SERVICE

GUIDE

WHEN TIME-TO-MARKET IS CRUCIAL

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

About Us.............................................. 3 Sample Picking....................................9

Our Certifications................................ 3 Defect Sorting Service........................10

Product Inspection...............................5 Supplier Audit.....................................11

Pre Production Inspection....................... 5 Supplier Qualification Audit...................11

During Production / DUPRO Inspection....6 Extensive Factory Audit......................... 12

Pre-shipment Inspection..........................7 Compliance Auditing............................13

Production Monitoring........................... 8 QC Document Development...............14

Container Loading Supervision............... 9 Product Lab Testing.............................15

COUNTRIES
SERVICED
IN ASIA
AQF maintains staff throughout much
of Asia to provide you complete
QC coverage.

TAIWAN We offer services in the

following countries and regions:

Bangladesh, Cambodia, China,

Hong Kong, India, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan,
South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan,
Thailand, and Vietnam.

2
 ABOUT US OUR CERTIFICATIONS

AQSIQ LICENSE ID: 248

Asia Quality Focus (AQF) is a leading quality control service
provider, serving global brands, importers and retailers from
The General Admission of
more than 135 countries since 2007. With expertise in hardlines, Quality Supervision, Inspec-
softlines, consumer electronics, electrical products and industrial tion and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of
goods, AQF delivers quality control services throughout Asia. China issues the AQSIQ license to inspection
companies.

Personalization, speed and product & industry expertise are at the

An organization must first be AQSIQ licensed
core of the value we provide our clients. And nothing helps our
before it can perform inspections and audits in
clients address their unique quality management challenges better China. AQF is one of the few companies that
than our digital platform combined with our global client support are AQSIQ licensed for inspections in China.
team. Less than one quarter of all applicants globally
are generally granted the license each year.

AQF Online, AQF’s own online

data management platform,
gives clients both flexibility and
transparency. Personalized dash-
boards give them actionable and
data-driven insights with historical ISO 9001:2015
and real-time performance at the supplier, PO and SKU levels.
Clients can also review past reports, book services and even pay AQF is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Our qual-
invoices within minutes online anytime, anywhere. ity management system is based on ISO/
IEC 17020:2012, CNAS-CI01&02 and ISO
9001:2015 standards.
Client support is more than providing a user-friendly online experi-
ence. That’s why we’re committed to providing personal attention AQF quality management system pillars:
to clients that need it. Our clients can phone our China headquar-
ters or any one of our bilingual representatives based in North • Customer focus
America, South America or Europe and talk to a real person. No • Leadership

answering machines. No outsourced call centers. • Engagement of people

• Process approach
Just person-to-person solutions.
• Improvement
• Evidence-based decision-making
• Relationship management
AQF
COMPANY
VISION
ISO/IEC 17020:2012
Our responsibility is to support and advise our clients along the
supply chain by offering tailored and efficient QC services in Chi- AQF is ISO 17020 certified as a “Type A” in-
na and Asia, while keeping the end-consumer in mind. spection body, classified as an independent and
impartial third-party provider. This certification
affirms AQF’s dedication to providing our clients
Our aim is to be a trusted partner, providing a valuable quality
with reliable, consistent and accurate quality
control experience through proficient, customer-centric teams.
control solutions.

3
 MEMBERSHIP IN
THE WORMS SAFETY ALLIANCE

Since 2014, AQF has been a part of Since 2014, AQF has been a part of the
Worms Safety alliance of quality manage-
the Worms Safety alliance of quality ment specialists. This gives you exclusive
management professionals. access to a more complete array of quality
management and testing services.

Our membership gives you access to a You benefit from a global network of
more complete array of quality control specialized partners, each offering unique
expertise in diverse industries, including:
and testing services.
• Household goods
• Toys
• Textiles and apparel
• Health, personal care and cosmetics
5 Billion • Aviation
products controlled • Product compliance and certification

1400 You’ll enjoy the clarity and protection that

comes from product-specific expertise and
collaborators globally
solutions tailored to fit your unique chal-

77 lenges.

countries

4
 PRODUCT
INSPECTION
The most effective way of preventing
last-minute quality-related delays is to
inspect and monitor the product early
in the manufacturing process. Feature Check

By initiating a starting inspection weeks Initiated before mass produc-

tion begins
or even months before your shipment
is due, we can ensure the quality and Material status, including or-
timely delivery of your merchandise is dered and received quantity

never in jeopardy.
Key material and component
condition

Workmanship of materials
and components

Production readiness

Equipment maintenance and

availability

Importers with tight production deadlines and

those who have previously experienced quality
issues stemming from raw materials or com-
PRE-PRODUCTION INSPECTION ponents can benefit most from pre-production
inspection.

