Fiberglass grating lead time from the factory is production time plus ocean transit plus US customs and delivery. Ocean transit alone takes about 14–20 days from Shanghai to Los Angeles and 30–40 days to New York/New Jersey all-water. Production time is confirmed in your quote. Need grating in under 3 weeks? We refer you to a US stocking importer.
What is the fiberglass grating lead time from the factory?
| Stage | Time |
|---|---|
| Reply to your quote request | Within 1 business day (US Central time), with routing and next steps |
| Samples, if needed | Courier from China; samples need a customs entry and pay duty |
| Production in Nantong and export clearance | Confirmed in your quote |
| Ocean transit, Shanghai to Los Angeles/Long Beach | 14–20 days port to port (11–15 days on expedited services)1 |
| Ocean transit, Shanghai to New York/New Jersey | About 30–40 days all-water via the Panama Canal; rail land-bridge from the West Coast is an alternative1 |
| US customs entry | Set by your licensed customs broker and CBP |
| Delivery to site | Set by your trucker |
Notes
- 1Port-to-port only; excludes production time and US delivery.
What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ)?
Factory-direct orders are for full containers and project quantities. Orders under about 500 sq ft go to a US stocking importer, which sells by the single panel. The minimum per product, and whether different products can share one container, are confirmed in your quote.
Panels per container depend on depth, panel size and packing, so send your cutting list or product mix with the quote request and the quote states the loading. Each DNV-listed grating is marked with the brand and its fire rating, a condition of the DNV type approval.
Why do small or urgent orders go to a US stocking importer?
Ocean transit alone takes about 14–20 days from Shanghai to Los Angeles, before production and US delivery. US stocking distributors ship in-stock grating within a few days of the order, some the same day. So orders under about 500 sq ft, or needed in under 3 weeks, are better served from US stock, and we refer them there. See fiberglass grating suppliers in the US.
Frequently asked questions
Do port-to-port transit times include production and customs clearance?
No. Published transit times cover the ocean leg only. Production in Nantong, export clearance, US customs entry and delivery to site come on top.
How far ahead should I order factory-direct grating for a project?
Work back from your need-by date on site: production in Nantong and export clearance (confirmed in your quote), about 14–20 days of ocean transit to Los Angeles or 30–40 days to New York/New Jersey, then US customs entry and delivery. Put the need-by date in your quote request so it can be checked against the factory schedule.
Does the Chinese New Year holiday delay a factory-direct order?
It can. If your need-by date falls between January and March, say so in your quote request so the production slot can be checked against the holiday.
Request a quote
Send drawings or the product, quantity, destination ZIP code and need-by date. We reply within 1 business day (US Central time) with routing and next steps.
Sources
- Ship4wd, Shipping from Shanghai to USA (transit times) (accessed Oct 15, 2026)
- Published shipping times and order sizes of several US grating sellers (not named) (accessed Oct 15, 2026)
- DNV Type Approval Certificate TAF0000191 Rev. 1 (conditions) (accessed Oct 15, 2026)
- Sourcing Herald, US de minimis in 2026 (accessed Oct 15, 2026)