Getting started
How Adhesive OEM Production Works
Eight stages from enquiry to container, what we need from you at each one, and where it actually stalls — which is almost never in production.
Last updated: 2026-09-07
Three to four months, and the hold-up is usually paperwork
Production takes 15-25 working days and is the most predictable stage in the whole sequence. What runs late is artwork compliance, courier and dangerous-goods arrangements, and trial results that arrive without enough detail to act on.
All three are things the buyer owes the supplier, which is why they are worth knowing about in advance. Start the labelling work during your trial, not after you place the order.
1.Enquiry and specification
Answered within 24 hoursWe need from you
Substrate pair, the condition that governs in service, volume, destination market and pack format.
We do
Identify whether an existing grade fits or a formulation is needed, and quote against it.
Where it stalls: An enquiry that asks only for a price list. Without the substrate and the market we can send numbers, but not an answer.
2.Sample
5-7 working days to produceWe need from you
A courier account or agreement to prepay freight, and the destination — samples of solvent-borne product ship as dangerous goods.
We do
Produce the sample, send the technical and safety data sheets, and tell you what to look for in the trial.
Where it stalls: Waiting on a courier account. Sort this out at enquiry stage rather than after the sample is made.
3.Your trial
Yours — commonly 2-4 weeksWe need from you
The result, including the failures. A trial that "did not work" without detail costs another round.
We do
Interpret the result and adjust, or tell you the chemistry is wrong for the job rather than iterating on a dead end.
Where it stalls: The longest and least predictable stage, and the one most often left out of a buyer’s own schedule.
4.Formulation work, if needed
2-4 weeksWe need from you
A frozen brief. Changing the target mid-development restarts it.
We do
Lab formulation, bench testing, revised sample. Qualification programmes with third-party testing run 4-6 weeks, excluding customer-side testing and third-party certification.
Where it stalls: Skip this entirely if an existing grade fits — most requirements are met by something already in the range.
5.Artwork and packaging
Runs in parallel — allow 2-3 weeksWe need from you
Print-ready artwork, and confirmation that it complies with your market’s hazard labelling law. That compliance is yours, not ours.
We do
Supply hazard classification and safety data for the label, produce a pre-production sample for approval.
Where it stalls: The single most common cause of delay. Start it during the trial, not after the order.
6.Production
15-25 working days after artwork approvalWe need from you
Deposit per agreed terms — 30% T/T deposit, 70% balance against copy of B/L.
We do
Raw material procurement, batch production, filling, in-process and final QC, batch records retained.
Where it stalls: Rarely. Production is the most predictable stage in the whole sequence.
7.Documentation and dangerous goods
Concurrent with productionWe need from you
Your forwarder’s details and confirmation that your port accepts Class 3.
We do
Certificate of analysis for the batch, SDS in the destination language, dangerous goods packaging certification and IMDG declaration.
Where it stalls: A forwarder who has not handled Class 3 before. Establish this at stage 1, not here.
8.Shipping
18-22 days to Southeast Asia, up to 35-55 days to Latin AmericaWe need from you
Balance per terms.
We do
Container loading, FOB, with CIF and DDP on request.
Where it stalls: Peak season and dangerous-goods consolidation limits. On hot routes, remember the voyage consumes part of the shelf life.
Start these three now, whoever you end up buying from
- 1.Label compliance review. Longest lead time, least visible, and the only one where getting it wrong makes a whole container unsaleable.
- 2.A forwarder who handles Class 3. Ask them directly, before you need them. A forwarder discovering dangerous goods on your shipment is an expensive way to find out.
- 3.A written trial protocol. Decide what you will measure and what counts as a pass before the sample arrives, or the result will be an opinion rather than data.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an adhesive OEM order take from first enquiry?
What causes delays in an adhesive OEM programme?
What do I need to provide for an OEM adhesive order?
Can I visit the factory during production?
What quality documentation comes with an OEM shipment?
What is the minimum for a first OEM order?
Before and after the production run
- Eight checks before you pick a supplier
Manufacturer or trader, grade-level test data, VOC position and dangerous-goods handling — apply them to us too.
- Pack formats, and your market’s versions of them
Tins, drums, aerosols and cartridges — with the metric to US conversions that catch importers out.
- When stage 4 is unavoidable
Requirement review through pilot batch, and what each stage costs in time.
- The buyer-side stages around it
Range selection, labelling law and sizing a first order.
- Storage, shelf life and what heat does to it
Why a container crossing the tropics at 60-70°C is the hardest storage condition your adhesive will see.
- Whether to source from China at all
Where the cost difference comes from, and the five cases where buying locally wins.
- Review our certifications and test reports
ISO 9001, ISO 14001, REACH statements and SGS reports, and what each one covers.
- Read the ordering and shipping FAQ
MOQ, lead time, payment terms, samples and documentation in one place.
- Browse the full technical library
Every reference page and guide, grouped by the question it answers rather than by date.
- Send a specification and get a quote
Substrate, volume and destination market are enough for us to price it.
Start at stage one
Substrate pair, governing condition, volume, destination and pack format. Send those five and you will get an answer rather than a price list — within 24 hours.
