Acoustic panel MOQ is set per finish or colour because each finish needs its own material purchase and production setup. At Linegrain, slat panels start at 100 panels per finish and PET felt at 200 m² per colour, with production taking 20–30 and 15–25 days respectively after sample approval, plus sea freight. Mixed containers are allowed.
Key takeaways
- MOQ is driven by setup: veneer or laminate purchase, lacquer and colour matching, felt dyeing and machine changeovers. It applies per finish, not per order.
- The production clock starts at sample approval, not at enquiry. Allow time for samples, then production, inspection, sea freight and customs.
- A 40ft high cube has the same floor length as a 40ft standard container but more internal height; panel length decides how efficiently either is filled.
- Mixed containers let you meet each finish’s MOQ while filling leftover space with shorter products such as felt panels or ceiling items.
- Palletising and edge protection matter as much as container choice for long panels.
Last reviewed: October 2026 by the Linegrain specification team.
What drives MOQ for acoustic panels?
Factories set minimum order quantities to cover the fixed cost of each production run. For acoustic and decorative panels, the main setup costs are:
- Surface material. Veneer, laminate and foil are bought in rolls or bundles per decor. A finish that sells slowly leaves the factory holding offcuts.
- Finishing and colour matching. Lacquer lines and stain matches are set up per colour and checked against the approved sample.
- Felt colour. PET felt is produced in colour batches, so each colour carries its own minimum.
- Machine changeovers. Changing slat profile, panel length or groove pattern stops the line.
- Extrusion dies and moulds. WPC and PVC profiles need the line to run long enough to stabilise, which is why extruded products carry higher MOQs.
This is why MOQ is quoted per finish or colour rather than per order: two finishes at the minimum each is a valid order, while the same total quantity split across ten finishes is not.
What are Linegrain’s MOQs and lead times?
| Product group | MOQ | Production lead time after sample approval |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic slat panels | 100 panels per finish | 20–30 days |
| PET felt acoustic panels | 200 m² per colour | 15–25 days |
| Acoustic ceilings | 100 m² or 200 pcs per design | 20–30 days |
| Fluted and decorative panels | 300 m² per colour | 20–30 days |
| Exterior WPC cladding | 500 m² per colour | 25–35 days |
All lead times are plus sea freight. Mixed containers are allowed. Full terms are on our shipping and MOQ page.
What does a typical timeline look like?
Buyers often underestimate the time before production starts. The sequence for a first order is:
- Specification and quotation. Sizes, finishes, board grade, felt, packaging and documents are fixed.
- Samples. Samples are made and shipped in the real construction. Sample cost and shipping are quoted by our team depending on the items and quantity; see samples and lead time.
- Sample approval and deposit. The production clock starts here.
- Production. 20–30 days for slat panels, 15–25 days for felt, as above.
- Pre-shipment inspection. Booked when goods are finished and mostly packed. See our pre-shipment inspection checklist.
- Container booking and loading. Book space early in peak seasons.
- Sea freight. Transit time depends on the route, carrier and transhipments; ask your forwarder for the current schedule from the loading port to your destination.
- Customs clearance and delivery. Have your broker or agent hold the documents before the vessel arrives.
Repeat orders of approved finishes skip the sample stage, which is the main reason reorders arrive faster than first orders.
Which container should you use: 20GP, 40GP or 40HQ?
Panel shipments normally use one of three dry container types. Internal dimensions vary slightly by container manufacturer, so treat these as representative figures from carrier and forwarder specifications.
| Specification | 20ft standard (20GP) | 40ft standard (40GP) | 40ft high cube (40HQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal length | 5.9 m (19.4 ft) | 12,032 mm (39 ft 5⅝ in) | 12,032 mm (39 ft 5⅝ in) |
| Internal width | 2.35 m (7.7 ft) | 2,352 mm (7 ft 8⅝ in) | 2,350 mm (7 ft 8½ in) |
| Internal height | 2.39 m (7.9 ft) | 2,395 mm (7 ft 10¼ in) | 2,700 mm (8 ft 10¼ in) |
| Door opening (W × H) | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 2,340 × 2,292 mm | 2,340 × 2,597 mm |
| Capacity | 33.2 m³ | 67.7 m³ | 76.3 m³ |
| Max payload | 25,000 kg | 28,750 kg | 28,600 kg |
| Source | DSV | Hapag-Lloyd | Hapag-Lloyd |
How does panel length affect loading?
