Monthly capacity and available production space are different things. A capacity figure describes the scale of a factory’s operation; it does not tell a buyer which line is available for a new order or when the order can ship.
Our factory has two production lines and a stated production capacity of 83,000 pairs per month. This is a factory-level capacity figure, not a promise of reserved capacity, monthly output for a particular style or a confirmed delivery date. Production scheduling and delivery dates are confirmed for each order.
Ask about the allocation for your order
Before agreeing a delivery date, discuss the proposed style, quantity, material requirements and construction. Ask which production window is being considered, what must be ready before it can be confirmed and whether the proposed allocation depends on other orders being completed.
A useful answer connects your order to a planning decision. It should identify the conditions that still need to be met rather than repeating the total factory capacity.
Define when the lead time starts and ends
A lead time is only meaningful when its starting conditions and endpoint are clear. Ask whether the quoted period starts after sample approval, specification confirmation, material availability, payment or another agreed milestone. Clarify whether the endpoint is production completion, release after inspection or readiness for shipment.
Keep transport time separate unless it is expressly included. The schedule may depend on material availability, tooling, revisions, production allocation and inspection requirements. Agree a project-specific estimate instead of treating a general day range as a guarantee.
Use milestones that can be checked
- Specification and sample approval — Confirm the version that production will follow.
- Material readiness — Identify outstanding materials and the effect of any delay.
- Production window — Agree the planned start and completion milestones.
- Inspection and release — Allow for the agreed checks and any necessary corrective work.
- Shipment readiness — Confirm packaging, documents and the agreed handover arrangements.
Agree how schedule changes will be communicated
Establish a project contact and an update schedule. Decide what progress information is useful to your team and how a change to materials, quantities or specifications will be assessed. If a milestone moves, ask for the reason, the affected steps and a revised estimate rather than relying on the original date.
Urgent requests should be reviewed against actual constraints. Do not assume that expediting is available, included in the price or possible without affecting other parts of the order.
Confirm these points before committing
Can the proposed production window be confirmed in writing? Which inputs must be ready first? What is included in the quoted lead time? Who will notify you if a milestone changes? These answers make the schedule more useful than a capacity headline alone.
Discuss your target production window
Share the estimated quantity, proposed style and target date. The production window and commercial terms need to be confirmed for the individual project.