Lead time benchmarks
| Equipment class | Manufacturing | Shipping | Total to site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard catalogue machine | 4–10 weeks | 2–6 weeks | 6–16 weeks |
| Configured process machine | 10–20 weeks | 3–7 weeks | 13–27 weeks |
| Custom-engineered machine | 18–32 weeks | 3–7 weeks | 21–39 weeks |
| Complete processing line | 20–36 weeks | 4–8 weeks | 24–44 weeks |
| Refrigeration / utility plant | 16–28 weeks | 4–8 weeks | 20–36 weeks |
| Used / refurbished asset | 2–8 weeks | 2–6 weeks | 4–14 weeks |
Add 2–5 weeks for drawing approval cycles before manufacturing starts. This stage is entirely within the buyer's control and is the most frequently underestimated part of the schedule.
Planning backwards from production start
Reverse schedule for a target production date
- Production start date fixed against a commercial commitment
- Minus 4–8 weeks: commissioning, trial runs and operator training
- Minus 4–10 weeks: installation and mechanical completion
- Minus 2–4 weeks: customs clearance and inland transport
- Minus 3–8 weeks: ocean or road freight
- Minus 10–36 weeks: manufacturing and FAT
- Minus 2–5 weeks: drawing approval
- Minus 8–14 weeks: RFQ, levelling, negotiation and contract
- Minus 4 weeks: financing conditions precedent satisfied
Civil works are the usual critical path
Equipment rarely waits for equipment; it waits for foundations, power and roofs. Start civil design as soon as general arrangement drawings are approved, not when the machines are shipped.
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
Why do lead times vary so much between suppliers?
Order book position, whether the supplier machines in-house or subcontracts, component availability — particularly drives, PLCs and stainless steel — and how much engineering the machine needs before production can start.
Can lead times be compressed?
Sometimes, by accepting a standard configuration, paying an expediting premium of 5–15%, splitting shipments, or taking a slot another buyer released. Compressing drawing approval is usually free and often the fastest gain.
What buffer should be built into the schedule?
Ten to fifteen percent of total duration for a mature-market project with a proven supplier; 20–30% for first-time cross-border projects or destinations with unpredictable customs.
Do you monitor supplier delivery performance?
Yes. Delivery track record is part of supplier qualification, and milestone monitoring continues after contract signature on projects we support.
Industrial financing
Financing routes for logistics & compliance
Financing is scoped alongside the RFQ, not after supplier selection — the funding route changes the optimal supplier, currency, incoterms and delivery schedule. Global B2B Group never lends, never takes a success fee from buyers and is not tied to any institution. Below are the nine routes we actively structure against.
Export Credit Agencies
State-backed cover (Euler Hermes, SACE, EKF, UKEF, Atradius, K-Sure) on equipment exported from the supplier's country, usually combined with a commercial bank loan.
- Tenor
- 5 – 12 years
- Ticket
- $2M – $250M
Best for: Imported production lines and turnkey plants from EU, UK, Korea or Japan
- Eligible country content
- Down payment 15%
- Bankable feasibility study
Development Banks & DFIs
IFC, EBRD, AfDB, ADB, IDB, FMO, Proparco and bilateral development windows funding industrial capex with concessional pricing and long grace periods.
- Tenor
- 7 – 15 years
- Ticket
- $5M – $200M
Best for: Food security, cold chain, energy efficiency and job-creating projects in emerging markets
- ESG / E&S compliance
- Audited financials
- Development impact case
Commercial Lending
Bank term debt and capex facilities secured against project cash flow, equipment and corporate balance sheet, in local or hard currency.
- Tenor
- 3 – 8 years
- Ticket
- $500K – $80M
Best for: Established operators expanding proven capacity
- DSCR ≥ 1.3x
- Security package
- Sponsor equity 25–35%
Equipment Leasing
Operating and finance leases that keep machinery off the balance sheet, preserve working capital and align payments with production ramp-up.
- Tenor
- 2 – 7 years
- Ticket
- $100K – $25M
Best for: Single machines, packaging lines, handling fleets and phased upgrades
- Asset resale value
- Insurance
- Deposit 10–20%
Vendor Financing
Supplier-supported deferred payment and instalment structures negotiated inside the RFQ, before supplier selection narrows your leverage.
- Tenor
- 1 – 5 years
- Ticket
- $250K – $30M
Best for: Buyers who want a single contractual counterparty for supply and payment terms
- Supplier credit appetite
- Bank guarantee or LC
- Milestone schedule
Project Finance
Limited-recourse SPV structures where the facility's own cash flow repays the debt, with independent technical and market due diligence.
- Tenor
- 8 – 18 years
- Ticket
- $20M – $500M
Best for: Greenfield plants, integrated processing complexes and utility-scale infrastructure
- Offtake agreements
- EPC contract
- Independent engineer report
Private Equity
Growth and buy-out capital from industrial and agri-focused funds, typically alongside a debt tranche to lower the blended cost of capital.
- Tenor
- 4 – 7 year hold
- Ticket
- $5M – $150M
Best for: Platform build-outs, consolidation and cross-border expansion
- Governance standards
- Growth thesis
- Exit path
Investment Partners
Strategic co-investors, family offices and regional sponsors who bring local licensing, land, offtake or distribution alongside capital.
- Tenor
- Negotiated
- Ticket
- $1M – $50M
Best for: Projects needing local partnership or market access as much as funding
- Shareholder agreement
- Clear capital structure
- Aligned exit
Government Programmes
Industrial localisation incentives, capex grants, interest subsidies, free-zone benefits and agri-processing schemes that reduce effective project cost.
- Tenor
- Programme specific
- Ticket
- Grants 5% – 40% of capex
Best for: Projects in priority sectors, special economic zones or import-substitution plans
- Local registration
- Job creation targets
- Application windows
How financing is structured
1. Scope & budget
Technical scope and realistic capex band are fixed first — lenders price the project, not the wish list.
2. Route selection
We map which of the nine routes actually fit your country, sector, ticket size and sponsor profile.
3. Bankable package
Feasibility, offtake, DSCR model and equipment quotations assembled into a lender-ready file.
4. Introductions
Independent introductions to ECAs, DFIs, banks, lessors and equity partners — no exclusivity, no success fee to buyers.
Get a funding route assessment
Human-led, supplier-neutral and 100% free for buyers. We return the routes that realistically fit your project, with indicative tenors, equity requirements and documentation checklists.
Next steps
Put this into practice
Request machinery quotes
Supplier-neutral · Human-led · No cost to buyers
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