1. Client Background

• Local South African manufacturers could only produce 30 workstations monthly (too slow to meet 100-unit demand).
• Imported workstations from Europe were 35% over budget, with no option for dual-finish customization (clients wanted both light oak and black to match diverse office decors).

2. Customer Requirements & Project Objectives

1. Regulatory Compliance: Meet South Africa’s National Environmental Management Act E1-grade standards (formaldehyde emissions ≤0.124mg/m³) for imported furniture.
2. Functional & Aesthetic Customization:
   • 4-person workstations (to maximize open-plan space for growing teams) with 60”x30” work surfaces.
   • Dual finishes: 50 light oak workstations + 50 black workstations (to cater to 85% of client decor preferences, per the wholesaler’s 2025 survey).
   • Integrated cable ports (for tech firm clients’ dual monitors and laptops).
    
3. Durability: Scratch-resistant worktops (to withstand high-usage corporate environments).
4. Timeline & Scale: Deliver 100 workstations within 10 weeks, to restock for Q4 demand.

3. Customization & Design Process

• Finish & Layout Validation: The team shipped light oak and black finish swatches (tested for scratch resistance) to South Africa; both were selected to cover diverse client tastes. The 4-person layout was finalized after the wholesaler tested a prototype with a Johannesburg tech firm (the team confirmed the layout fit 16 employees in a 200 sq. ft. space, 25% more efficient than prior workstations).
• Prototype Testing: A light oak 4-person workstation was shipped to Johannesburg for a 7-day trial. A tech firm operations manager noted: “The cable ports keep our desk clutter-free, and the scratch-resistant top holds up to our team’s daily laptop/monitor moves. We’ll be ordering 10 more.”
• 3D Rendering Alignment: MEI YI provided 3D renderings of both finish options in a 20-person open-plan layout, confirming the workstations fit South Africa’s standard office dimensions.

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4. Production & Quality Assurance

• Production Schedule:
  • Weeks 1–2: Material sourcing (FSC-certified E1-grade light oak/black MDF, scratch-resistant coatings, steel frame supports).
  • Weeks 3–9: Mass production (2 lines: 50 light oak + 50 black, 15 units/week per line).
  • Week 10: Final inspection, dust-resistant packaging, and freight preparation.
   
• Rigorous Quality Checks:
  1. Compliance Testing: 10% of workstations were tested for E1-grade emissions (all met South African standards).
  2. Functional Testing: Each cable port was verified for 3-wire capacity; worktops were scratch-tested with metal tools (no damage).
  3. Durability Testing: Frames were load-tested to 200kg (no warping or instability).
   

5. Logistics & Delivery

• Packaging: Each workstation was flat-packed (to reduce shipping costs) and wrapped in dust-resistant film (to protect against Johannesburg’s dry, sandy transit conditions) + reinforced cardboard.
• Customs Clearance: Pre-submitted ISO/E1/FSC documents were shared with South African Customs 2 weeks in advance—clearing Durban Port in 3 days (vs. the typical 7-day delay for uncertified goods).
• Final Delivery: The 100 workstations arrived 1 day early (9.5 weeks total). MEI YI included an English-Afrikaans bilingual assembly guide (South Africa’s official languages) and a local Johannesburg contact for post-delivery support.

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6. Customer Feedback & Project Results

• Sales Performance: 82 of the 100 workstations were sold in Q4 (30% faster than prior inventory turnover); key clients included a Johannesburg tech firm (25 workstations) and a Cape Town accounting practice (18 workstations).
• Client Satisfaction: 94% of corporate clients rated the dual-finish option “critical” for their office decor; one retail chain operations manager noted: “We used light oak for our marketing team and black for our finance team—both look polished and on-brand.”
• Cost & Margin Benefits: MEI YI’s pricing was 30% lower than European imports, boosting the wholesaler’s workstation profit margin from 22% to 37%.
• Repeat Partnership: The wholesaler placed a follow-up order for 120 workstations (60 light oak + 60 black) 6 weeks post-delivery, to cater to 2026’s Q1 office expansion demand.