A pre-production inspection (PPI) is an importer’s first AQF’s inspectors visit your supplier’s facility to
chance to inspect production materials at a suppli- conduct a physical inspection of raw materials,
er’s facility. This inspection helps verify your supplier components and production areas. We’ll verify
is ready to start production on schedule and helps the availability and condition of materials,
you identify any quality risks before mass production review your manufacturer’s plan for production
begins. and confirm equipment availability.

5
DURING PRODUCTION /
DUPRO INSPECTION
Feature Check
During production (DUPRO) inspections not only check Initiated when the factory has
the initial products coming off the line in a manner con- manufactured 15 to 80 percent of
sistent with our pre-shipment inspection techniques. But the total order quantity
they also verify and document the status of raw materi-
als, components, and partially finished goods. Rigorous inspection of the initial
finished product and raw mate-
You will receive a report containing information about rials, components and partially
production flow, equipment use, production capaci- finished goods
ty and any potential issues or bottlenecks—all in an
easy-to-understand format. After reviewing the findings Gain early knowledge of potential
with you, we will help communicate any necessary quality issues
corrective or preventative actions, ensuring factory
management understand next steps to implement. Production status and capacity

Workmanship
“The simplicity of the
Dimensions and weights
AQF Online platform is
one of the key strengths
On-site function and safety testing
of working with AQF. It’s
easy to use and it’s not
complicated to explain
how to use the platform
to new collaborators.”

-- Fabien Scrive,
Purchasing Director
 Feature Check

Initiated when the factory has

manufactured 80 to 100 per-
PRE-SHIPMENT INSPECTION cent of the total order quantity

Pre-shipment inspection, or final inspection, generally occurs Order quantity check

when 80–100 percent of the goods are finished at the factory,
just prior to shipment. It’s designed to catch any quality issues Workmanship
with your finished products and packaging before shipping.
Dimension and weights
This is also the most common solution international brands
require because it gives a statistical view of the quality of the On-site function and safety
products at the end of production. Insight at this critical mo- testing
ment helps you make an informed shipping decision.
Packaging and labeling
AQF will send an expert team of our local QC inspectors
to your supplier’s factory to inspect your merchandise based Engineers available for
on internationally recognized AQL (ANSI / ASQ Z1.4-2003) industrial projects, such as
standards. We review your goods on site through a variety of industrial equipment, maritime
industry-standard tests and measures. Our inspection confirms equipment, oil & gas and
whether the material, performance, function and overall qual- power & utilities
ity meet your specifications.

If you’re unsure about which specifications your products

should meet, senior AQF quality assurance staff will develop
standards and documentation on your behalf.

AQF staff are standing by at every step of the process to an-

swer your questions and engage the factory on your behalf to
help manage any quality or production issues.

7
 Feature Check

Inspectors stationed on the factory

floor throughout production to identify
and communicate all defects found
to your supplier

Receive daily reports on order status

and quality

Assess progress on corrective actions

Production line audit

Workmanship

Packaging and labeling

PRODUCTION MONITORING
Dimensions and weights
If your supplier has failed multiple pre-shipment inspec-
tions for the same recurring defects, you may want to
consider production monitoring services from AQF.

Unlike pre-shipment inspections, production monitoring

doesn’t take a random sample of a finished order.
Instead, we inspect your products at multiple points on
the assembly line before packaging. When inspectors
identify defects, they remove the affected units from the
line and separate them for rework or other corrective
action in accordance with your quality standards.

Production monitoring allows you to drastically reduce

the amount of defective items that are packaged and
shipped–saving you both time and money.

8
 CONTAINER
LOADING Feature Check
SUPERVISION
Initiated during loading
You may need added assurance that your goods are pro-
of goods into shipping
tected from theft, mishandling and incorrect loading. An
container
AQF inspector can visit your supplier’s factory, the port
or other third-party logistics area to ensure your goods
Container conditions
are properly loaded before shipping. You’ll receive de-
tailed reporting of the process with photos.
Product specifications

This service is particularly valuable if you’re shipping a

Shipping marks, packaging
product for the first time or if violating loading or as-
and labeling
sortment criteria could lead to serious financial loss or
damage to your reputation.
Shipping documentation

Quantity loaded

SAMPLE PICKING
You may need to collect a sample of goods from your manufacturer’s facility.
You may need samples for review, lab testing or just to establish that your
supplier correctly understands your requirements.

