If you are a buyer of shower enclosure and bathroom cabinet, the main mission which is looking for reliable and capable factories in China. But which factory is conformed with the requirement of the markets? It is very difficult to identify througth just meeting with potential suppliers in fairs only.
There are 3 ways to find out the qulified manufacturers:
1.Visit the factory.
It is the universal way in global business. Purchasers could check all of the producing process from raw material income, maching work, surface finishing, assemble process. And the most important point is the quality control. Buyers can capture the vast feeling about the products in your business. And it also can help you to make the correct decision. Althouth it is also a good way to verify your target factories, it hardly to discover the problems within a short stay by purchasers. Purchasers need to afford a high trip cost from own country. Since the coronavirus breakout in 2020, A lot of purchasers can’t visit factories or having a limitation to exit and entry in country. It will be much more better if the big company like LEROY MERLIN, OBI, B&Q have own office or employees in china, but it is also become complicate to distinguish which manufacturer is really match the standards once lockdown in local of factory.
Advantage: Can check the factory and producing process directly
Disadvatage:High cost at money and time
2.Check the manufacturer online
Checking list include company registration information, visualization of production line, verification, existing customers’feedback etc. The thing all about which can prove the supplier’s reliablity and capability. It is worth saying that, a huge trend of live streaming is rolling up about manufacture in the 5G age. Purchaser would be able to view the real situation about the factory. It is almost equivalent to visit factory, although there isn’t physical feeling about products and supplier company environment. All these information from online could help purchasers as a wholesaler, distributer, or retailer to well evaluate a matchable supplier.
Advantage: Know the supplier’s situation conveniently and would be much more close to the factory situation.
Disadvantage: Missing the micro details and feelings. Only know the things what supplier wants to show.
3.Audit by third parts
One of the best way is factory audit by third parts like Bureau Veritas, Intertek,ICS, SGS, TUV. Shower enclosure and bathroom cabinet must be excellent quality If the manufacturers can be verified by these institutions.
Generally speaking, there are about the 3 most common types of the factory audit in sanitary ware industry. Social Audit, Quality Audit, Environmental Audit.
Social audit verified factory:
- Has decent working conditions and human rights practices
- Compliance with statutory requirements
- Producing with authorized subcontracting
- Operating with an accurate understanding of ethical compliance
- Builds cooperative relations with suppliers of raw materials.
- Protects employees in safe working conditions.
- Ensures that employee health is not in danger
Quality Audit verified factory:
- Manufacturing facilities are suitable to produce shower enclosure and bathroom cabinet.
- Has alignment of buyer company’s sourcing policies and buyer supplier’s policies
- Capable for identifies and mitigates potential quality, operational, and ethical risks
- Has qualified competence of factory management
Environmental Audit verified factory:
- Followed the international principles and buyer company’s compliance requirements
- Has a strongly responsibility and awareness to improve the environmental performance
- Compliances with local and international regulations for environmental protection
- Has the suppliers or subcontractors who respect the environment protection.
The report of audit is the best evidence of reliability and capability to the supplier. It will show a lot of useful details, both conformed and improvable items. Large companies always conduct the factory audit one or several type. Because audit not only ensure their Shower enclosure and bathroom cabinet are producing with high quality level and good conditions, but also leads to the ultimate goal of protecting purchasers’ image and brand image.
Advantage: Purchaser needn’t to visit factory but can well identfy the supplier’s competency. Testing the suppliers’ management and conditions. Avoid the risk from laws and regulations. Ensure the qualified shower enclosure are producing by a good working conditions and scientific processing.
Disadvantage: Factory audit is basic for the large companied in the world. Most of showe enclosure factories in china haven’t be audited. Or has been audited incompliance. Supply chain will be circumscribed if only considering factory audit.
In general, How to find a reliable and capable supplier?
There are 6steps could be reference:
- 1st: Disscussing with the supplier though email, phone and other ways online.
- 2nd: Asking for the factory audit reports if they have been audited.
- 3rd: Collecting the supplier’s information as much as possible.
- 4th: Visiting the factory at site or viewing the factory on live.
- 5th: Getting the samples if possible.
- 6th: Placing a trial order to start the business relationship.
If the supplier can follow these steps, it will be a good start of the business relationship. They could be trustable and capable in supply chain.
