As the year draws to a close, it is a time of reflection, achievement, and excitement. Teams are wrapping up major goals, celebrating milestones, and preparing for the holidays. It is also when global supply chains experience their most intense period of the year as peak season begins amid many global and regional holidays from November through January, quickly followed by Lunar (Chinese) New Year.
All of these bring opportunities and challenges. With the right planning and visibility, they can be navigated smoothly, and Emerald Technologies is here to help make that happen.
Understanding the Current Landscape
This year’s peak season comes with added complexity. Global shipment volumes are already elevated, and the removal of the de minimis exemption, effective August 29, 2025, has extended customs processing times across the industry. The change removed duty-free entry for shipments under $800, resulting in more documentation and inspection requirements.
While most of Emerald’s imports are not directly affected, the ripple effects are being felt as customs officials and carriers manage larger workloads. In some cases, shipments have taken two to three weeks to clear.
That is why early order placement is more important than ever. The earlier we have visibility into your production needs, the sooner we can secure capacity, account for transit and clearance buffers, and help ensure your materials arrive when needed.
This year’s peak season comes with added complexity. Global shipment volumes are already elevated, and the removal of the de minimis exemption, effective August 29, 2025, has extended customs processing times across the industry. The change removed duty-free entry for shipments under $800, resulting in more documentation and inspection requirements.
While most of Emerald’s imports are not directly affected, the ripple effects are being felt as customs officials and carriers manage larger workloads. In some cases, shipments have taken two to three weeks to clear.
That is why early order placement is more important than ever. The earlier we have visibility into your production needs, the sooner we can secure capacity, account for transit and clearance buffers, and help ensure your materials arrive when needed.
How Emerald Helps You Stay Ahead
Emerald Technologies has taken proactive steps to minimize disruption and keep your business moving.
- We have built extended lead-time planning into our material schedules.
- We maintain escalation paths with carriers for urgent situations.
- We work cross-functionally between supply chain, program management, and operations to prioritize customer needs.
Our approach is based on partnership and proactive communication. When we know your demand earlier, we can plan smarter, move faster, and protect your production timelines even in a constrained environment.
Preparing for Upcoming Holiday & New Year Closures
In addition to peak season, November through January bring multiple global and regional holidays when many factories and logistics providers operate on reduced schedules or close temporarily. This period is followed by Lunar (Chinese) New Year, which in 2026 will be officially observed February 16 through 22. Many factories will close for an extended period as employees travel to celebrate with family.
These holiday slowdowns can create temporary reductions in capacity leading up to and following each holiday period, resulting in extended lead times. Emerald’s teams are already engaging with suppliers to align schedules and ensure continuity for all active demand.
Still, timing matters. Orders placed earlier allow us to lock in materials and logistics commitments before closures and avoid the need for costly expedites. We look forward to supporting our current and prospective partners in their pursuit of a smooth holiday season.
In addition to peak season, November through January bring multiple global and regional holidays when many factories and logistics providers operate on reduced schedules or close temporarily. This period is followed by Lunar (Chinese) New Year, which in 2026 will be officially observed February 16 through 22. Many factories will close for an extended period as employees travel to celebrate with family.
These holiday slowdowns can create temporary reductions in capacity leading up to and following each holiday period, resulting in extended lead times. Emerald’s teams are already engaging with suppliers to align schedules and ensure continuity for all active demand.
Still, timing matters. Orders placed earlier allow us to lock in materials and logistics commitments before closures and avoid the need for costly expedites. We look forward to supporting our current and prospective partners in their pursuit of a smooth holiday season.
Plan Early, Win Early
Seasonal slowdowns are inevitable, but disruption is not. With early collaboration and strategic planning, we can help you stay on schedule, manage costs, and meet your customers’ delivery expectations.
We encourage all companies, both our current and prospective partners, to review forecasts and share purchase visibility now so we can align resources and capacity. The sooner we partner, the more options we have to navigate challenges together.
Emerald Technologies is proud to be your trusted supply chain partner, anticipating challenges, acting early, and working side by side with our customers and new collaborators alike to keep production running smoothly through year-end and into 2026.
Seasonal slowdowns are inevitable, but disruption is not. With early collaboration and strategic planning, we can help you stay on schedule, manage costs, and meet your customers’ delivery expectations.
We encourage all companies, both our current and prospective partners, to review forecasts and share purchase visibility now so we can align resources and capacity. The sooner we partner, the more options we have to navigate challenges together.
Emerald Technologies is proud to be your trusted supply chain partner, anticipating challenges, acting early, and working side by side with our customers and new collaborators alike to keep production running smoothly through year-end and into 2026.