The problem with asking your supplier to send you sam-

ples is that it’s hard to be sure the samples are represen-
tative.

Often a supplier will choose only the best units or those

they know will meet requirements. Later you might find
the quality, condition or characteristics of the finished
goods you or your customers ultimately receive differ
from the sample you collected earlier.

By hiring an independent party like AQF to pick samples

instead, you can be assured our team will randomly pull
samples on site. This ensures the results of any sample
testing or review are representative and impartial.

9
 DEFECT Feature Check

SORTING SERVICE Fully customizable based on

your specific checkpoints

Defect sorting is typically performed when an order has failed Workmanship

pre-shipment inspection or as a substitute for pre-shipment inspec-
tion of high-value products. Quantity check

AQF’s inspectors examine the entire batch of finished goods Coordination of an appropri-
before shipment according to your customized inspection check- ate destruction method
points. They then remove any defective products from the produc-
tion batch and set them aside for rework or destruction, depend- Supervision and documenta-
ing on defect severity. tion of destruction

When quality issues are critical and rework is impractical, you

may be left with a large quantity of goods you can’t sell. Substan-
dard merchandise that you cannot sell can ultimately damage
your brand’s reputation. AQF’s supervised product destruction
may be your best available solution in such cases. We’ll coordi-
nate destruction and oversee the destruction process to protect
you and your customers.

10
 Feature Check

A detailed yet easy-to-under-

stand overview of your sup-

SUPPLIER plier’s capabilities complete

QUALIFICATION AUDIT
with photos of workshops,
warehouses and major equip-
ment
Many importers consider an audit the last step in the sourcing pro-
cess. A supplier qualification audit can help you cost-effectively Factory evaluation covering
narrow your list of potential suppliers or ensure you’re working 25 scoring checkpoints of the
with the right one. facility

AQF’s supplier qualification audit evaluates and rates the facility Fully customizable evaluations
based on 25 scoring checkpoints following internal standards ISO designed to answer specific
9001 and SA8000 and covering various areas of the facility. questions about a facility

Key areas checked during a supplier qualification audit include AQF findings reviewed in
business license and relevant documentation, overview of quality detail with your team and help
management systems, manufacturing capabilities, working condi- with any supplier communica-
tions and more. tion as needed

Reporting is designed to cover exactly what you need to know to

make an informed decision about using a particular supplier. We
can customize evaluations to answer any specific concerns you
may have and more closely examine any areas of the factory that
are particularly relevant to your project.

AQF staff review the findings in detail with your team and can help
communicate any follow-up questions you may have. An audit may
also include meetings with factory management to explain ideas or
product concepts and obtain feedback.

We can even provide a corrective action plan (CAP) and perform a

follow-up audit to confirm the status of corrective actions if needed.

11
 EXTENSIVE • Design control

FACTORY AUDIT
• Purchasing control
• Storage management
• Incoming inspection
• Production control
A supplier qualification audit is often adequate for im- • Finished goods inspection & testing
porters who just want to see a broad overview of their • Measuring and testing equipment control
supplier’s facility. It offers insight into general supplier • Resource management
information, necessary licenses, employee relations, • Social & environmental responsibility
organizational structure and basic facilities and pro-
duction equipment. Reports include a findings summary with a clear
breakdown of points possible and earned in each
But when you need a more thorough audit, you’ll ben- area and their contribution to the overall audit result.
efit from AQF’s extensive factory audit. An extensive This makes it easy to interpret results at a glance and
factory audit includes all of the same checks as a sup- quickly identify any areas of the facility that need
plier qualification audit, as well as an in-depth check improvement.
of the factory’s quality management system,
including:

Supplier Qualification Audit Extensive Factory Audit

AUDIT FEATURES
1 Man day 2 Man days

General factory profile

Facility walk-through
Photos of building and equipment
Review of key documents
Review of quality system
Detailed count of machines
Continued improvement
IN-DEPTH CHECK OF QUALITY SYSTEM:
Design control
Purchasing control
Storage management
Incoming inspection
Production control
Final product inspection & testing
Control of measuring & testing equipment
Resource management
Social environment responsibility

