In the last couple of decades, there has been a huge migration of companies to China. The idea behind it is to lower the costs while continuing to expand the market and deliver high-quality products. Over the years, there has also been a significant rise in the number of copy-cats selling products for a fragment of the original price. Instead of paying the full price of the product, we can opt for a Chinese version that costs a lot less.
Sounds like a great deal, right? Well, no. The reason for that lies in quality. Chinese copies are known for their poor quality, and if someone needs a reliable, high-end product, they would rather pay a higher price than compromise on quality.
However, this obstacle doesn’t mean that you should completely avoid the market. With the right attitude and precautions, it can be beneficial both for you and your customers. So what is a safe way to approach the Chinese market? The answer is — third-party inspection. All you need to do is find a company that has no horse in the race and can objectively evaluate your opportunity. If you’re wondering how you can find such inspection experts, we are here to help you.
Here, you will find a list of companies that do inspections in China for foreign buyers.
1. HXI
If you are looking for a company with high-quality standards, you don’t need to look any further than HXI. The company’s guiding principles are transparency, flexibility, and collaboration. They offer several services, and their goal is to provide supreme quality control and full product inspection to their clients.
There are four primary services that HXI offers. Firstly, there’s pre-shipment inspection or PSI. It is performed on-site at the factory or warehouse. The inspectors will conduct the evaluation when 80% of the product is packed. They will randomly sample goods to ensure that they meet the industry standards. Some of the things they will check for are workmanship, style, quantity, dimensions, weight, packaging, client’s requirements, etc. PSI is important since it will minimize risks and ensure that everything goes according to plan and the client’s requirements.
The second service the company provides is pre-product inspection or PPI. This service focuses on quality control, and its goal is to ensure that the production goes smoothly and in compliance with the appropriate standards. It involves verifying plans and schedules, controlling raw materials, and confirming that everything is in accordance with the client’s wishes.
DPI or during production inspection is the third service HXI offers. It allows buyers to identify the root of the problem and eliminate it before it gets out of control and damages the production.
Finally, a buyer can request a full inspection, in which case the inspectors will focus on the finished product. This way, they will be able to detect and remove any defective products from a batch.
For more info about the company and their services, you can follow the link below.
www.HXI.com
2. Cotecna
Cotecna is a company from Switzerland, and it has been one of the major names in the QC inspection. It was founded in 1974, and they provide services regardless of the buyer’s location. Currently, Cotecna has over a hundred offices in more than sixty countries, and their inspection agency offers customized services.
One of the most appealing things about Cotecna is that they operate in a wide array of industries. For each of the industries they cover, they offer a separate set of services, and you will undoubtedly find the one that suits your company’s needs.
If your company works in agriculture, Cotecna offers everything from inspection and lab testing to issuing various certificates. Over the years, they have proven to be an excellent company as they have helped numerous clients mitigate various risks and improve production.
Agriculture is not the only sphere they thrive in. Cotecna also offers government and trade solutions, inspection and testing of minerals and metals, food safety, general cargo, and more.
Each service they provide comes with several sub-services, so you can easily find what you’re looking for based on your niche. Cotecna keeps improving and expanding, and it is one of the leaders in the inspection, certification, and testing industries. It is also the only non-US company to participate in national security improvement.
If you want to know more about Cotecna and the services they provide or check out their achievements, you can visit their website.
www.cotecna.com
3. Commodity Inspection Services (CIS)
Commodity Inspection Services or CIS is another company you might be interested in. It was founded in the Netherlands in 1989. The company specializes in inspections as well as in consulting. So regardless of whether you are a buyer, trader, manufacturer, or exporter, CIS might be able to help you with your business.
CIS can oversee any commercial transaction or operation on your behalf. Be it selling, buying, trading, or anything else, the company will act as your eyes and ears. They will complete the deal while keeping your best interest in mind.
The company covers many services, so it is quite likely that you will find the one that’s perfect for you. CIS offers a variety of commodity inspections, including the inspection and approval of shipments, hatch covers, supervision, sampling, checking packaging, random weight checks of bags, and many more. Furthermore, there’s technical inspection that’s related to products, and it includes visual inspection, weight checks, dimensional checks, witnessing, inspection of certificates, and more.
Commodity Inspection Services is also an expert on agriculture. The company will tailor its service to your needs to ensure that you receive exactly what you want. For example, they have a team of local fertilizing experts, and they can conduct inspections anywhere in the world.
