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Declaration of Conformity for EU Importers: By Ferry Vermeulen

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 1 Comment

ferry vermuelen

Product compliance is much more than just laboratory testing. European importers, in virtually every industry, are obliged to issue certain documentation – to demonstrate compliance with all applicable product regulations.

Perhaps the most important of all documents is the Declaration of Conformity (DoC).

It’s a rather complex topic, so we decided to ask an expert. His name is Ferry Vermeulen, founder of INSTRKTIV.com.

In this article, Ferry explains what every EU based importer must know about drafting a Declaration of Conformity, and the various other documents you need.

Ferry, tell us a bit about yourself and Instrktiv.com

I am founder and director of business development at INSTRKTIV. After starting my own industrial design agency back in 2006, I co-founded the company Manualise in 2009.

As the CEO from 2009 – 2015, my content strategy brought the company over 15 #1 Google positions on main keywords like ‘creating user manuals’ which led to many international clients, such as Electrolux, AkzoNobel, Schneider Electric and Lid.

In 2016 I founded INSTRKTIV GmbH and moved from Amsterdam to Berlin. INSTRKTIV helps companies and brands to produce their technical documentation.

The company stands for content quality, both in the field of usability and liability: The manual as a legal document, which not only serves the keystone in terms of liability but also promotes safe and proper use, is at the core of this.

It makes me happy to help German and international companies developing appealing and compliant documentation which contribute to a better user experience.

In my ‘Man-Machine-Blog” I give hands on tips & techniques to improve the quality of content and improve the user experience. I cover topics like CE marking, the Declaration of Conformity (Read more) and Simplified Technical English. Continue reading Declaration of Conformity for EU Importers: By Ferry Vermeulen

Importing from China to the UK: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 6 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

About to Import products from China to the United Kingdom? Eager to know how the ‘Brexit’ will affect your business?

Read this guide to learn what you must know about product regulations, labelling requirements, import duties and VAT in the United Kingdom.

We also explain why UK based importers should not worry too much about the country’s departure from the European Union. Well, at least in the mid to long term.

Important Note: As of now, this guide applies to importers in all EU member states. Thus, the UK is interchangeable with any other EU country. That is, of course, until we create an updated version of this country guide in 2018.

British Product Safety Regulation

As the United Kingdom is (still) part of the European Union, EU wide standards and directives are mandatory.

Below follows an overview: Continue reading Importing from China to the UK: A Complete Guide

Checking Buyer Reference When Buying from Chinese Suppliers

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 2 Comments

Buyer Reference

Buyer references are taken for granted in many countries. I mean, how else do you know that you can trust a potential supplier. And after all, they should work to sell themselves to you, not the other way around. Well, that’s how things should be. However, there’s a gap between how things should be, and the reality of a Chinese supplier.

In this article, we explain why many Chinese suppliers aren’t overly keen on sharing information about their existing buyers, and why you are part of the problem. We also explain why testimonials aren’t that relevant to begin with, in the world of OEM manufacturing.

1. Suppliers fear their competitors might approach their customers

Transparency is, for many reasons, an alien concept to most Chinese manufacturers. My personal experience, when discussing this matter with factory managers in the country, is that most consider giving away customer references, or testimonials, as an invitation to their competitors to move in on them.

And, they are right. Considering how price sensitive many buyers are, suppliers do well to hide their customer base from competing manufacturers. Continue reading Checking Buyer Reference When Buying from Chinese Suppliers

Buying Bulk Stock Products (Off Shelf) from China

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist

off shelf bulk products

Planning to buy bulk stock products from wholesalers in China? Depending on your industry, and target market, buying off shelf goods may be a dead end. ‘Make to order’ is the standard mode of operations when outsourcing production to manufacturers in Asia. Manufacturing is a risky and time consuming process, so wouldn’t it just be a lot easier to buy goods that are already available in stock?

The answer is sometimes yes, but mostly, no. Whether or not off-shelf procurement is a viable strategy, depends on various factors, including the type of product, and your market.

Part 1: What Importers Must Know About Buying Bulk Products

Manufacturers in China, and most other places in Asia, operate according to a ‘make to order’ principle. This means that the supplier doesn’t keep products in stock. In fact, most suppliers don’t even keep raw materials and components in stock. Instead, they procure the necessary raw materials, from their subcontractors, as it’s needed to produce goods for their own customers. At least, this is how it works for goods made for export markets. Continue reading Buying Bulk Stock Products (Off Shelf) from China

Compliance Q&A with a Watch Manufacturer: Subcontractors & Substance Regulations

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 7 Comments

watch cases

We often write about product compliance on Chinaimportal.com. However, we thought it was about time to cover a different angle: The viewpoint of the supplier. During a recent visit to Shenzhen, I had the opportunity to ask a few critical questions to a leading, unnamed, Watch manufacturer. Keep reading, and learn more about compliance and risks in Watch manufacturing – lessons that can be applied to virtually any industry.