Long panels are loaded lengthwise, because a 2.4 m or longer carton will not fit across a container about 2.35 m wide. That makes floor length the key dimension. Worked example, assuming each panel bundle or pallet is 50 mm longer than the panel to allow for end protection:
| Panel length | Packed length (assumed) | Rows end to end in a 40ft (12,032 mm) | Floor length left over | Rows in a 20ft (5,900 mm) | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,400 mm | 2,450 mm | 4 | 2,232 mm | 2 | 1,000 mm |
| 2,700 mm | 2,750 mm | 4 | 1,032 mm | 2 | 400 mm |
| 3,000 mm | 3,050 mm | 3 | 2,882 mm | 1 | 2,850 mm |
The leftover floor length is where mixed loading pays off. A 40ft container of 2,400 mm slat panels has more than 2 m of floor at the door end that shorter goods can fill: PET felt panels, hexagon tiles, ceiling clouds, trims and accessories. Long 3,000 mm panels, such as our extended-height slat panel, leave the most unused length, so they are best combined with shorter products. Your factory or forwarder should always produce a loading plan from the actual packing list before booking.
When does a high cube help?
The 40HQ adds about 300 mm of internal height over a 40ft standard with the same floor (2,700 mm vs 2,395 mm in the Hapag-Lloyd figures above). For panels that are light for their volume, such as PET felt and baffles, that extra height can add another layer of cartons. For dense loads such as MDF slat panels or WPC, weight may become the limit before volume does, so check the gross weight against the payload and any road weight limits at destination.
How should panels be palletised?
Slat panels are long, have exposed slat ends and are easy to damage at the corners. Good practice includes:
- Flat stacking on a full-length pallet or skid, so the panels do not bow over the gap between pallet blocks.
- Face-to-face packing with protective sheets between finished faces, and end caps or corner protectors over slat ends.
- Strapping and edge boards to stop straps cutting into cartons.
- Labels on two sides showing product, finish, quantity, batch code and pallet number, matched to the packing list.
- ISPM 15 compliance for solid wood pallets: for Great Britain, solid wood packaging must be treated and carry the ISPM 15 mark, while processed wood such as plywood is exempt (GOV.UK, Wood packaging material for import and export).
Pallet height must also clear the door opening, which is lower than the internal height on every container type in the table above.
How do mixed containers work?
A mixed container combines several products or finishes in one shipment. Each finish still meets its own MOQ, but you do not need a full container of any one item. Typical combinations are:
- Three or four slat panel finishes at 100 panels each, plus felt panels to fill the remaining length.
- Slat wall panels with matching wood slat ceiling panels for a single fit-out project.
- Fluted interior panels with exterior WPC cladding for a residential development.
Plan the load with the heaviest goods on the floor and spread along the length, lighter cartons on top, and the items you need first at the door end. The shipper must also declare a verified gross mass for the packed container before it can be loaded on the ship; this requirement has applied under the SOLAS convention since 1 July 2016 (IMO, Verification of the gross mass of a packed container).
How can you shorten lead time?
- Approve samples quickly and in writing; production cannot start until you do.
- Choose standard finishes and sizes for time-critical projects.
- Confirm packaging artwork and labels at the same time as the sample, not after.
- Book the inspection in advance so it does not delay loading.
- Place reorders of fast sellers before stock runs low, using production lead time plus transit as your reorder point.
For the full sourcing sequence, read how to import acoustic panels from China.
FAQ
Can I mix finishes to reach the MOQ?
MOQ applies per finish: for slat panels, 100 panels of each finish. You can combine several finishes, and other products, in one mixed container.
When does the lead time start?
After sample approval. Slat panels then take 20–30 days in production and PET felt 15–25 days, plus sea freight and customs clearance.
Is a 40ft high cube better than a 40ft standard for panels?
It has the same floor length but about 300 mm more internal height. That helps light, bulky products such as felt; for dense MDF or WPC loads, the payload limit may be reached first.
Do 2,400 mm panels fit in a 20ft container?
Yes, lengthwise. A 20ft container is about 5.9 m long inside, so two rows of 2,400 mm panels fit end to end with roughly a metre spare, depending on packaging.
Planning a mixed container of slat, felt or ceiling products? Send us your product list and quantities and we will quote production lead time and a container loading plan.