Exactly what an on-site assessment checks
When you commission an assessment, our inspector visits the factory in person and produces a structured report across eight dimensions. This is the blank template — the same rubric every assessed factory is held to.
The assessment template
Eight dimensions, checked in person
Each dimension is scored from on-site observation and primary evidence — never from self-reported claims.
Legal registration
- What we check
- Business registration number, legal entity name, and registered address confirmed against official government records.
- Evidence
- Registration certificate; entity status; years in operation.
- Why it matters
- Confirms the factory is a real, operating legal entity — not a trading intermediary or a forwarding address.
Facilities
- What we check
- Factory location, floor area, production lines, and layout confirmed in person on-site.
- Evidence
- Geotagged photos of the floor, lines, and warehouse; observed shift activity.
- Why it matters
- Confirms real production capacity exists where it's claimed — not a shared space or a showroom.
Equipment
- What we check
- Key production and test equipment identified, counted, and recorded by type and condition.
- Evidence
- Equipment inventory with photos; line configuration; automation level.
- Why it matters
- Confirms the factory can physically run the processes your product requires, at the throughput you need.
Capabilities
- What we check
- Core manufacturing processes observed in operation and mapped to a structured capability model.
- Evidence
- Observed processes; sample workmanship; process control on the line.
- Why it matters
- The single most important fit signal — what the factory can actually build, matched to your spec.
Certifications
- What we check
- Original certificates sighted on-site; issuing body and expiry dates verified.
- Evidence
- ISO 9001 / 14001, IPC-A-610, and market certificates (e.g. FCC, CE) where applicable.
- Why it matters
- Verified holdings — not self-reported claims. Required certifications depend on your target market.
Export history
- What we check
- Export shipping records reviewed for destination markets and shipment continuity.
- Evidence
- Shipping documentation; destination markets; repeat-customer indicators.
- Why it matters
- Confirms hands-on experience with international compliance, documentation, and logistics.
Headcount
- What we check
- Workforce size confirmed through HR records and direct observation across shifts.
- Evidence
- Headcount by function; shift structure; direct vs. agency labor.
- Why it matters
- Determines realistic production capacity and the factory's ability to scale with your volume.
Quality system
- What we check
- QMS documentation, inspection points, and defect-handling processes reviewed on-site.
- Evidence
- QMS records; in-line inspection points; corrective-action process.
- Why it matters
- Determines whether defect rates and consistency will be manageable once you're in production.
Want to see the template filled in? View a clearly-labeled sample assessment.
Assessments are buyer-triggered: you shortlist a factory, then commission the on-site visit. For founding customers, the assessment of your finalist factory is included free for your launch project.
You own the report and approve the published version before any other buyer sees it.
Start with the right factories
Describe your product and we'll match it, coordinate the RFQ, and assess your finalist.
Book a 30-min sourcing call