Tile pre-shipment inspection in Morbi means a trained inspector visits the factory once the goods are packed, checks them against your order and writes a report before you release the balance payment. It is done by a tile inspection agent in Morbi, a third-party inspection company, or a quality inspector working for your sourcing agent.
The inspection is only useful if it happens before the goods leave the factory's control, and if the report is specific.
Who can inspect your tiles?
You have three options. You can send your own staff, which gives full control but takes travel. You can hire a third-party inspection company, which is independent but may not know tiles. Or you can use an inspector working through your sourcing agent, who should know the product.
Whoever it is, they should work for you. Avoid an inspector arranged by the factory. Agent inspection versus third-party inspection compares the options.
When should the inspection happen?
The best moment is when the whole order is produced and at least most of it is packed, so the inspector can draw a random sample from the actual goods. Earlier checks, during production, catch problems while there is time to fix them. A last check at loading confirms that what was inspected is what was shipped.
A tile quality inspector should therefore ideally attend at three points: during production, at final packing and at loading.
What does the inspector check?
A proper tile inspection checks the following:
- Quantity, carton count and carton markings against the packing list.
- Design, size, finish and thickness against the approved sample.
- Grade, shade and calibre, using random cartons from several pallets.
- Surface defects, warpage and edge damage, judged against an acceptance level; see AQL for tile inspection.
- Packing quality, pallet condition and ISPM 15 marks on wood.
- Where required, sampling for laboratory tests such as water absorption and breaking strength.
What should the report show, and what about loading?
Insist on a written report with photographs, measurements, the sample size, the defects found and a clear pass or fail against your acceptance level. A single word 'passed' is not a report. See the tile pre-shipment inspection report for what a good one contains.
Loading supervision is a separate, important step. Tile loads can be changed, cartons swapped or the container under-filled after the inspection. The inspector should watch the loading, record the container and seal numbers and photograph the load. See agent attending factory loading and third-party inspection.
What if the goods fail?
Agree beforehand what follows a failed inspection: re-sort, replace, discount or cancel. When goods fail inspection explains the options. Do not pay the balance until the problem is fixed and re-checked.
Next step
Agree the scope and the acceptance level in writing before the inspector visits. Share the specification, the approved sample and the packing list, so the inspector checks what you ordered and not what the factory offers on the day. Ask for the report within a day of the visit, because delay gives the factory time to load the goods without your comment.
We supervise production and loading for buyers, and have lots tested. Book a free sourcing review and tell us your order, and see how it works.