The Importance of Inspection Services for Manufacturers in China

Imagine that you have a great idea for a unique toy that every kid would want. You make a couple of the toys and get a great response from them. You decide to get a patent and mass produce them. You are excited about the money making possibilities and find a manufacture in China that will build the toys for you at an unbeatable price. You go all in with the funds you raised and have one hundred thousand toys made. The toys are manufactured and given a quick inspection for quality by the manufacturer. As the toys are being manufactured you create deals with multiple retailers and create a website to promote the new toy. The toys hit the market and are a huge hit. After a few months on the market you get a letter in the mail. The letter states that your toys have been tested and high levels of lead have been found. You now have possible law suits on your hands and have to recall all the toys that were sold. Your relationships with the retailers have soured and the manufacturer that made the products isn’t returning your calls. This is a very real scenario that can destroy a small start up or damage a large enterprise. So where did the supplier go wrong.
Was it the choice in manufacturer?
Did he push the product to market before it was ready?
Who missed the inspection of the products?
Did the supplier just see the low manufacturing price?
These are all great questions. The bottom line is that this supplier could have been saved by product testing the toys that were manufactured in China.

It is important to research the manufacturing company before dealing with them. You need to verify their track record and the manufactures capability to insure a quality product. Inspection services are a great way to prevent disasters like the above scenario. A quality and trusted testing service can provide you peace of mind and possibly save you hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars in the process.

An inspection services company can provide specific services that can help assure that the products are safe or in compliance with current laws and standards. Safety laws and standards can change from time to time depending on concerns or problems with products. An example above, where lead that was found in the toys. This was a concern that has happened in the past. Lead has been linked to health problems, especially in children. This would obviously cause alarm in parents. Millions and millions of toys were recalled after high levels of lead were found. Suppliers and retailers took a big hit for the recalls. This causes your valued retailers to implement testing and can hurt the relationship.

Here some examples of some product compliance testing and certifications. Certain seals of approval and certifications can provide trust in your product.

FDA - Food and Drug Administration

ANSI - American National Standards Institute

FC - Federal Communications Commission

DOT - Department of Transportation

Here a few things that you can look for when deciding on a product testing company.

Do your research and talk with other suppliers that have dealt with the inspection company. Look into their track record and see if any issues have been reported after they had inspected. Identify if they are current on all current testing laws and standards. Find out how long they have been in business and what is the experience of their personal.

You may also want to verify the services that they offer. Initially it is great to have an inspection service that will audit the manufacturer for you. They can assess the manufactures management, systems, facilities, and quality control. They sometimes can even assess the work environment, wages, and workers ages. Many companies have been scrutinized for dealing with manufactures that may have human rights concerns. Having an audit performed before becoming financially liable can be a smart move.

Your products should be tested prior to and during production. Having a third party product testing can help assure that the test are unbiased. It may be wise to require that the inspections are be done off site. The inspection service will most likely understand the import laws and standards of the country where the products will be shipped. Any issues with the products can be caught early and taken care before they hit the market.

Don’t overlook the importance of a pre-product inspection. An inspection service can test the raw materials and components before the products are made. Catching any issues early is the key and can save you money in reproduction.

As the product is being manufactured, it should be tested in the early stages. This can assure that no issues are being caused by the manufacturing process. It is also wise to have periodic testing throughout the manufacturing process.

Many inspection services in China for example, will than test the products and verify that they are correctly packaged. Some can provide visual inspections and other test just before the products are shipped. Scrutinizing the manufacturing process of the products can be very important in providing a safe and reliable product to you consumers.

You should expect timely reports, photos, and possible solutions from the product testing company. It is important to get quick and accurate information so you can make necessary decisions and limit down time.

Because China manufactures much of the world’s products, it is important to choose an inspection service that understands and is familiar with manufacturers in China. Choosing a manufacturer company on your own and only relying on the manufactures testing standards may save you money in the beginning but in the long run you may be paying a bigger price. Prevention is key when manufacturing your products. Take a lesson from all of the toy makers that may have lost millions in recalling toys with high levels of lead. Don’t leave it to chance, take control of your products and make sure they are safe and complaint.