Quality Risks After Chinese New Year: New Staff & Restart
Check whether staffing, equipment or materials have changed after Chinese New Year. Use the approved sample and written specification to agree restart checks, first-article approval, inspections and shipment acceptance. The holiday alone does not establish whether an order meets its quality requirements.
Why can quality slip after Chinese New Year?
Use the restart as a checkpoint for changes in production conditions. The checklist below is purchasing guidance, not evidence of a measured seasonal increase in defects.
Returning workforce: ask whether the operators, supervisors and quality inspectors assigned to your product have returned and whether experienced cover is available.
New hires: ask how new operators are trained in the agreed assembly steps, workmanship standards and packing instructions, and who verifies their work before they operate independently.
Restarted lines: request checks of machine settings, tooling, fixtures and inspection equipment before production resumes. Verify an initial unit from the restarted setup against the approved sample and specification.
Materials: ask whether components are missing, deliveries are delayed or substitutions are proposed. Agree disclosure and written approval before changing materials, component suppliers or production arrangements.
What should I check before allowing production to continue?
Use the approved sample and current written specification together. Identify the sample, drawing revision, materials, dimensions, finish, function and packaging so that the factory and inspector assess the same requirements.
For evidence that the factory is actually producing your order, follow how to verify factory production after the holiday. Keep that operational check separate from deciding whether the goods meet your acceptance criteria.
| Check | What to request | Decision before proceeding |
|---|---|---|
| Line check | Confirm the production location, trained operators, machine settings, tooling, work instructions and suitable measuring equipment. | Resolve missing controls or an unapproved production move before releasing the affected work. |
| Material check | Match incoming materials and components to the specification and retain batch identification and relevant supporting records. | Hold any substitution until the buyer has reviewed its effect and approved it in writing. |
| First-article approval | Examine an identified initial unit from the actual restarted production setup, including dimensions, workmanship, assembly and function. | Record approval or corrections before continuing the affected production. |
| In-line inspection | Check goods while manufacture is under way, with attention to new operators, changed materials and problems found at first-article review. | Contain affected goods, correct the cause and verify the correction before production continues. |
| Finished-lot inspection | Inspect the defined lot against the agreed specification, packaging requirements and sampling plan. | Apply the agreed release decision; document failures, rework and any required reinspection. |
How should I use AQL without treating it as a guarantee?
AQL means acceptance quality limit. ISO 2859-1 provides AQL-indexed schemes for lot-by-lot inspection by attributes. Agree the applicable edition, lot definition, inspection level, defect classifications and acceptance criteria with a competent inspector before production.
Do not copy a sample size or AQL setting from an unrelated order. Acceptance sampling supports an acceptance or rejection decision for a lot; passing does not prove that every item conforms or establish compliance with all applicable safety requirements.
Agree first-article and in-line checks for process verification, and finished-lot sampling for the acceptance decision. Ask the inspector whether the proposed scheme suits a one-off purchase or a continuing series of lots.
What should I put in the purchase order?
Attach the agreed specification, identified approved sample, drawings and packaging instructions. Define measurable acceptance criteria rather than relying on phrases such as good quality or same as last time.
Require written approval for changes to materials, components, tooling, production location or subcontracting. Ask the supplier to identify any restart changes that could affect your order.
Set inspection milestones: line readiness, first-article approval, in-line checks where needed and finished-lot inspection. Name who receives the reports, who can approve deviations and who authorises shipment.
Agree inspector access, the sampling arrangements, required tests and the evidence to retain. Require reports to identify the order and inspected lot, record measurements and defects, and show corrective action where relevant.
Define what happens after a failed check: containment, rework or replacement, reinspection, responsibility for the agreed costs and a revised delivery commitment. Agree how shipment and any payment linked to acceptance will be held pending the required approval.
State whether lead times mean working days and which event starts the clock. Use working-day lead times around China holidays for scheduling detail and the Chinese New Year planning page for the holiday overview.
When should I arrange an inspection?
Agree the inspection scope before production starts, especially if the supplier reports new operators, a different line, material substitutions or unresolved defects. Include an early approval point rather than leaving every acceptance decision until packing.