So whether you need a pre-shipment evaluation or anything related to agriculture, CIS might be able to help you.
www.cis-inspections.com
4. QIMA — AsiaInspections
If you are looking for a supply chain compliance solution, QIMA is a company you should consider. It was founded in Hong Kong, and it started working under the name of AsiaInspections. Today, QIMA has thirty offices and over 3,000 employees from sixty nationalities. The company operates in over eighty countries, and their primary goal is quality.
In 2018, AsiaInspections changed their name, and they became QIMA — Quality Inspection Management. QIMA offers a variety of services, ranging from product quality to SASO and food certifications.
The company started working in 2005, and they quickly became one of the leading quality control and supplier compliance service providers. Moreover, QIMA kept improving and evolving over the next fifteen years. Their playfield has expanded from Chinese factories to the rest of the world. Today, QIMA is one of the best options if you are looking for a way to control quality and ensure compliance through a third-party company.
www.qima.com
5. HXI
HXI focuses on China, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Currently, it is one of the biggest inspection service providers for the market. It has been active since 2003.
Over the years, many manufacturers have proven that “made in China” doesn’t have to be a bad thing. HXI can help you find companies in China that offer incredible products for you and your customers. So you can get high-quality goods from China as long as you know where to look.
HXI offers to assist you every step of the way. Their inspectors provide quality control, supplier evaluations, lab testings, certifications, and much more. Instead of leaving things to chance, you can ensure that each product is up to standards. HXI is currently based in Hong Kong. They have a proven track record of satisfied customers spanning more than twenty years.
HXI has also been named the Most Trusted Inspection Company by China Business Awards in 2017 and 2018.
www.HXI.com
6. AQI Service
Another excellent third-party QC inspection company from China is AQI Service. It started operating in 2004, and today has more than forty quality inspectors. When it comes to Asia, their QC team covers India, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, Malaysia, and of course, China.
AQI Service focuses on quality control and production monitoring across the entire supply chain. This includes product development, sourcing, QC, as well as shipping and delivery. Their goal is to assist you in every step of the process and ensure that you identify any problems as early as possible. This way, you can eliminate them without slowing the production or causing shipment delays.
Over the years, AQI Service has proven to be an excellent inspection company, and their goal is to make you feel like you have eyes in the factory. This way, you will lower costs, avoid any problems, and ensure that everything goes according to plan. One of the company’s main advantages is that each client receives a tailor-made service, designed specifically for them.
www.aqiservice.com
7. Bureau Veritas
If you don’t want to put the fate of your company in the hands of a newcomer in the business, then Bureau Veritas might be the perfect option for you. The company was founded in 1828, which makes it nearly two hundred years old. Bureau Veritas started operating in Antwerp, Belgium but eventually moved the headquarters to Paris. Today, they are one of the leaders in testing, certification, and inspection.
Bureau Veritas operates in over 140 countries, and they have over 300 laboratories and 1,500 offices worldwide. Nearly half a million companies across the world recognize Bureau Veritas as a reliable, certified partner.
As you might have guessed from the name, the company is an independent inspection solution focusing on the truth (“veritas” means “truth” in Latin). Bureau Veritas offers a variety of services, so you will undoubtedly find something that works for your company. They also provide unique services for each client. Being in the business for nearly 200 years is an obvious benefit.
www.bureauveritas.com
8. SGS
Another Swiss company that has offices all over the world is SGS. Société Générale de Surveillance or General Society of Surveillance is located in Geneva. It was founded in 1878 in Rouen. The company specializes in testing, inspection, verification, and certification. Currently, SGS has over 2,500 offices worldwide and has been on the Forbes Global 2000 list three years in a row.
Their core services include verification and inspection of the quantity, quality, and weight of traded goods, as well as testing against health and safety regulatory standards.
SGS focuses on being the most productive and most competitive service organization in the entire world, and they keep improving to stay at the top. So if you are looking for a trust-worthy third-party inspection company, you might as well pick one with such a rich history. SGS has proven time and again that they are among the leaders in the field and that they will continue to improve.
www.sgs.com
Final Words
It is a common belief that Chinese products are always of low quality, but this doesn’t have to be the case. If you find a good manufacturer, you will be more than happy with the outcome. Nowadays, a great number of companies wonder how to approach the Chinese market, and many opt to avoid it completely. However, this is a grave mistake.
Instead of opting out, you can find an independent third-party inspection company that will ensure that each product coming from a manufacturer is up to the highest standards. Naturally, you will pick the inspection company based on your business’ needs. Some of them will focus on agriculture while others cover shipment. It’s up to you to decide on your top pick.
Once you find the company that suits your needs, you will realize how much easier it is for your business to expand and improve. Hopefully, one of the inspection companies on the above list will be a perfect match for you.