How Overseas Brokers manages the logistics of international office projects from construction through final fit-out — under one roof.

When a multi-national organization decides to open new offices outside the US, the logistics challenge that follows is rarely straightforward. Products are sourced from multiple vendors across every stage of the project — furniture manufacturers, building materials suppliers, IT vendors, AV equipment providers — each shipping from a different facility, each with their own timeline, and none of them connected by a single logistics solution.

For domestic projects, that fragmentation is manageable. For international office projects spanning multiple countries and time zones, it requires a fundamentally different approach — one party operating as a control tower with full visibility across every vendor, every shipment, and every deadline.

That is what Overseas Brokers does.

The Furniture Side

Most large international office furniture projects source product from multiple manufacturers simultaneously. Workstations from one, seating from another, casegoods, filing, and ancillary from three more — each shipping from a different facility.

Most furniture manufacturers ship directly to Overseas Brokers’ consolidation warehouses in New Jersey, Los Angeles, or Miami based on destination routing, with domestic freight typically covered by the manufacturer. For projects with product sourcing from European or Asian vendors, the same process applies from Overseas Brokers’ foreign consolidation points. From there, consolidated shipments are dispatched by ocean freight for most destinations, air freight when the timeline demands it, and surface transport when applicable. Customs clearance and import compliance are handled by expert customs brokers throughout.

Furniture is delivered and installed by a network of local installation teams in each country, managed by Overseas Brokers’ US and European based project managers. The furniture dealer stays in control of the furniture project — coordinating every manufacturer from receipt at the warehouse through completion of installation. For companies expanding into multi-national locations, the same process scales across multiple destinations under a single point of coordination.

The Construction Stage and Final Fit-Out

Overseas Brokers is contracted by many clients as the centralized logistics solution for the broader project, creating a single point of coordination for every vendor and every shipment — eliminating the need for the client to manage multiple freight and customs processes across the build out and fit-out.

Beyond furniture, Overseas Brokers manages the international logistics for every other imported element of the project — building materials, architectural elements, flooring, carpeting, lighting, millwork, IT equipment, and AV systems — each dispatched according to the build out timeline and delivered when needed on site.

Products ship to Overseas Brokers from each vendor and are consolidated where it makes sense to reduce costs. For projects requiring staging at destination, local warehousing is available at each location so products are ready for immediate delivery to site when the general contractor calls for them. For projects where just-in-time delivery is preferred, shipments are dispatched according to the build out timeline and delivered directly when needed. The client manages this side directly through Overseas Brokers with full visibility and control.

A Track Record Built on Accountability

After 40 years managing international logistics for leading global financial institutions, major insurance companies, many Fortune 500 clients, and the furniture manufacturers and dealers who furnish their offices worldwide, Overseas Brokers understands what this level of project demands.

These clients operate on strict timelines where delays translate directly into measurable business losses. They require a logistics partner who treats that accountability as non-negotiable — and that is the standard Overseas Brokers holds itself to on every project, regardless of size, destination, or complexity.

One Logistics Partner. Every Stage. Every Country.

Whether the project involves a single overseas office or a multi-national rollout across several countries simultaneously, Overseas Brokers provides the infrastructure, the expertise, and the on-the-ground network to manage it — from the first consolidation through completion of installation at destination.

Overseas Brokers’ services extend well beyond office projects. The company handles the global movement of a wide range of commercial cargo — from project cargo and industrial equipment to consumer goods and specialized shipments — with the same commitment to precision and accountability that defines every engagement.

Ready to discuss your next international project? Contact Overseas Brokers at https://overseasbrokers.com/contact-us/

(Photo credit: The iconic ‘Walkie-Talkie’ building, 20 Fenchurch Street, London — where Overseas Brokers managed a major fit-out for a global trading firm.)

Trading desks manufactured by LaCour were shipped from New Jersey to Paris, France and installed without a hitch in the midst of the pandemic lockdown. The project was completed minutes before riots broke out in the streets of Paris to protest the lockdown.  The shipment was routed via the port of Rotterdam, Holland to bypass delays at the port of LeHavre, France. The Dutch installation crew were equipped with parking permits from French Police and special dispensations allowing them to work until 6 pm every day, at which time they had to return to a rented apartment to comply with the evening curfew.

LaCour has continued to expand its partnership with Overseas Brokers to handle their global transportation by sea and air, cross-border customs formalities, delivery and installation of their products, all over the world. LaCour is a major manufacturer of custom-designed trading desks, and we’ve completed projects in London, Monte Carlo, Geneva, Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, San Juan, and Brisbane, Australia. Next up is Paris, France.

Take a look at photos from a 300 desk project we handled, on behalf of LaCour, from New Jersey to Australia, for a metals and energy trading company. The photos show the process at destination starting with grounding of ocean containers at site, installation of frames, attaching work surfaces and placement of pedestals. Through Overseas Brokers’ global network of trusted logistics partners, we are able to make this a cookie cutter process for global distribution, easily duplicated worldwide – without the need for a local dealer in every market.

 

LaCour, a US based manufacturer of high-end, custom-designed trading desks, contracted Overseas Brokers for a series of turnkey international furniture projects. The flagship project in London entailed international shipment from the factory in NJ, customs brokerage, delivery, installation and day 2 support for 155 trading desks in London’s most iconic office building, affectionately known as the “Walkie Talkie building”. These high visibility projects were all completed on schedule for a top-tier global trading firm, on behalf of Insidesource, a leading office furniture dealer based in the US.