How to get a manufacturer to conform to standards
Post 1 of 13
Hello everyone.
I would like to know the process involved in obtaining goods which i know conform to specific standards. For example, if i wanted to purchase a large shipment of Safety Goggles from China or Taiwan, how would i ensure that the manufactuer produced goods which adhered to the necessary standards. Such as AS-1337 in Australia for example. I have requested standards before and the manufacturer has assured me of this but i never received any written proof, i do not know which documents i need and surely i cannot just take their word for it? Any help or advice surrounding this whole process would be gratefully received as well as a way of knowing which standards are needed in specific product areas for the respective countries.
Many Thanks
CKent
I would like to know the process involved in obtaining goods which i know conform to specific standards. For example, if i wanted to purchase a large shipment of Safety Goggles from China or Taiwan, how would i ensure that the manufactuer produced goods which adhered to the necessary standards. Such as AS-1337 in Australia for example. I have requested standards before and the manufacturer has assured me of this but i never received any written proof, i do not know which documents i need and surely i cannot just take their word for it? Any help or advice surrounding this whole process would be gratefully received as well as a way of knowing which standards are needed in specific product areas for the respective countries.
Many Thanks
CKent
08 Jan 2008 10:28
Post 2 of 13
Replying to [ckent]:
Hi,
it is not difficult.When you need your supplier offer the products at the beginning,you should ask your supplier to quote the price including the test cost,and tell supplier clear after shipments,you need this test report and other full set of documents for pay balance money .Then the supplier will send their sample have passed the test to you for keeping sample before bulk production,then the supplier will send the shipping sample to you which is same as keeping sample before shipments,so you have 2 set sample on hand,once you got the bulk products,you also can have a check with your sample on hand.When you sell the products,you must have the test report on hand,normaly,this test report will be creditable,dont worry,you can sell your products without worry!
Hi,
it is not difficult.When you need your supplier offer the products at the beginning,you should ask your supplier to quote the price including the test cost,and tell supplier clear after shipments,you need this test report and other full set of documents for pay balance money .Then the supplier will send their sample have passed the test to you for keeping sample before bulk production,then the supplier will send the shipping sample to you which is same as keeping sample before shipments,so you have 2 set sample on hand,once you got the bulk products,you also can have a check with your sample on hand.When you sell the products,you must have the test report on hand,normaly,this test report will be creditable,dont worry,you can sell your products without worry!
14 Jan 2008 18:40
Post 3 of 13
Replying to [elina]:No sorry, I disagree. You cannot just sell products on good faith sorry, unless you wanna end up wife/house/money less from getting sued. To ensure a manufacturer conform to standards. DO NOT just ask them to send you certificates and base you purchase descisions on that. I can send you many fakes. They are a dime a dozzen.
First get familiar with what standards that apply to your product in your country.Bare in mind that each certification contains many directives.
e.g. Car DVD Player in EU requires CE(EMC and Low Voltage directive), WEEE, RoHs and Annex 3C.
Next you need to test a sample. You can get one from the supplier and send to a test lab in your country (These test are not cheap. Car Radio about $5,000). or you can negotiate with your supplier to get the required tests done for you. If you choose the latter, again don't just blindly trust what they tell you or certificates they send you - find out from the authorities in your country, in UK it is UKAS, if there are any approved labs in china.
Intertek and RFi are the only two UKAS approved labs in China.
Once you get these certificates, AGAIN do not trust them, check the certicate numbers yourself with the authorised labs.Now if you got this far... congrats ... you are half way there.
Next you need to be sure the suppliers will produce your bulk order accordingly . This is a tough, but if the factory has ISO9001 certification, it mean their QC is audited yearly and you stand a better chance. Companies like SGS do such certifiactions but there are no governing bodies that authenticate them in turn, so you should try to rely on an international, reputable one like SGS.
If all check out, at this stage you may want to instruct a factory audit by one of the Chinese helper companies like bizinchina and tonyinspection. Maybe even both, depends on how SURE you really need to be ... I guess
GOT HERE, congratulations ... hard part over ... except have your inspection company spot check and test some of the products from you bulk order before shipment.
So now you should be pretty well comfortable that you will get conforming and good quality goods.
But this does stil not mean that you will not get some duds and faulty goods ... SO GET INSURANCE. Because when you sell anything you will be first in-line to get sued when things go wrong.
Insurance companies are more concerned with subrogation than with certification. This means that if you get sued and your insurer has to cover you, they will want to recoup the costs from the 3rd party that was responsible for the malfunction, the manufacturer. So another point you may want to consider is whether the manufaturer has sufficient liability insurance, usually in excess of $4,000,000. Otherwiese you have to get insured as if you are the manufacturer, which will be more expensive.
To sum up: Trust no-one, double check and verify everything and for god-sake NEVER pay by Western Union !!!!
First get familiar with what standards that apply to your product in your country.Bare in mind that each certification contains many directives.
e.g. Car DVD Player in EU requires CE(EMC and Low Voltage directive), WEEE, RoHs and Annex 3C.
Next you need to test a sample. You can get one from the supplier and send to a test lab in your country (These test are not cheap. Car Radio about $5,000). or you can negotiate with your supplier to get the required tests done for you. If you choose the latter, again don't just blindly trust what they tell you or certificates they send you - find out from the authorities in your country, in UK it is UKAS, if there are any approved labs in china.
Intertek and RFi are the only two UKAS approved labs in China.
Once you get these certificates, AGAIN do not trust them, check the certicate numbers yourself with the authorised labs.Now if you got this far... congrats ... you are half way there.
Next you need to be sure the suppliers will produce your bulk order accordingly . This is a tough, but if the factory has ISO9001 certification, it mean their QC is audited yearly and you stand a better chance. Companies like SGS do such certifiactions but there are no governing bodies that authenticate them in turn, so you should try to rely on an international, reputable one like SGS.
If all check out, at this stage you may want to instruct a factory audit by one of the Chinese helper companies like bizinchina and tonyinspection. Maybe even both, depends on how SURE you really need to be ... I guess
GOT HERE, congratulations ... hard part over ... except have your inspection company spot check and test some of the products from you bulk order before shipment.
So now you should be pretty well comfortable that you will get conforming and good quality goods.
But this does stil not mean that you will not get some duds and faulty goods ... SO GET INSURANCE. Because when you sell anything you will be first in-line to get sued when things go wrong.
Insurance companies are more concerned with subrogation than with certification. This means that if you get sued and your insurer has to cover you, they will want to recoup the costs from the 3rd party that was responsible for the malfunction, the manufacturer. So another point you may want to consider is whether the manufaturer has sufficient liability insurance, usually in excess of $4,000,000. Otherwiese you have to get insured as if you are the manufacturer, which will be more expensive.
To sum up: Trust no-one, double check and verify everything and for god-sake NEVER pay by Western Union !!!!
03 Feb 2008 15:53