Plan Your Factory Visit

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On-the-Ground Support for Factory Visits in China

Factory visits are a key part of evaluating and confirming the right manufacturing partners. We help you get the most out of your trip by coordinating directly with suppliers, bridging language or cultural gaps, and making sure you’re prepared with the right questions and documentation.

Whether you’re early in the sourcing process or narrowing down final options, we’ll help you approach your visit with clarity and confidence.

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Engineer and factory manager discuss production strategy inside a modern industrial facility in China, surrounded by automated machinery and conveyor systems.

Plan Your Visit to China Manufacturing Facilities

If you’re preparing to visit a factory in China, it’s important to go in with a clear plan. Site visits are more than a formality—they’re your opportunity to assess quality, validate capabilities, and establish trust. To help you prepare, we’ve put together a detailed checklist covering what to ask, what to bring, and what to look for once you're on-site.

Your Factory Visit Checklist

  • Prior to Your Visit:

    • Keep good records
    • Initial inquiry date, response dates
    • Contact info, address, phone, emails, web site, etc
    • Are they a Broker or Manufacturer
    • Current products produced and markets served
    • Number of employees, year established
    • Notes
    • NDA signed √
    • Build a map

  • Preparing to Visit:

    • Have your host provide you the name and address in both English and Chinese.
    • Also have them recommend nearby hotels.

  • Your Products—Have a Product Deck with:

    • Professional 3D and engineering drawings
    • Material and technical specifications
    • Finishes
    • Packaging—primary and secondary
    • Fit and function requirements—QC testing
    • Volumes—initial run and annual

  • The Factory—What to Document

    • Organizational chart - Pay special attention to the quality control team and processes.
    • Ask for permission to take photos
    • Ask to see similar products
    • Ask about specific customers and whether they are producing for your country
    • Take note of how busy the factory is
    • Types of equipment and care of the equipment
    • How do they organize tooling?
    • How well organized is their warehouse for both materials and finished goods
    • Is their staff bi-lingual
    • Do they compete in the same market as you?  Attend trade shows? Manufacture their own brands vs. purely contract manufacture?

  • Other Things to Know:

    • Years in business
    • Number of employees
    • Owners/founders
    • Are they compliant with all current regulatory and environmental requirements?
    • What are the payment terms?
    • Do they assist with shipping?
    • Ask them how they deal with defective products (return and damage policies)
    • Do they have a current ERP system to track materials, orders

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

Whether you’re preparing to meet suppliers or just starting to explore sourcing options, we’ve got tools to support your next step. Visit our Resource Center for expert articles and practical checklists, or download the Beginner’s Guide to Outsource Manufacturing to build a smarter strategy from the ground up.

VISIT OUR RESOURCE CENTER

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHINA MANUFACTURING

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Ready to Start Your Next Project?

With over 30 years experience assisting companies in supply chain excellence we accelerate goals while mitigating risk. Let us know more about your project below.  All inquiries will be answered within 24 hours.

North America Operations
1010 S.Rome Ave
Tampa, FL 33606
+1 (813) 251-4184

Asia Operations
Building 15, 3F
271 Qianyang Road
Shanghai 200333
China