Home Business All That You Must Know About Inspection and Quality Control in China

All That You Must Know About Inspection and Quality Control in China

by Lee Mark

Today, China has emerged into the status of the factory of the world because the data in 2019 revealed that 28.7% of the global production is coming from China while USA is lagging behind at 16.8%. Therefore, many of the manufacturers are now looking at China to shift their manufacturing units.

However, one of the biggest concerns that remain while manufacturing in China is the quality of products. Any product where “Made in China” is written people have a perception that it is an inferior quality product. Most European and American manufacturers often wonder if they produce their products in China then what is going to be the quality.

Although, a few years back the quality of China-made products was indeed a concern, however, in course of time Chinese manufacturers seem to have bridged that gap and now people have started buying Chinese-made products and are quite happy with them too.

As a matter of fact, some Chinese brands like Haier, Xiaomi, and Lenovo have become globally recognized brands. Let us, therefore, share a few important pieces of information as far as the concept of China quality inspection is concerned.

Why quality inspection will be essential? 

The following are the reasons for quality inspection and China quality inspection is also not an exception.

  • Ensures quality goods production – A balanced combination of quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) can impact positively your quality and also adherence to the required specifications.
  • Minimises any variations in production – While manufacturing, there is every possibility of variations to occur in the products. Once you will understand the basic reasons behind this, then you can also add certain steps and checks within your mandated QA plan for reducing these variations.
  • Reduces your losses – After doing proper QC checks, you can decrease the number of defects you receive, which cannot be sold. More the defective pieces you get, the higher the losses you make.
  • Can maintain your planned margins – QC checks can reduce any chance of receiving low-quality items that you may be forced to sell at a lower or discounted price.
  • Leads to your consumer retention – You must have decided on a certain target customer group and set your quality based on that. If you are forced to supply items of poor quality, at a reduced price then you are risking the chance of losing your customer base.
  • Increased consumer satisfaction – With better quality you can assure and also showcase to all your customers that you can uphold the quality that they expect from all the products that you are supplying them.

If you can manage any certifications or accreditations then their satisfaction level is likely to increase and most certainly they will continue to do business with you for the long term. Thus, a direct correlation exists between assuring them the right quality and, also they are staying loyal to you.

Quality is directly related to manufacturing cost

To put it another way, you get just what you actually pay for. Money is spent on raw supplies, labour, electricity, and the upkeep of factory infrastructure like machines. As a result, a manufacturer will have a price the lowest cost that can be achieved without sacrificing quality.

Often a few large buyers may try to negotiate the price even further down and suppliers too may be ready for that to get a very large-sized order. However, that may often have certain repercussions either on the process or materials and can influence the quality.

What audits of suppliers available in China?

There are highly qualified auditors available in China, who can also audit your chosen Chinese factory. Their audits can help you in the following way for China quality inspection.

  • Protect your company brand against any operational or ethical risks
  • Ensure ethical and safe working conditions in all your supply chain
  • Get a complete details of your supplier in China before offering them any business

Lab testing facilities in China

The Chinese quality auditors have got lab testing facilities in accordance with various regulatory bodies and also international standards like:

  • ISO 17025
  • HOKLAS
  • ANAB
  • CPSC

Product inspections facilities in China

You can do China quality inspection before your product leaves the factory of your Chinese supplier, and can prevent any quality problems. These quality inspectors in China can supply you with all the necessary quality reports within 48 hours.

Cost of your quality inspection

‍Let us share data about the cost of certain third-party QC Chinese inspection companies, which may cost you about $199 to $299 per day provided the factory or warehouse is within 60 km distance from the company inspecting the product. The fee may increase if the distance is more.

The following are a few factors that decide the price of China quality inspection:

  • Level of expertise – The main reason for the pricing variation between QC organizations is the experience in quality inspection.
  • Distance of inspection site – Major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen are home to the majority of inspection agencies. The inspector will have to go to the factory if the inspection location is in a certain small town. The increased inspection time and travel expenditures will increase your total inspection cost.
  • Checklist – Some organizations merely perform basic checks, whereas others provide site audits or certifications. The cost varies based on the checks that are performed.

‍Current challenges for China sourcing

China’s AQL rates are in the range of 30%, a little improvement over the average value for any other Asia Pacific, and a noticeable edge over other manufacturing powerhouses like India and Bangladesh, according to recent product inspection data.

Nonetheless, a supply chain where 30% of items must be modified before being dispatched provides plenty of space for improvement, particularly for large-scale sourcing companies and retailers.

Any company or retailer purchasing from China must be careful in the face of all these figures. This is especially true for high-risk product categories like toys and children’s items, as evidenced by the fact that China-sourced toys continue to be the most recalled in the EU.

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