Legal and identity
We start with the business licence, the export record and the company name on the bank account. They should all match. We confirm that manufacturing is within the registered business scope and that the address on the licence is the site we are standing in.
Capacity and equipment
We count the machines that matter for your product, how many are running, and how many workers are on shift. A factory quoting a 30-day lead time with half its machines idle, or with every line fully booked, both deserve questions.
Quality control in practice
We look for incoming material checks, checks during production, and a final inspection before packing, with records. Ask to see a recent rejected batch: a factory that never rejects anything is not checking.
- Incoming materials checked and recorded.
- In-line checks at each critical step.
- Final inspection before packing, with records.
- Calibrated measuring tools at the QC station.
Working conditions and safety
Clear fire exits, protective equipment in use, reasonable working hours and no under-age workers. Problems here are moral issues first, and they also become brand and legal risks for the buyer.
Scoring and what it means
A score helps compare factories, but the details matter more than the number. Two factories with the same score may have very different risks: one weak in paperwork, another weak in quality control. Read the risks, not only the total.
When to audit again
Audit before the first order with a new factory, and again when something changes: a new product category, a large volume increase, or quality problems that appear without explanation. A factory that was right two years ago may have changed owners, staff or customers.
