Our OEM / ODM Process: From Requirements to Mass Production
Most suppliers describe their process as a list of stage names. This is what actually happens at each step, what we need from you, what we give you, and roughly how long it takes. If any stage looks wrong for your project, that is the moment to change it.
Typical elapsed time for a first order on an existing platform runs 8–12 weeks from confirmed requirements to shipment. A genuinely custom design with new tooling and new certification is closer to 16–24 weeks.
1. Requirements
Tell us your market, target plants, wattage, coverage, budget, and brand. If you are unsure, we will propose a starting configuration rather than ask you to specify things you have no basis to specify.
Useful things to have ready, roughly: target countries, expected annual volume, target retail price point, whether you need certification in your own entity’s name, and a reference product if there is one whose behaviour you like.
What you get: a written requirement summary and a feasibility read. If your spec has a problem — an unrealistic efficacy target, a footprint that will not take the wattage, a certification route that will not exist for a foreign applicant — we will say so here, at no cost.
How long: one to three days.
2. Engineering
Our engineers select the spectrum, diode layout, driver, and housing. You receive a technical proposal with expected PPFD and efficacy, thermal considerations, and a bill of materials summary.
This is where most of the real engineering happens, and where it is worth being specific about what you want. The three decisions that drive everything downstream:
- Efficacy target. 2.4–3.2 µmol/J is current quantum-BOARD territory. Asking for more usually means paying for it in photon count.
- Spectrum. Full-spectrum white with a tuned red boost, a two-channel dimmable white, or a fixed horticultural blend. Each has different cost and certification implications.
- Form factor. Bar, panel, spider, or double-ended. This is mostly a mounting and heat question, and it constrains what the tooling can later become.
What you get: a technical proposal with expected PPFD and efficacy, plus a preliminary quotation. This step is free and does not require a deposit.
How long: three to seven days.
3. Samples
We build working samples and run them through our test rig: PPFD mapping, spectrum measurement, and burn-in. You get the data with the samples — not a marketing PDF.
If the samples are for your own evaluation rather than for a public listing, we can often arrange a sample charge against the first production order rather than invoicing it separately. Ask.
What you get: physical samples, a PPFD map at the agreed mounting distance, a measured spectrum curve, and a burn-in log.
How long: two to four weeks. Samples are the longest single lead time in a custom programme, and they are where most design changes should happen — before the tooling money is committed, not after.
4. Testing & certification
We coordinate safety and EMC testing for your target markets (UL, CE, FCC, UKCA, etc.) and provide documentation.
Two things to settle before this step starts, because both are expensive to reverse:
- Whose name is on the report. A test report issued in the factory’s name may not let you legally apply your own brand without re-testing. If you need it in your entity’s name, that is a different programme with different cost and timing.
- Which exact model. Reports are model-specific. A redesign, a new housing, or a different wattage invalidates it. Freeze the design before testing, not after.
How long: three to eight weeks depending on the standard and the laboratory queue.
5. Production & QC
Mass production with incoming-material checks, inline testing, and 100% final burn-in before packing.
Our three QC gates, and why each exists:
- Incoming material. Diodes and drivers arrive from third parties. Inspecting them here catches defects that finished-goods inspection alone will ship to you.
- Inline. Solder and assembly issues surface while they are still correctable.
- Final burn-in. Every finished unit is powered and run before packing. This is what catches the small percentage that would otherwise become your warranty problem.
Any real factory has a defect rate. Ours is not zero and we will not pretend otherwise — what we will do is show you the number and the rework policy in writing, because that is more useful than a claim of perfection.
How long: three to five weeks for typical volumes.
6. Logistics
FOB Shenzhen, EXW, or DDP — we arrange sea or air freight to your warehouse, Amazon FBA, or anywhere else.
Sea freight is the default and is normally four to six weeks from port to port. Air freight is roughly one week door to door at three to four times the cost. For a first order, sea is almost always right: the money you save on freight is the money you do not lose on a slow first production run.
We can also consolidate with other shipments, and we will tell you when the timing works out for that.
Documentation provided: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin on request, and the full compliance file for the model.
What a typical programme costs in time
| Stage | Custom design | Existing platform |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | 1–3 days | 1–3 days |
| Engineering | 3–7 days | 2–3 days |
| Samples | 2–4 weeks | 1–2 weeks |
| Certification | 3–8 weeks | 3–6 weeks |
| Production | 3–5 weeks | 3–4 weeks |
| Logistics | 4–6 weeks sea | 4–6 weeks sea |
| Total | ~16–24 weeks | ~8–12 weeks |
The difference between the two columns is entirely tooling and certification. That is the real cost of customisation, and it is worth deciding early whether you are buying a product or buying a differentiated product — the two are not the same investment.
Payment terms
Standard terms are 30% deposit against an accepted sample, 70% against a copy of the bill of lading. Deviations from that pattern are informative in both directions, and we are happy to discuss 30-day terms on a second order once a relationship exists.
Tooling and intellectual property
If a programme requires a bespoke extrusion, injection mould, or a driver design developed for you, we settle ownership in the contract before work starts. The default position, and the one we propose: you own anything you have paid for in full, we retain the right to sell the same platform to other customers unless the design is genuinely unique to your brief, and we will state in writing which category a given programme falls into.
If you need exclusive rights, say so before the engineering stage. It is cheap to agree and expensive to argue about afterwards.
Before you commit to any supplier
Our guide to choosing a grow light manufacturer is written to be used against us. It covers factory-versus-trader verification, MOQ structure, efficacy substantiation, certification ownership, QC, warranty, and tooling ownership. We would rather be audited than believed.
If you would rather skip the reading and go straight to numbers, message us on WhatsApp or send us a message.
FAQ
What is the minimum order for an OEM grow light?
From 100 pcs per model. That is per model, not per order, and custom spectrum, bespoke housings, or a new certification each add their own one-off cost and lead time. If your volume is lower, ask anyway — a private-label platform at 100–200 units is sometimes workable.
How long does a first OEM order take?
Around 8–12 weeks for a programme on an existing platform, and 16–24 weeks for a genuinely custom design with new tooling and new certification. Most of that is not production. It is samples, certification, and tooling.
Do you provide PPFD and spectrum test data with samples?
Yes. Samples come with a PPFD map at the agreed mounting distance, a measured spectrum curve, and a burn-in log. We do not supply marketing PDFs in place of measurements.
Can the test reports be issued in my company’s name?
It depends on the standard and the laboratory, and it needs to be settled before testing starts rather than after. Some standards permit a foreign applicant, some do not, and some require a local entity established in that country. Ask early — it is one of the most expensive things to reverse.
What are your payment terms?
30% deposit against an accepted sample, and 70% against a copy of the bill of lading. We will discuss 30-day terms on a second order. We do not ask for a deposit to produce a technical proposal or to run an initial feasibility review.
Do you sell the same private-label product to my competitors?
Not for a genuinely custom design developed to your brief. For standard platforms, yes — that is what makes them affordable, and we tell you which category your programme falls into before you commit. If you need exclusivity, agree it contractually at the engineering stage.