Can you ensure compliance with REACH, RoHS, CA Prop 65 and other substance regulations?

Yes, as our main markets are the United States and the European Union, we must ensure compliance with a variety of standards and regulations. Among them are those you just mentioned: REACH, RoHS and California Proposition 65.

Continue reading Compliance Q&A with a Watch Manufacturer: Subcontractors & Substance Regulations

Social Compliance Audits in China: By Renaud Anjoran

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist

production-facility

Renaud Anjoran, the founder of Sofeast in Shenzhen, is a well-known expert in quality assurance and factory audits. In this article, Renaud shares his insights in a topic that is more relevant than ever to importers: Social Compliance. Keep reading, and learn more about the various Social Compliance Audit protocols and the situation differ between major industries – including Textiles, Electronics and Toys. In addition, he also explains why so many suppliers fail Social Compliance Audits. While many business owners assume that the main issue, and risk, is underage labour, that is not the case.

Why are Social Compliance Audits (SCA) necessary when doing business with Chinese manufacturers?

There are several reasons why Western importers need their suppliers’ factories to be audited for social compliance.

First, consumer brands are under intense media scrutiny. Journalists generally don’t investigate in what conditions certain products are made, but from time to time they surface some information that causes a scandal. Think Nike and child labor, or Apple and the suicides at Foxconn. The key here is to know about potential scandals and push suppliers to act.

Continue reading Social Compliance Audits in China: By Renaud Anjoran

Myth and Reality of CE Marking When Importing from China

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 1 Comment

ce-marking-myths

The CE mark is a well known compliance marked, found on a wide range of different products, for example electronics, toys and machinery. The CE mark signals compliance with all, to the specific product, applicable regulations: For example the Low Voltage Directive or the EN 71 Toy Safety Directive. The CE Mark is not applicable to all products. However, it is mandatory for all products within its scope of regulations.

As I will further explain in this article, there is a lot more to CE marking than what meets the eye, namely the printed little logo. While many importers are aware that there are requirements for testing and documentation, plenty of businesses fail to understand how such documentation is produced, and what it must include.

Then there is China. CE marking procedures are not developed with importers in mind. While ensuring CE marking compliance is relatively simple for an EU or US based manufacturer, which is only concerned with its own products – it’s far more complex for importers buying from contract manufacturers in China, and other developing countries in Asia. We debunk 6 common myths concerning CE marking when importing from China, and explain the background to each one.

Continue reading Myth and Reality of CE Marking When Importing from China

Sourcing & Vetting Suppliers on Alibaba Using Available Data

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 2 Comments

Vetting suppliers on alibaba

Alibaba.com is the most comprehensive database of, primarily Asian, manufacturers in the world. It’s also somewhat misunderstood.

While some expect it to be some sort of ‘one stop shop’, we prefer to see it as a comprehensive self service supplier database. In this article how to source and vet suppliers, using data available on Alibaba.com – including the Company Overview, TrustPass Profile and Third Party Supplier Assessment Reports.

Notice: This guide only explains how to make an initial supplier selection. In other words, a shortlist. Before moving forward, the suppliers must be verified. The sole purpose of the initial selection is to ensure that you don’t waste time on suppliers that are obviously not qualified.

1. Company Overview: First Step of the Supplier Vetting Process

The company overview is, unlike the TrustPass profile, not made of up verified information. However, it can tell enough to decide whether or not we should further analyze this supplier: Continue reading Sourcing & Vetting Suppliers on Alibaba Using Available Data

Spec Sheets: Defining Quality As an Industry Outsider

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 2 Comments

Spec Sheet

China has evolved into an increasingly sophisticated production hub. While MNCs in certain industries might consider other manufacturing bases, China (and Guangdong province in particular) has never been more attractive to e-commerce companies and hardware Startups. On the other end of the supply chain, Amazon.com and Shopify are making it easier and faster than ever to gain market access.

‘Who is an Industry outsider?’

In this ‘gold rush’, the doors are essentially open to anyone, including the industry outsider – a company or individuals without any previous experience in the industry. Think bankers going sportswear designers. The industry outsider is largely unaware of how ‘quality’ is defined for their product. Meanwhile, they tend to assume that the supplier is responsible for ensuring a certain, perhaps imaginary and undefined, quality standard. Continue reading Spec Sheets: Defining Quality As an Industry Outsider

Chinaimportal in content partnership with Globalsources.com

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist

Globalsources

As of August 21st, Globalsources.com is launching a series of Buyer’ Guides, available free of charge on Globalsources industry pages. The Buyer’s Guides are presented in a short Ebook format are rolled out on a weekly basis during Q3 and Q4 2015. Each Buyer’s Guide includes the following:

  • Product Customization Options
  • Supplier Comparison Table
  • Product Guide

The Product Guides are contributed by Chinaimportal.com and will be featured in roughly half of the Buyer’s Guides on Globalsources.com. As of now, the following Buyer’s Guides are available for download: Continue reading Chinaimportal in content partnership with Globalsources.com