12
 COMPLIANCE
AUDITING SERVICE OVERVIEW

Assess the level of compli-

AQF can help ensure your suppliers’ practices, facilities and ance at the facility
paperwork meet the requirements of governing bodies, major
retailers and other compliance frameworks. Identify any specific areas
of concern and deficiencies
To determine adherence to social compliance, quality, security requiring corrective action
or environmental standards, AQF auditors can visit your sup-
plier, report on current conditions and uncover any issues and Discuss violations with rele-
deficiencies. vant factory staff and manage-
ment to promote compliance
AQF employs auditors certified in a number of compliance improvement
frameworks, including:
Follow-up with future site visits
• Social compliance to meet standards as needed to reassess compli-
of major brands/retailers or SA8000 ance and report on progress
• Quality systems compliance with ISO 9001
• Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) AQF staff will be readily
available throughout the pro-
• Good manufacturing practices (GMP)
cess to report back to you on
• Environmental management system (EMS)
the status at the factory and
compliance with ISO 14001
to address your questions and
• British Retail Consortium (BRC) concerns.
• Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA)
• VDA 6.3 German quality management system standard

13
 QC DOCUMENT
DEVELOPMENT
Do you feel that clear quality requirements and testing quality problems. It also gives you the freedom to switch
standards are missing from your buyer-supplier rela- suppliers quickly, if needed, without feeling beholden
tionships? to, or overly invested in any one manufacturing partner.

Quality control checklists are a valuable tool man- Checklists can also be a powerful tool for salespeople
ufacturers rely on to maintain consistent standards. to demonstrate your commitment to quality to potential
Checklists include the requirements and expectations customers.
for your merchandise related to product materials, per-
formance, safety, function, potential defects and pack- AQF can give you a competitive advantage through
aging. detailed, yet easy-to-understand, QC checklists. Our
technical team will work with you, combining our expe-
Having such documentation doesn’t just help prevent rience and existing industry standards with any of your
misunderstandings about your product that can lead to own product requirements for a tailored approach.

8.1 SECTION 5: ON-SITE TESTS

Sample
No. Checkpoint Checkpoint Instruction Tolerance Result
size

1. Knife 2* Apply a force to the item as shown in the below tables. No crack, break or
Strength For thin flexible blades, always apply a force of 25N permanent deforma-
Test ± 1N regardless of their length. A thin length flexible tion of more than 3°
blade (e.g. slicing knife) is defined as a blade, which,
when each side in turn is forced down at an angel of
45°on a plane until flat over 50% of its length, remains
undamaged and does not acquire a permanent set in
excess of 3°.

2. Blade Tip 2* Apply bending force in vertical position No evidence of

Check (10° arc each side of vertical position, permanent
N/A to heavy knives). deformation

14
 “We rely on AQF’s suggestions for
lab testing because we’re buyers,
not quality engineers. We can
refer to AQF’s testing packages to
find out exactly what we need.”

– Claire Péjean,
General Manager
of Operations
PRODUCT
LAB TESTING
If you’ve ever tried to arrange lab testing for your products, you may have had a frustrating experience. Repeated
emails to clarify requirements and coordinate testing can waste your time and delay shipments.

With lab testing via AQF Online, you’ll enjoy a convenient user-friendly booking experience where you can ar-
range the testing you need in minutes. Choose from existing “basic” or “advanced” testing packages or from a
catalog of more than 100 tests, based on your unique needs and budget.

Our partner lab has more than 20 years of experience with more than 70,000 tests performed on over 120,000
products.

TESTING CATEGORIES

The following are examples of the kind of product testing we regularly perform:

• ASTM F963 Testing for toys safety requirements • CPSIA Section 108: for
• EN 14878: flammability fiber for furniture phthalate content
composition for textiles • REACH regulation (EC) • DIN 54231: carcinogenic
• EN 12520: domestic seating 1907/2006 Annex XVII and allergenic disperse dyes
strength, durability and for gifts and premium goods

15
WEBSITE:
www.asiaqualityfocus.com

EMAIL:
sales@asiaqualityfocus.com

PHONE:
China: +86 755 2220 0833
Hong Kong: +852 3909 8298
Europe: +33 6 43 27 34 46
North America: +1 617 274 8677
South America: +57 311 717 5792

HEADQUARTERS:
Office 909, 9th Floor, Jintian Building, 1199 Heping Road, Luohu, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
中国广东深圳市罗湖区和平路1199号金田大厦9楼909室，邮编:518010