Your Demo Is in 8 Weeks—You Actually Have 4

You Googled "export license timeline" and exhaled. Then someone asked about the batteries. Now you need to know: am I okay or already too late?

It's 11pm. You just Googled "SECO export license timeline."

4-8 weeks. You have 8. You exhale.

Then you keep reading. Someone mentions "certified packaging for lithium batteries." You check your spec sheet. Your demo unit has batteries. Big ones.

You Google "certified DG packaging lead time." 2-3 weeks. Minimum.

You Google "cargo-only flights to Singapore." Twice a week.

Now you're doing math. 6 weeks for license, plus 2 for packing, plus buffer... that's 9 weeks. You have 8.

You're not exhaling anymore.

Am I Okay or Am I Screwed?

Three questions. Answer them now.

1. Does your hardware contain batteries, pressure vessels, or radioactive sources?

If yes: Certified DG packaging. 2-3 weeks lead time. Some packers book 2 months out. This stacks on top of your license timeline. It doesn't run parallel.

2. Can it fly on a passenger aircraft?

If your cargo exceeds thresholds (battery watt-hours, pressure ratings), it's cargo-only. CAO flights are less frequent. Your "daily service" destination might have CAO once a week.

3. Do you have a named consignee at the destination?

For dual-use goods, you need a consignee to submit your export license application. No consignee, no submission. New destination? Add 3-4 weeks to find and vet a partner.

All three clear? You're probably okay. Tight, but workable. Start Monday.

Any triggered complexity? Your 8 weeks might actually be 4. Keep reading.

"Physics doesn't compress because you have a sales demo. License, packing, documents—they stack. That's why 8 weeks becomes 4."

Two More Traps

Apostille destinations: Some countries require certified documents. The Swiss chain—Chamber, Canton, Federal, Embassy—takes 3-4 weeks. It doesn't compress.

Government customers: Tax-exempt imports require HS code alignment. Mismatch means weeks in bonded warehouse. Verify before you ship.

Why Your Math Was Wrong

You calculated:

License (6 weeks) → Shipping (1 week) → Buffer (1 week) = 8 weeks ✓

Reality:

Classification + License + Certified Packaging + Carrier Booking = 10+ weeks

The difference: Parallel vs. Sequential.

You assumed packaging happens during the license wait. It doesn't. Classification determines packaging. Packaging determines carrier. Carrier determines routing.

These stack. They don't overlap.

Week 1 Is for Booking the Packer

Not the flight. The packer.

Certified DG packers book 2-3 weeks out. Some book months ahead. If you don't secure your packer in Week 1, you've lost time you didn't know you had.

By Friday of Week 1, you should know:

• DG classification confirmed
• Packer availability confirmed
• CAO frequency checked (if needed)
• Consignee in place for license application

That's your real timeline. Not the optimistic one.

The Save and The Miss

The Save:

Precision equipment company. Singapore demo. 7 weeks out. Lithium batteries, pressure vessel, new destination.

Triage call Monday. By Wednesday: packer booked through our network, consignee activated from our Singapore relationships, classification confirmed. License submitted Thursday. Approved week 5. Shipped week 6. Demo happened.

The Miss:

Similar company. Similar cargo. 4 weeks out.

Packer booked for 3 weeks. No slot before their demo. CAO flights twice weekly—both at DG capacity.

We told them the truth: not recoverable. They rescheduled. Lost momentum. Competitor filled the gap.

The difference was 3 weeks.

When You're Too Late

10+ weeks: Comfortable. Time for complexity.

6-10 weeks: Tight. If any of the three questions triggered, you're compressing.

Under 6 weeks: Danger zone. Some timelines are recoverable. Some aren't. You need to find out which.

Key Takeaways

License timeline ≠ shipping timeline. Packing, documents, booking stack on top.

Three questions determine your status. DG cargo? CAO required? Consignee in place?

Week 1 is for the packer. Lose Week 1, lose your timeline.

Physics doesn't negotiate. Battery regs, pressure limits, flight frequency—know your constraints early.

3 weeks separates save from miss. Call at 7 weeks, you ship. Call at 4, you might not.

What To Do Now

10+ weeks out?

Run the three questions. All clear? Start Monday. Any complexity? Start today.

6-10 weeks out?

Book the packer this week. Confirm consignee. Any hesitation from either? Call us.

Under 6 weeks?

Book a 20-minute triage call. We'll check packer availability in our network, verify your consignee situation, and tell you the truth: recoverable or not.

Some timelines are saveable. Some aren't. Better to know now.

Contact FlowSpex

FlowSpex: We don't make physics go faster. We make sure you know what it requires before you promise a date you can't keep.

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