Prioritise early checks where correction would be expensive or difficult, the product has safety implications, or the order differs from the approved sample. Review changed production conditions even with a familiar supplier.
For an individual or a small business buying a limited quantity, ask whether checking every item against a short, measurable checklist is practical. For larger orders, consider separate lots and checks for different production lines or material batches. Match the scope to the product and consequences of failure.
Where visual and dimensional inspection is insufficient for the required material, safety or performance assessment, agree suitable specialist testing. Specify who selects the test method, which samples are tested and how the results affect release.
Discuss the scope of factory verification and inspection with Cambridge China Bridge. Its published terms say audits and inspections are usually included in the quote for a goods order placed with it; complex checks requiring a third party cost extra by prior agreement. Confirm the scope and price for your order.
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Keep destination requirements separate: a short UK example
Build the restart checklist around the product and its destination. Assess workmanship and destination-market requirements separately; do not use a workmanship inspection as the sole evidence of product compliance.
For EU-bound goods, the European Commission's Access2Markets portal provides product-specific information on duties, taxes and requirements. For US imports, CBP states that importers must ensure their goods meet applicable requirements of other agencies and obtain licences or permits where required.
As a UK cost-planning example, HMRC's transaction-value guidance requires transport, insurance, loading and handling costs connected with delivery to the UK border to be included, unless already included in the price. Import VAT valuation starts with customs value and adds applicable import duties and charges, excluding VAT itself, and relevant incidental expenses to the first UK destination. Costs resulting from transport to a further UK destination known at importation are also included. Avoid counting costs twice.
If restart problems lead to a changed shipment or replacement goods, ask your customs agent how the actual transaction should be declared. Keep the supplier's quality remedy and the customs treatment as separate decisions.
Sources and scope
The official sources below support the sampling framework and destination-market points; the company's website supports the stated charging terms. The restart checklist is recommended purchasing practice, not evidence that all factories experience higher defects after the holiday. Agree contractual controls with the supplier rather than treating this checklist as a statement of statutory duties.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safer to wait until after Chinese New Year to place my order?
Assess readiness rather than relying on the calendar. Ask when the relevant staff, materials and production line will be ready, then agree first-article approval and inspection milestones before accepting a delivery commitment.
My supplier says everyone is back. What evidence should I ask for?
Ask about the operators, supervisor and quality inspector assigned to your product, rather than total headcount. Request evidence of the actual production setup and inspection results for an initial unit made on that line.
Do I need another sample if the pre-holiday sample was good?
Keep the approved sample as the reference, but request first-article verification from the restarted production setup. If materials, tooling or the design have changed, agree whether a revised sample or additional testing is needed.
Can the factory use an equivalent material to avoid a delay?
Require the proposed material details and review the effect on function, appearance, testing and destination requirements. Agree that substitutions need written approval before use; assess the evidence rather than accepting an equivalent label.
Does passing AQL mean my whole order is good?
No. Acceptance sampling supports a lot-level decision under an agreed plan. It does not prove that every item conforms or that all applicable safety requirements have been met.
My order is small. Is an inspection still worthwhile?
Consider the loss if the goods are wrong and whether defects could be corrected after delivery. Ask for a proportionate scope, including whether checking every item is practical, rather than automatically copying a large-order sampling plan.
What should happen if the inspection fails?
Apply the agreed hold and corrective-action process. Identify the affected goods, obtain a rework or replacement plan and verify the result before authorising release under the purchase-order terms.
Will Cambridge China Bridge charge extra for inspection?
Its published terms say audits and inspections are usually included in the quote for a goods order placed with it. Complex checks requiring a third party cost extra by prior agreement. Confirm your inspection scope and any additional charges before commissioning the work.
Sources
- ISO: ISO 2859-1 acceptance sampling indexed by AQL
- GOV.UK: Valuing imported goods using the transaction-value method
- GOV.UK: Working out import VAT value using customs value
- European Commission: Access2Markets product-specific trade information
- US Customs and Border Protection: Importing licences and permits
- NIST: What is acceptance sampling?