Quoted vs actual
Every manufacturer quotes a standard lead time on their published cut sheet. The number on the cut sheet is rarely the number that shows up on your project. We track quoted vs actual on every shipment that runs through COI. The data set for 2025 covers 124 shipments across 38 New England projects.
The headline number: average actual lead time runs 1.4 to 1.8 times the quoted lead time. A 6-week quote typically ships in 9 to 11 weeks. A 10-week quote runs 14 to 18 weeks. The variance is not random. It tracks the manufacturer, the product category, and how custom the finish is.
The 2026 lead time table
Here is the breakdown for the brands we ship most often.
Artopex (workstations, casegoods, seating): Quoted 4 weeks. Actual 4 to 6 weeks on standard configurations. Custom finishes push to 8 weeks.
OFS (casegoods, conference, lounge): Quoted 6 to 8 weeks. Actual 8 to 12 weeks. Wood finishes run longer.
National (seating, tables): Quoted 6 weeks. Actual 8 to 10 weeks.
Humanscale (task seating): Quoted 4 weeks. Actual 4 to 5 weeks. Most reliable in the category.
Teknion (systems, casegoods): Quoted 8 weeks. Actual 12 to 14 weeks.
Kimball (casegoods, healthcare): Quoted 6 to 8 weeks. Actual 9 to 12 weeks.
Global Furniture (open-line systems): Quoted 4 to 6 weeks. Actual 5 to 7 weeks. Quick-ship program lands in 2 weeks on a smaller catalog.
SitOnIt and 9to5 (task seating): Quoted 4 to 5 weeks. Actual 5 to 7 weeks.
Steelcase, MillerKnoll, Haworth: We do not carry these, but client teams have reported 8 to 14 weeks quoted, 12 to 18 weeks actual on systems furniture. Custom finishes routinely push past 18.
Treat any number under 6 weeks as a quick-ship promise. Treat any number over 10 weeks as a 14-week minimum on a real project.
What drives the variance
Four factors move actual lead time off the quote.
Custom finish or fabric. Standard stocked finishes ship on time. A specified custom laminate or COM fabric adds 2 to 6 weeks. The cut sheet lead time does not include this.
Project size. A 20-chair order ships from inventory. A 200-chair order goes into the manufacturing queue. The queue is where weeks disappear.
Manufacturer capacity. Most manufacturers run hot in Q3 and Q4. Lead times stretch in September, October, and November. Q1 and early Q2 ship closer to quoted times.
Component sourcing. Casters, gas cylinders, and certain laminates have moved in and out of allocation since 2022. If a component is on backorder at the manufacturer, the whole order waits.
How to plan around it
Three rules that prevent most of the lead time pain.
Build a 25 percent buffer into every schedule. If you need furniture on the floor by August 15, your manufacturer ship date should be July 1 at the latest.
Mix brands deliberately. If 80 percent of the project ships from one manufacturer with a long lead time, the project ships when the slowest manufacturer ships. Move the long-lead items to a faster manufacturer or pull them out of the critical path.
Spec a quick-ship backup on chairs. Task seating is the line item that holds up move-in dates most often. Have a Plan B Humanscale or 9to5 spec that ships in 4 weeks. Activate the backup the moment the primary manufacturer slips.
If you want our actual 2025 shipment data on a specific manufacturer, we will pull it. Email the team.
