China is Brazil's main trading partner. In 2022, imports from the Asian Giant reached the milestone of R$60.74 billion, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, despite all this trade flow between countries, importing from China safely is still a challenge for Brazilian companies, especially due to the distance and language. These barriers hinder essential processes for the success of an import project, such as quality inspection, the subject of this article.

Quality inspection in China can avoid several problems that, in many cases, are only noticed when the cargo arrives in Brazilian territory. This is done through verification and inspection not only of the products to be imported, but also of the factory and equipment – it all depends on the importer’s objective.

In this content, we present details about quality inspection processes in China, covering important aspects, such as types of inspection and advantages. We show the importance of having specialized assistance, which can carry out the service on site, delivering a complete technical analysis of the Chinese supplier's products. Follow along!

What is quality inspection in China
One of the challenges for Brazilian importers purchasing from China is ensuring that the products shipped meet the standards and specifications established in the contract with the supplier. In other words: that the importer receives what he actually purchased. Quality inspection is essential for this.

This is an inspection that is carried out in China before purchasing and importing products, and allows the importer or a consultant hired by him to evaluate the conditions of the supplier, the factory and its products, providing guarantees that the business is safe.

This is a very important investment that can guarantee the success of an import. Quality inspection detects and points out possible flaws in products and the quantity of items, enabling the supplier to correct them, or giving the buyer the opportunity to suspend the purchase.

Types of quality inspection
There are different types of China import inspection that have specific purposes, depending on the importer's objective. All inspections are very important to ensure greater security in doing business with China.

Quality inspection is one of the types of import inspection. It can refer to the quality of products, equipment and the factory.

Product inspection

Inspecting products imported from China is very important to ensure the quality of the items and the necessary technical specifications. It is not uncommon for importers to identify products with defects or non-standards for sale in the national territory, which causes problems for the operation, generating losses.

Inspecting the quality of products before completing the import process avoids unnecessary expenses, such as transportation costs, logistics, customs fees and customs consultancy.

During a product inspection, several conditions may be found, such as:

• Technical specifications different from what was specified in the contract;
• Divergence in the quantity of items;
• Scratches or dirt;
• Loose pieces;
• Labels different from those purchased;
• Design different from the one purchased;
• General damage.

Equipment inspection

The need for equipment inspection will depend on the company's industry and the type of product it manufactures. To do this, it will be necessary to have a specialized professional, with the conditions to carry out a complete and in-depth technical analysis.

An equipment inspection technician will be able to perform this service, as he already monitors, participates in and performs equipment maintenance and inspection services.

Factory inspection

This is a visit that is made to the place where the products or inputs that will be exported to Brazil are manufactured, to inspect the physical space, its structure, production capacity and even the health and safety conditions of the work environment. .

During this type of inspection, documentary and compliance analyzes with local and export legislation are also carried out. During this visit, the audit hired by the company will verify:

The existence of the factory and its real location;
Factory documentation, whether it complies with legislation;
If the factory has a license to operate and produce;
How is the stock and quality of used equipment;
The conditions of the professionals who work there;
In addition to social and environmental aspects, depending on the type of operation and product to be exported.
When to perform quality inspection
It is recommended to carry out quality inspection at the factory during the negotiation and closing phase, before shipping the goods and paying for the shipment.

Inspection directly at the factory, where the product is produced, can help the importer to identify issues that could affect the quality of the product even at the initial stage of production. This even makes it easier to correct these errors before the product even leaves the factory, avoiding more complex and time-consuming problems to resolve.

Advantages of inspection
The decision to carry out a quality inspection in China, as already shown, can make a difference in the importer's strategy. The main purpose of this process is to avoid problems that may arise due to lack of knowledge about the supplier, in general. Not just the products it delivers, but in the context of its operation, including the legality of the factory and the treatment given to employees.

Here are some advantages of investing in inspection:

Prevents fraud in relation to the factory and the product being imported;
It helps the company to carry out a complete inspection of the supplier, avoiding getting involved with an exporter that has legal and environmental problems, for example;
Protects the importer from possible problems such as delays and errors in shipping;
It allows the buyer to see the product up close, whether it has the quality they expect, examining details and answering questions in person;
Presents the conditions of the factory and business in general;
Enables the establishment of a good relationship with the business partner.
In addition to quality inspection, it is recommended that, before starting negotiations with suppliers, a Suitability Analysis of the companies with which you intend to do business is carried out.

The entire import process of Chinese products must be conducted with data and information about the supplier. One of the strategies to guarantee the success of this operation is, without a doubt, quality inspection in China, preventing the importer from having problems and losses, impacting its competitiveness.