Summary: a factory office is not a corporate office — concrete floors, fine dust, vibrating machinery, and administration running three shifts. This guide covers the six areas that always need furniture, 2026 FOB prices, the unit count for a 200-person plant (45 units, 14–18 CBM), and a timeline to install before commissioning.
Six areas every factory office needs furnished
Factory office layouts follow the flow of people and paperwork, not aesthetics. These six areas appear on every new-plant request:
- Lobby and security post: a 2400×800×1100 mm reception desk plus a lockable 1200×600 mm guard desk at every gate, with a wipe-clean top rather than veneer.
- Production admin / PPIC: a 4-person bench workstation at 2400×1200×750 mm, since planning, warehouse, and shipping staff sit in clusters and exchange documents hourly.
- Supervisor desks: 1600×700×750 mm with a 300 mm front panel at the end of the line, so supervisors see the floor without standing.
- QC and lab: a 1500×750 mm bench with a 25 mm top, used for measuring, cutting samples, and setting down instruments.
- Production meeting room: one 8-person table at 2400×1100 mm for the daily output meeting, a 6-person table for coordination.
- HR, finance, and records: 1200×600 mm staff desks plus 4-door filing cabinets at 1600×400×2000 mm for personnel files, contracts, and customs documents.
Specifications and 2026 FOB factory prices
Prices are FOB Foshan benchmarks before freight, insurance, and duty; final quotes depend on colour, board thickness, and volume.
| Unit | Size (mm) | Material | MOQ | FOB price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single admin desk | 1200×600×750 | 18 mm MDF, 0.8 mm HPL, steel legs | 5 pcs | 38–52 |
| Supervisor desk (300 mm panel) | 1600×700×750 | 25 mm HPL, front panel, adjustable glides | 5 pcs | 95–140 |
| 4-person bench workstation | 2400×1200×750 | 25 mm HPL, 40 mm partitions, cable tray | 1 set | 210–290 |
| QC / lab bench | 1500×750×750 | 25 mm HPL top, 1.5 mm steel frame | 5 pcs | 85–125 |
| 8-person meeting table | 2400×1100×750 | 25 mm HPL, knock-down, M8 bolts | 2 pcs | 180–260 |
| Lobby reception desk | 2400×800×1100 | 25 mm HPL, full front panel | 1 pc | 220–330 |
| 4-door filing cabinet | 1600×400×2000 | 0.8 mm steel or MDF, master key | 10 pcs | 110–160 |
| Side cabinet / credenza | 1200×400×750 | 18 mm HPL, 2 doors + 2 drawers | 10 pcs | 75–110 |
Local distributor prices for comparable specs run 20–40% higher because of margin and warehouse cost. Category-by-category comparisons are in the 2026 office desk price guide.
How a factory office differs from a corporate office
Fine dust and wipe-clean surfaces
Calcium dust, wood flour, or lint works into textured surfaces. In production areas use an 0.8 mm HPL top with 2 mm full-wrap PVC edging and no fabric-faced panels. An 18 mm top suits admin desks; QC benches need 25 mm so they do not deflect under clamps.
Machine vibration and uneven concrete floors
Warehouse and production floors are rarely level. Specify adjustable glides with 10–15 mm of travel so desks do not rock, and knock-down joints with M8 bolts and brackets rather than cam locks, because desks move when the line layout changes.
Three shifts and morning humidity
Three-shift administration means one desk serves three people, so specify a master key plus per-user drawer locks. Plants in coastal estates — Cikarang, Karawang, Gresik, Batam — see 80–90% morning humidity; E1 board with sealed edges is enough, but steam and wash areas need plywood. See the humidity-resistant guide.
How many units does a 200-person plant need?
A 200-person plant seats only 45–50 people on the administrative side; most staff work on the floor. The count below fits two lines and three shifts:
| Area | Unit | Qty | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lobby | Reception desk | 1 | Single visitor reception point |
| Security gates | Guard desk | 3 | One per gate / shift |
| Production admin / PPIC | 4-person workstation | 3 sets | 12 planning, warehouse, shipping staff |
| Production floor | Supervisor desk | 6 | 2 lines × 3 shifts |
| QC / lab | QC bench | 3 | One per shift + one spare |
| HR, finance, general | Staff desk | 16 | Administrative headcount |
| Meeting rooms | 8-person + 6-person table | 2 | Daily output meeting + coordination |
| Records | 4-door filing cabinet | 6 | HR, finance, QC, customs, 2 spare |
| Manager offices | Side cabinet | 4 | One per manager room |
That totals 45 units, about 14–18 CBM knocked down — 55–65% of a 20FT (26–29 CBM), leaving room for a second-phase order. Floor area stays at 4–6.5 m² per person, see office capacity per m².
Timeline: order so it is ready on commissioning day
The costliest mistake in a plant project is furniture arriving after the machines start, leaving staff on cardboard boxes for a month. Work backwards from the operating date:
| Weeks before operation | Activity | Output |
|---|---|---|
| W-14 | Finalise office layout and unit list | 45-unit list + floor plan |
| W-12 | PO, 30% deposit, colour and material approval | Contract + colour sample |
| W-11 to W-5 | Production, 25–35 working days | Progress photos per model |
| W-4 | Pre-shipment inspection and packing | Photo report per pallet |
| W-3 | Vessel booking, Form E ACFTA issued | B/L + Form E (0% duty) |
| W-2 to W-1 | 18–25 days at sea to Tanjung Priok or Perak | Container arrives |
| W-1 | Clearance, trucking to the industrial estate | Goods on site |
| W-0 | Knock-down installation, 2–3 days for 45 units | Office ready to use |
Containers, Form E, and freight cost
- Capacity: about 26–29 CBM in a 20GP and 64–68 CBM in a 40HQ after knock-down packing; consolidation detail in the mixed container guide. For 45 units, LCL makes sense below 15 CBM.
- Import duty: 0% for HS 9403 with Form E ACFTA; without Form E the MFN rate can reach 15%. Procedure in the Form E guide.
- Import VAT: 11% of CIF value, plus 2.5% income tax article 22 which is creditable.
- Installation: 45 units take 2–3 days with three people, see the knock-down installation guide.
FAQ
What does a factory office desk cost?
USD 38–52 FOB Foshan for a 1200×600×750 mm desk, MOQ 5 pcs per model. Supervisor desks are USD 95–140; 4-person workstations USD 210–290 per set.
Does factory office furniture survive dust and humidity?
Yes, provided the top is 0.8 mm HPL with 2 mm full-wrap PVC edge banding, the board is E1, and glides are adjustable. Near steam or wash bays, replace particle board with plywood.
How long does delivery of 45 units to an industrial estate take?
25–35 working days of production after colour approval, plus 18–25 days at sea to Tanjung Priok, 3–5 days clearance, and 2–3 days installation. Total 8–10 weeks from PO, and the order can share one mixed container with filing cabinets and meeting tables.
Company facts you can verify
- Legal name: Foshan BG Office Furniture Co., Ltd. — 佛山市毕戈家具有限公司 (USCC 91440606MA4UKCYD6A)
- Founded: 2015 — 10,000 m² ISO 9001 factory in Foshan, Guangdong, China
- Export experience: 50+ countries, including factory office projects in Southeast Asia
- Services: OEM/ODM, mixed containers, Form E ACFTA, 25–35 day production lead time
Need a factory office furniture quote? Send your unit list and floor plan through the contact form, email sales001@fsbige.com, or Tel/WeChat +86-18928562556. The full desk, workstation, and cabinet catalogue is on the product page.