Dirty products, oil stains, colour defects, open seams, malfunctioning devices, unsuitable components and delayed deliveries – do these sound familiar issues in production batches arriving from subcontractors?
The manufacturing of consumer products has increasingly moved outside Europe, making quality control more challenging and often also more expensive for EU importers. Sending your own employees to foreign production facilities may require weeks of on-site presence. That’s why you need a reliable partner who ensures on your behalf that production batches meet the agreed requirements.
Shipment inspections can be carried out at different stages of production, from raw material checks to the inspection of the finished batch, as well as the supervision of cargo loading and unloading.
Global Expertise at Your Service
SGS is the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. In Finland, we are one of the leading inspection service providers. We offer high-level consumer product inspection expertise worldwide – wherever your products are manufactured. Thanks to our global network, we can arrange inspections regardless of the country of origin. All you need to do is contact us: we will determine the relevant inspection details with the nearest SGS office and, if necessary, tailor the service to meet your needs. Inspections are always carried out by an experienced local professional with specialized knowledge of similar products that those of your company.
Final Random Inspection (FRI)
FRI is the most common type of inspection. It is conducted when the production batch is fully manufactured and at least 80% of the products are packed. It includes a visual and functional inspection.
The visual inspection reviews, item by item, the technical and quality characteristics of the products being inspected, as well as their compliance with the order and with any specific customer instructions provided to the manufacturer at the time of ordering. Depending on the product type, the inspection may include:
- appearance
- workmanship
- product functionality
- materials and components
- accessories and spare parts
- colours
- markings, user manuals and labels
- packaging and packaging markings
An approved reference sample for each product type speeds up and clarifies the comparison between the production batch and the ordered products.
The functional inspection may include, for example:
- measurement checks
- weighing of components
- packaging dimension checks
If needed, product samples can be taken for laboratory testing according to the customer’s requirements.
Inspections During Production
If a product is particularly valuable or the production is technically demanding, a final inspection alone may be too late in terms of correcting defects and controlling costs. In such cases, we recommend the following inspections:
- Pre-production Check (PPC): inspection of raw materials, components and materials, and verification that production begins in accordance with the agreement.
- Initial Production Check (IPC): inspection at the initial stage of production to assess compliance with the order and special instructions, as well as to ensure that the production schedule is on track.
- During Production Check (DUPRO): inspection of quality and workmanship during production, and verification that manufacturing is progressing as planned.
In addition, loading supervision can be carried out for the finished batch, after which the container is sealed with an SGS seal.
Training at SGS Academy
SGS Academy offers a wide range of courses and seminars in Finland and in more than 100 countries worldwide. The training covers product and service requirements as well as compliance assurance. We also offer company-specific tailored training.
Contact us today to find out how our consumer product inspection services can support your company’s operations.
About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.
Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.
SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH1256740924, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).
