Approving a factory restart after a move
Hold affected shipments until the factory maps the changes, runs a controlled trial on the intended production line and supplies results against your approved specification. Release only the products and processes the evidence supports. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate checks through its own staff in China.
Define what needs fresh approval
Treat the restart as a change to an approved production route. Ask for a change record showing the old and new location, equipment, tooling, operators, subcontractors and implementation date. Identify affected products, unfinished goods and stock made around the change. Agree a shipment hold for affected goods while qualification is outstanding. For a long order gap, see our guide to restarting a dormant China-made product.
Trace the consequences beyond the machine itself. Relocation can change storage conditions, material handling, utilities and inspection arrangements. Replacement equipment can change settings, fixtures and process behaviour. Record why a process is unaffected rather than accepting a blanket assurance. Use the equipment verification guide for capability checks; this guide addresses permission to resume supply.
Agree a restart plan before the trial
Keep the approved specification and sample as the baseline. List the characteristics each changed process could affect, the checks needed, acceptance criteria and who signs off. Include dimensions, appearance, strength, function and durability where relevant. Do not relax the baseline simply because the new line struggles to meet it.
Ask for installation and commissioning records, tooling-condition checks, measuring-equipment verification and operator instructions relevant to the changed process. Agree which product variants and operating conditions the trial must cover, based on risk. The bulk production guide covers the sample and specification controls that remain in place.
Run a trial that represents normal production
Use the intended site, equipment, tooling, bulk materials and normal operators. Record the settings actually used and keep trial goods separate from saleable stock. Select samples across the run, including relevant start-up and restart conditions, rather than accepting pieces chosen by the factory for their appearance.
Compare results with the approved criteria and previous production records where available. Record rejects, rework, adjustments and variation during the run. If settings or tooling change after a failure, repeat the affected checks on the revised process. Agree trial quantity and sampling coverage around the product risk and process variation; a passing display sample does not establish repeatability.
Build an evidence pack tied to the changed line
Keep the change record, trial plan, material and batch identities, equipment and tooling identities, actual settings, inspection results, test reports and retained samples together. Results should identify the specification revision, method, acceptance criteria, date and reviewer. Photographs can support location and setup checks, but cannot replace measurements or performance tests.
UK government guidance says manufacturers and importers placing products on the UK market need to demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements. As part of your restart review, ask the relevant technical specialist whether the changed process affects the evidence supporting your product. Record the reasoning for retaining existing reports or commissioning fresh tests. Use the inspection guide to distinguish batch inspection from broader process evidence.
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Release a defined scope and watch repeat production
The buyer's authorised quality or technical owner should issue written release naming the approved site, line, products, specification revision and supporting evidence. State any limits, additional checks and unresolved issues. Trial approval and shipment approval should be separate decisions. Keep goods outside the approved scope on hold, and require notification before further changes.
For initial shipments after release, agree closer checks on characteristics affected by the move or replacement. Link shipment records to the approved production route and investigate recurring drift before removing those checks. Close failures only after corrective action has been demonstrated in production; the corrective action guide covers closure evidence. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate factory checks and evidence collection, while the buyer retains approval.
Frequently asked questions
Does a factory move need a new audit?
Assess what changed. A site review may help with layout, storage and process controls, but approval should also include product evidence from the relocated line. An audit alone does not release shipments.
Can we approve a replacement machine from samples?
Samples can support approval if they come from a documented trial on the intended line. Ask for settings, materials, results across the run and evidence that the process repeats the approved result.
Do all products need retesting after a factory move?
Map which products and characteristics the move affects. Ask a relevant technical specialist to review existing evidence and justify the scope of fresh testing. Avoid treating unrelated products as automatically approved.
What evidence is needed before shipments resume?
Keep the change assessment, trial records, passing inspection and test results, corrective-action evidence and written buyer release together. The release should name the products, site and line it covers.