OEM — manufacturing a fixture to your design, under your brand — is how many lighting importers and hotel groups get a signature look without reinventing production. The process is simple to describe and detailed to execute. Here is the full journey, and what makes it fast.
When OEM makes sense
OEM pays off when you need: a signature piece no catalogue offers, your own branding and packaging, a fixture family standardised across multiple properties, or cost control on a design you already sell. If a stock model is 90% of what you need, buying wholesale is faster and cheaper — OEM is for the last 10% that is your identity.
The five-stage OEM flow
Stage 1 — Brief (Day 1–3)
Send whatever you have: sketches, reference photos, CAD, or just a description plus a target price. Our OEM briefing guide lists what makes a brief complete. We respond with a feasibility note — materials, tooling needs, realistic cost range, and certification path for your market.
Stage 2 — Drawings & render (Day 3–10)
Our designers return production CAD drawings and photorealistic renders for your written approval — see a project built from customer-supplied drawings. This is the point where every detail is locked: dimensions, finish, driver, lamp type, dimming protocol, packaging.
Stage 3 — Sample (Day 10–25)
A functional sample ships in 10–15 working days. Revisions are unlimited until sign-off; the sample fee is credited against the bulk order — our sample policy spells out the terms. Sign off on paper — a photo of a sample is not a sample.
Stage 4 — Production (30–45 days)
Production runs with QC at every stage: incoming material checks, in-process inspection, a 100% burn-in test of every fixture, and an AQL 2.5 pre-shipment inspection with a photo report sent to you before packing. You can see the production lines and QC stations here.
Stage 5 — Branding, packing, logistics
Your logo, your packaging, your barcodes and your documentation. FOB, CIF or DDP worldwide, insurance at 110% of value, and a dedicated shipping coordinator from factory floor to your door — our pricing structure shows exactly where our responsibility ends.
Typical timeline
| Stage | Working days |
|---|---|
| Brief → drawings | 3–10 |
| Sample | 10–15 |
| Revisions | varies (unlimited) |
| Production | 30–45 |
| Shipping (FOB port) | 3–7 |
What a factory needs from you (to hit your date)
- One decision-maker — a single point of approval prevents week-long email loops.
- Complete specs — voltage, wattage, dimming, IP rating, finish reference, target certification.
- Realistic budget & timeline — tooling and custom glass add cost and days; say so up front.
- Destination market — certification differs per market (CE / UL / CCC / UKCA); knowing it early saves weeks. See how certification documentation is arranged.
IP, NDA and exclusivity
Your drawings stay yours. We sign NDAs as standard, we do not re-sell proprietary designs to third parties, and exclusivity windows are available for your key markets. Your moulds and tooling belong to you — stored and maintained at our cost while you are an active client.
Most OEM projects start from one of three places: a round project chandelier you want resized, a blown-glass project chandelier built from a drawing you already have, or a glass-tile statement chandelier where the finish is the design. Send the drawing or the reference photo, and the feasibility note will tell you what is straightforward and what needs new tooling.
Start with a feasibility note — it’s free
Send your concept and target price. Within one working day you get a feasibility note: what works, what needs changing, and a rough cost range. No obligation, NDA on request.