When planning a construction project—whether it's a luxury villa, a multi-unit residential development, or a commercial building—understanding aluminum window and door production timelines is critical for keeping your schedule on track. At ALPES, we know that accurate lead time expectations prevent costly delays, subcontractor rescheduling, and penalty clauses. In this guide, we break down exactly how long it takes to manufacture custom aluminum windows and doors, what factors influence the timeline, and how we optimize production at our 100,000 m² facilities in Foshan and Zhaoqing.
Before diving into the numbers, it is important to distinguish between production time and total lead time. Production time refers to the period from when manufacturing begins to when finished products are ready for shipping. Total lead time encompasses everything: design review, material procurement, manufacturing, quality inspection, packaging, and delivery logistics.
For international buyers working with a casement window manufacturer like ALPES, total lead time also includes ocean freight, customs clearance, and inland delivery. We will cover each stage in detail below.
Every ALPES window and door goes through a rigorous manufacturing process. Here is what happens inside our factories and approximately how long each stage takes:
Once a purchase order is confirmed, our engineering team produces detailed shop drawings based on your project specifications. These drawings include precise dimensions, hardware placement, thermal performance details, and glass specifications. After you review and approve the drawings, production officially begins. This phase typically takes 3–7 days depending on project complexity and revision rounds.
This stage covers three key components:
Once materials arrive at our factory, the actual window and door fabrication begins. Our CNC cutting machines precisely cut aluminum profiles to the exact dimensions from your shop drawings. This is followed by drilling, milling, and punching operations to create holes for hardware, drainage channels, and ventilation slots. Our advanced equipment ensures accuracy within 0.1mm tolerances.
ALPES uses high-strength corner brackets with full injection-molded structural adhesive for seamless, water-resistant joints. Our assembly process includes:
Insulated glass units are carefully installed with proper gasketing and sealing. For our sliding door systems, this also includes installing heavy-duty pulleys (up to 400kg load capacity for our SL155 series), track systems, and multi-point locking mechanisms. Hardware from ROTO or Winkhaus is fitted and tested for smooth operation.
Every ALPES product undergoes strict quality inspection before leaving the factory. Our QC process includes airtightness testing, water penetration testing, hardware operation testing, and visual inspection of finishes and joints. Products that fail any test are sent back for rework immediately.
All finished products are wrapped in protective film, secured with corner protectors, and packed in wooden crates or cardboard with pearl wool cushioning—specially designed for safe international shipping.
Here is a realistic breakdown of production timelines for our most popular product lines. These are manufacturing-only times (from drawing approval to ready-to-ship):
| Product Type | Standard Config. | Custom Config. | Example Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casement Windows | 20–25 days | 25–35 days | C120, C113, C116 |
| Sliding Windows | 20–25 days | 25–35 days | TS130 Side Press |
| Tilt & Turn Windows | 25–30 days | 30–45 days | AW90 Passive, AW113 |
| Sliding Doors | 25–30 days | 30–45 days | SL155, SL126/182 |
| Sunrooms & Special Projects | — | 40–60 days | Custom design |
Note: These timelines are estimates from drawing approval to factory-ready. They do not include shipping time. International ocean freight typically adds 3–6 weeks depending on destination.
Standard sizes and configurations from our catalog move through production fastest. Custom sizes, special shapes (arched, angled, oversized), and bespoke hardware configurations add time for tooling setup and quality verification. Our AW90 Passive Window, with a K-value as low as 1.3 and a dual-matrix eight-layer sealing system, requires more assembly time than a standard casement window.
Our four standard colors (Ice Cream White, Aurora Gray, Starry Sky Gray, Brown Coffee) are typically in stock or have short lead times. Custom RAL color matching requires a dedicated powder coating batch, which can add 5–10 business days to the profile preparation phase.
Larger orders (50+ units) may receive dedicated production scheduling, which can actually reduce per-unit production time through batch efficiency. However, very large projects may require phased production and delivery. We always confirm whether your order will ship as a single lot or in multiple drops.
Spring and summer are peak construction seasons globally. Orders placed between March and August may experience slightly longer lead times due to higher production volume. We recommend placing orders 2–4 weeks earlier if your project schedule aligns with peak season.
Premium German hardware (ROTO, Winkhaus, Wehag) and high-performance glass (triple-glazed, passive-house rated) sometimes have longer procurement times than standard alternatives. If your project requires specific hardware brands or glass specifications, we recommend confirming availability during the quotation stage.
The design review phase can be the biggest variable in the overall timeline. Projects with quick drawing approval (1–2 rounds) move to production fastest. Projects requiring multiple design iterations, structural engineering sign-offs, or stakeholder reviews will see extended pre-production timelines.
As an experienced tilt and turn windows and system door manufacturer with two major production centers in Guangdong, we have developed several strategies to keep production running smoothly:
Window and door procurement should be treated as a critical-path item, not an afterthought. For international projects, plan to place your order 3–6 months before you need products on site. This accounts for manufacturing, ocean freight, customs, and a safety buffer.
Changes made after production has started almost always cause delays. Lock in your window schedule document (types, dimensions, finishes, hardware, glass specs) before submitting your purchase order. If you need help creating a window schedule, our team can assist.
We recommend adding a 2-week buffer to your expected delivery date for international orders. Production defects, glass unit failures, coating inconsistencies, and shipping delays can all trigger replacement cycles. A buffer protects your installation schedule.
Aluminum windows and doors need secure, dry, flat storage on site. If site storage is limited, let us know early—we can coordinate phased delivery that aligns with your installation sequence.
Every project is unique, and the best way to get an accurate production timeline is to request a quotation with lead time confirmation. At ALPES, we provide written delivery commitments with every quote—no vague estimates. Our team will review your specifications, confirm material availability, and give you a clear production and delivery schedule before you commit.
With a 100,000 m² manufacturing base, two production centers in Guangdong, and partnerships with premium German hardware brands, ALPES has the capacity and expertise to deliver high-quality aluminum windows and doors on schedule. Whether you need standard casement windows for a residential project or custom sliding doors for a luxury villa development, we can tailor production to meet your timeline.
Contact our project team today to request a detailed quotation with confirmed production and delivery timelines for your specific project.
