swatch. Cushion covers were opened to verify the filling, and finished units were assembled and measured before being wrapped.
06
Packing and one consolidated loading
Sofas were wrapped in inner protective film with corner reinforcement, and the chairs were packed with their bases separated and the shell edges padded. On a resale order the packing method matters as much as the product, because stock cannot arrive with transit scuffs. Both factories closed at the same time, so the full order consolidated into a single container loading and one freight booking to Rotterdam.
After the container left China
FBM Sourcing stayed the single point of contact for the order after shipment. Where an item arrived with a transit or quality issue, we handled the claim with the factory concerned and arranged the replacement parts or the corrective action on the factory’s account, so the client did not have to negotiate with a supplier in China from another continent.
The order was produced, inspected and shipped to schedule, and the importer received one consolidated container of stock with foam densities, dimensions and finishes consistent across the run, instead of running two factories, two inspections and two freight bookings from another continent. What we set up differently for distribution and replenishment orders is on our page for furniture distributors and importers.
Questions about this order
What did this order for a Netherlands furniture importer include?
Fabric sectional and modular sofas in L-shaped and three-seater configurations, leather-upholstered moulded-plywood lounge and office chairs, and matching ottomans and sofa storage modules — sourced from two specialist factories in China and consolidated into one container for Rotterdam.
Why were two factories used for one seating order?
Because the two product lines are made by two different kinds of plant. The sofas were matched to an upholstery plant with export production in fabric sectionals; the lounge chairs went to a factory that makes moulded-plywood shells, veneer finishing and swivel bases. Furniture manufacturing is highly specialised, and we use each factory only for what its line actually makes.
When were the goods inspected?
At each factory, when its production was finished and before packing. Our own team checked cushion foam density against the specification, fabric thickness and moisture readings with gauge instruments, seat and back dimensions unit by unit, seams and stitching on fabric and leather, the veneer shells for finish consistency, the chrome brackets and swivel bases for secure fixing, and the leather for colour match against the approved swatch. Cushion covers were opened to verify the filling, and finished units were assembled and measured before being wrapped.
How was the furniture packed for resale stock?
Sofas were wrapped in inner protective film with corner reinforcement, and the lounge chairs were packed with their bases separated and the shell edges padded. On a resale order the packing method matters as much as the product, because stock cannot arrive with transit scuffs.
Can FBM Furniture run the same process for our range?
Yes. Send your product list or range with quantities, the specification or a reference photo for each item, your fabric and finish selections, and where you sell, so we check the standards your market requires. Many clients start with one category. We share examples of previous quotations to show the price range; further sourcing work requires an upfront sourcing fee, fully credited toward your first order.
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