1. Project Overview
Zehao Furniture is a professional Chinese steel furniture manufacturer supplying heavy-duty bunk beds and dormitory furniture to government, institutional and commercial projects worldwide. This case study covers a UNDP-supported correctional facility procurement programme for Malawi, Southern Africa.
The project involves the supply of 1050 triple-level steel bunk beds and 3,150 single foam mattresses to Maula Prison, Lilongwe, Malawi. Procurement was carried out through Invitation to Bid ref. 2019/MWI10/001 under a UNDP-supported programme. The supply agreement was formalised in 2019, with a repeat order of 615 beds placed in 2020.
Prior to mass production, one complete sample bed and one mattress were manufactured, inspected and approved by the end user. Mass production followed the client-confirmed technical specification (T-1624) and approved sample, locking all dimensions, steel sections and finish parameters before manufacturing.
Overall bed dimension: 2000 mm(L) × 900 mm(W) × 1800 mm(H)
Overall mattress dimension: 1890 mm × 910 mm × 102 mm
2. Client & Procurement Background
The procurement was executed under a UNDP-supported programme for the Malawi Prison Service, with delivery to Maula Prison in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. The country is a landlocked nation in southeastern Africa, which necessitated a multi-modal shipping solution via Beira, Mozambique.
- Client type: Government / UNDP-supported institutional procurement.
- End user: Malawi Prison Service — Maula Prison, Lilongwe.
- Procurement reference: UNDP ITB 2019/MWI10/001 (Bunk Beds & Mattresses).
- Contract payment terms: Letter of Credit.
- Quality requirement: Conformity to Malawi Bureau of Standards and 1-year warranty on all beds.
3. Technical Specification — Triple Bunk Bed T-1624 (Correctional Grade)
The T-1624 triple bunk bed was engineered specifically for high-density correctional environments. Every specification below was extracted from the signed technical sheet and sample approval record.
- Overall size: 2000 × 900 × 1800 mm (L × W × H)
- Main frame: 40 × 40 × 1.6 mm mild steel square tube
- Head & foot posts: 40 × 40 × 1.6 mm square tube
- Side rails: 30 × 30 × 1.4 mm square tube
- Guard rails: 30 × 30 × 1.4 mm square tube
- Mattress support: 6 mm plywood on 30 × 5 mm mild steel flat bars
- Floor anchoring: 140 × 140 × 6 mm flat steel plates drilled for size-17 bolts
- Sleep levels: 3 (heights approximately 0.25 m / 1.2 m / 2.0 m from base)
- Level access: End-mounted integrated ladder
- Finish: Red oxide anti-rust primer + grey final coat
- Assembly: Dismountable levels using reducing tubes + size 12/14 bolts
- Warranty: 1 year from date of installation
4. Mattress Specification — Single Foam Mattress
Each bed requires three single mattresses. All 3,150 mattresses were manufactured and packed to match the exact dimensional and density requirements of the end user.
- Dimension: 1890 × 910 × 102 mm (L × W × H)
- Density: 20
- Fabric cover: PVC-reinforced, green colour as specified
- Quality standard: Conformity to Malawi Bureau of Standards
- Sample: One pre-production sample approved before mass production
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5. Logistics & Delivery
Malawi is a landlocked country; all containerised cargo must transit through a neighbouring port. For this project the routing was:
- Origin: Tianjin, China
- Port of discharge (sea): Beira, Mozambique
- Inland destination: Lilongwe, Malawi
- Total lead time (production + shipping): within the contractual window
- Packing: KD flat-pack to maximise container volume utilisation and reduce freight cost
- Payment instrument: Letter of Credit (LC)
The dismountable design of each bunk level allowed all components to be flat-packed, significantly reducing shipping volume compared with fully assembled beds.
6. Repeat Order in 2020
The strongest validation of project success is a follow-on order. In 2020 the client placed a repeat order of 615 triple bunk beds based on the same T-1624 specification, confirming satisfaction with product quality, delivery performance and after-sales reliability.
- Repeat order quantity: 615 units
- Repeat order timing: 2020
- Specification: Same T-1624 technical sheet and sample standard
7. Project Outcome
All 1050 beds and 3,150 mattresses were manufactured, inspected, shipped and accepted by the end user under the original contract, and the 2020 repeat order was executed on the same standard. Key performance indicators:
- Sample turnaround: 7 days (air-freighted pre-production sample of bed and mattress)
- Mass production & delivery: Completed within contractual schedule
- Total beds delivered: 1050 units
- Total mattresses delivered: 3,150 units
- Repeat order: 615 units in 2020
- Warranty coverage: 1 year on all beds
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8. Frequently Asked Questions
What is a triple-level steel prison bunk bed?
A triple-level steel bed provides three separate sleeping spaces stacked at heights of approximately 0.25 m, 1.2 m and 2.0 m from the base, maximising sleeping capacity in high-density environments such as prisons, dormitories, hostels and relief camps.
What steel specification is used for heavy-duty prison bunk beds?
The main frame is 40 × 40 × 1.6 mm mild steel square tube, with mattress support of 6 mm plywood on 30 × 5 mm mild steel flat bars. Every level is secured with reducing tubes and bolts, finished with red oxide anti-rust primer plus a grey topcoat.
How are prison bunk beds anchored to the floor?
Each bed foot carries a 140 × 140 × 6 mm flat steel plate drilled for size-17 bolts, allowing bolt-mounting directly to the concrete floor — a mandatory anti-movement safety requirement in correctional facilities.
What is the lead time for bulk orders of 300+ bunk beds?
For the Malawi prison project, 350 triple bunk beds plus 1,050 mattresses were produced and shipped within the contractual window, and a pre-production sample was air-freighted within 7 days of order confirmation.
Do you supply mattresses matched to the bunk beds?
Yes. We supplied 3,150 single foam mattresses sized 1890 × 910 × 102 mm with density 20 and PVC-reinforced fabric covers, colour-matched in green as specified.
Can you handle UN, UNDP or government tender requirements?
Yes. We have completed a UNDP-supported correctional facility procurement in Malawi (ITB ref. 2019/MWI10/001), including pre-bid compliance, technical documentation, samples, third-party inspection-friendly packing and full export documentation.
How do you ship to landlocked African countries such as Malawi?
Cargo is containerised from a Chinese port to Beira, Mozambique, then moved inland to Lilongwe, Malawi. We manage the full chain — container loading plans, sea freight, transit documentation and delivery confirmation.
Can each bunk level be disassembled for storage or relocation?
Yes. Every sleeping level is dismountable, allowing flat-pack shipping and easy relocation or reconfiguration at the facility.
What is the MOQ and can the beds be customised?
MOQ is 100 pieces with mixed models acceptable. Dimensions, steel thickness (0.5–2.5 mm), RAL colours, ladders and packaging are fully customisable; OEM and ODM projects are welcome.
About the Manufacturer
Zehao is a steel bed manufacturer based in Tianjin, China, supplying correctional facilities and government institutional projects across Malaysia, Singapore, the Middle East and Africa. See our prison bed factory and government project capability for certifications, tender support and reference projects.
