Comparison
Inspect at the factory or the port.
Inspecting during production catches problems while they can still be corrected. Inspecting the finished consignment at the consolidation point catches everything, including packing, and leaves almost no time to act.
Side by side.
| Criterion | During production | At consolidation |
|---|---|---|
| What it catches | Process and specification problems, early, while the remaining units can still be made correctly. | Everything, including packing, marking, counts and anything that went wrong after production. |
| What you can do about it | A great deal. Rework, adjust and continue. | Very little without missing the sailing. Accept, discount or hold. |
| Coverage | A sample of what exists so far, which may be a fraction of the order. | The whole consignment as it will actually ship. |
| Packing | Not yet visible. | This is the only point where you can check it, and packing failures are a large share of arrival damage. |
| Multiple suppliers | Each has to be visited separately, which multiplies cost. | One visit covers everything that came together in the container. |
| Cost | Higher across several suppliers, and it prevents rather than detects. | Lower per shipment and it detects rather than prevents. |
Which to choose.
- It is a first order
- Both. The first order is where you learn what this supplier actually does.
- It is a project with many workshops
- During production per workshop, plus a consolidation check before loading.
- The relationship is proven
- Consolidation only, reviewed periodically rather than dropped permanently.
- Packing has failed before
- Consolidation, with photographs of the packed goods before the container is closed.
Questions buyers ask.
Is inspecting at the port too late?
For fixing production, usually yes. For deciding whether to ship, it is exactly the right moment, and it is the only point where packing and counts can be verified.
Can I inspect at both without doubling the cost?
A shorter production visit plus a full consolidation check is the usual compromise, and on a first order it is worth the full spend.
Who should inspect?
Somebody independent of the supplier, working against your written specification and an approved first article. A factory inspecting itself is reporting rather than inspecting.
Worth reading.
Still deciding?
Tell us the application and the market. We will say which one your specification actually needs, and quote both if it is genuinely close.