Factory Audits That Tell You What a Quote Can't
A factory audit and supplier-qualification review helps you understand whether a manufacturer can actually build your product, control quality, support your volume, and stand behind the commercial terms.
Discuss a SupplierWhat is a factory audit?
A factory audit is an evidence-based review of a potential or existing supplier. It looks beyond a website, sample, or unit price to examine the factory's identity, capabilities, equipment, quality practices, capacity, documentation, and operating fit for your specific product.
The goal is not to award a generic score. The goal is to identify what is verified, what is assumed, what is missing, and what should happen before you commit tooling or a production order.
What we evaluate
Define the fit criteria
Translate your drawings, materials, processes, volume, quality, compliance, and timing into supplier requirements.
Verify the supplier
Review the company's identity, operating location, role in the supply chain, relevant experience, and export history.
Inspect capability
Assess equipment, processes, tooling, engineering support, production flow, maintenance, and capacity for your program.
Review quality controls
Look for incoming controls, in-process checks, final inspection, traceability, nonconformance handling, and corrective action.
Test commercial fit
Normalize quote assumptions, MOQ, payment terms, tooling ownership, lead time, packaging, and other cost drivers.
Document the decision
Separate verified evidence from supplier claims and turn the findings into risks, actions, and a sourcing recommendation.
A decision file your team can use
Audit findings
Clear observations organized around identity, capability, quality, capacity, and operating conditions.
Risk register
Open questions, missing evidence, commercial exposures, and issues that require follow-up before approval.
Supplier recommendation
A practical next step: proceed, proceed with conditions, request more evidence, or keep searching.
When an audit is especially valuable
- You are considering a new supplier for a complex or high-consequence product.
- A low quote looks attractive but the scope, factory role, or assumptions are unclear.
- Your current supplier has quality, lead-time, communication, or capacity problems.
- You are preparing tooling, a pilot build, or a second-source decision.
- An investor, board, or customer needs evidence behind manufacturing readiness.
An audit does not guarantee future performance. It gives your team better evidence for a supplier decision and a focused list of controls to verify next.
Factory audit questions
Is a factory audit the same as a supplier qualification?
They overlap, but qualification is the broader decision process. An audit is one source of evidence used to determine whether a supplier is appropriate for a specific product and program.
When should I audit a manufacturer?
Before approving a new supplier, committing significant tooling, starting a pilot build, or relying on a supplier for a critical product. Existing suppliers may also need periodic or event-driven reviews.
What should I send before an audit?
Share the product brief, drawings or concept information, BOM if available, target volume, quality requirements, compliance needs, expected timing, and any supplier quote you want reviewed.
Can an audit verify whether a supplier is a factory or a trading company?
An audit can investigate the supplier's operating role and evidence, but the answer should be documented carefully. Some programs legitimately involve multiple production partners; the issue is whether the role is understood and controlled.
Before you approve the supplier, understand the risk.
Tell us what you are sourcing, where you are in the process, and what the supplier has already provided. We can help define the right qualification work.
Start a Supplier Review