Lead times: stock vs custom mold
The four clocks behind a glass jar delivery date - sampling, stock production, private tooling and ocean freight - with the bands GlassPacker quotes.
How fast is production on a stock shape?
Stock shapes sit in the 5-7 day production band: the silhouette already runs on proven tooling, so an order is booked as production time rather than as a tooling project. Decoration and custom color can extend the band, and the quotation states the band for your spec.
How long do samples take?
7-10 days on stock shapes. Samples are the approval gate for color, embossing, closure and label panel before the production run is scheduled, which is why they run ahead of mass production rather than in parallel with it.
What does a private mold add to the calendar?
A tooling window of roughly 35-45 days for machining, trial and approval, in front of the production band. After approval the order behaves like a stock run on its own tooling.
How long is ocean freight after production?
Sea freight from China runs roughly 18-25 days to the US West Coast and 25-35 days to the US East Coast or northern Europe, depending on the port, followed by two to five days of import clearance and inland delivery. Production always finishes before the freight clock starts.