Control factory changes on repeat China orders
Require written approval before a factory changes materials, components or production sites. Record the proposed change, affected orders and checks needed; approve the revised configuration before production and release shipment separately after verification. Your buyer retains approval authority when checks are coordinated by Cambridge China Bridge.
Carry the approved configuration into every reorder
Reference the current specification, BOM, drawings, approved sample and production address in each repeat order. Ask the factory to confirm whether anything has changed since the accepted batch, including component suppliers, material grades, tooling, processes and subcontractors. Use the product specification guide to establish that baseline.
Put a change-control clause in the order: proposed substitutions and site changes need your named approver's written permission before use. Require the factory to pass this instruction to purchasing, production and subcontractors. Set separate approval points for trial work, bulk production and shipment; silence or a delivery deadline should never count as approval.
Require a written change request
Ask for the existing and proposed material, component or site side by side, with identifiers, specifications, photographs and the reason for changing. Record affected products, open orders, stock and the proposed point of introduction. Include effects on fit, function, durability, appearance, packaging, price and delivery, even where the factory expects no difference.
Give each request a reference and keep its attachments together. Record the decision as pending, rejected or approved with conditions, naming the approver and date. A chat message saying a substitute is equivalent is not a complete request. For work moving elsewhere, use the subcontracting guide to examine who will actually make the goods.
Reapprove the changed configuration
Choose checks according to what changed. A replacement resin may need material and performance checks; a component may need fit and operating tests; a site move may need a process review and samples from the intended line. Ask the laboratory or assessment provider whether existing reports cover the revised configuration and what further evidence is needed. Photographs cannot establish hidden material properties.
For products under the UKCA or CE regimes in Great Britain, manufacturers remain responsible for assessing product risks, identifying relevant requirements and documenting how they are addressed. Put that review into the approval record. The bulk-to-sample guide covers sample and inspection methods; here, record whether permission covers trial work, bulk production or only a named batch. Update the specification and retained sample accordingly.
Hold affected goods until shipment release
If an unapproved change appears, send a written hold to the factory and your sourcing contact. Identify affected orders and batches, prohibit loading and dispatch, and ask for acknowledgement from the people controlling the goods. Tell the warehouse and forwarder where relevant. Keep changed and unchanged stock separate; if the boundary is uncertain, hold the potentially affected stock while it is checked.
Release shipment only when the approval conditions are met and inspection records identify the configuration actually packed. Name the order, batch, specification revision and permitted quantities in the release. A sample approval or passed visual inspection should not automatically lift a separate compliance or shipment hold. Agree payment holds in the order and coordinate any booking changes before goods are collected.
Close the change without losing the batch history
Record which batches used the old and revised configurations, what happened to unused materials and whether mixed stock remains. Link the request, approval, test evidence, inspection and shipment release to the affected order. The batch traceability guide helps connect these records to delivered goods.
Make temporary concessions expire at the named batch rather than silently becoming the next reorder's specification. For permanent changes, issue the revised documents and obtain acknowledgement before ordering again. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can coordinate factory requests, checks and hold acknowledgements within the agreed brief, while the buyer's named approver decides whether to accept the change.
Frequently asked questions
Can a factory use an equivalent component without asking?
Make prior written approval a condition of your order. Require the exact proposed component, affected batches and supporting evidence, then record your decision before it is used.
Does a factory move need a new sample?
Ask for a sample from the intended production line and review the changed process. Decide further checks from the risks; the previous site's sample does not show how the new site will produce.
Does approving a sample release the shipment?
Keep sample, production and shipment permissions separate. Release only the identified batches after the approval conditions, document review and agreed inspections are complete.
What if the factory has already used an unapproved material?
Hold potentially affected stock, establish the batch boundary and obtain evidence. Decide rework, remake or acceptance after review, then issue a written shipment decision.