China sourcing agent to manage the Chinese factory you already use
Cambridge China Bridge manages the Chinese factory you already buy from: our own staff in China follow production, inspect before every shipment and hold anything that fails, so you keep the supplier and gain someone on the ground.
We reply the same working day to confirm receipt and arrange next steps.
What you get
- You keep your current factory and your relationship with it; we work alongside it rather than replacing it.
- Production follow-up by our own staff in China: materials, timings and changes to the agreed specification.
- Inspection before every shipment against your approved sample and specification, by our staff or by an independent inspection company when you require one.
- The report issuer and inspection scope are agreed in advance; you approve shipment release.
- Container loading checks, freight and UK customs can be handled as well, so one UK company answers for the whole chain.
How it works
- Send your current specification, approved sample, order pattern and what is going wrong today.
- We visit and audit the factory against your specification.
- Agree the inspection points, sampling plan and who issues each report.
- We follow each production run and inspect before shipment.
- You review inspection evidence and approve each shipment. We can also qualify a second supplier against the same specification.
How we check factories and goods, and the proof
Every check follows our published CCB Verification Standard v2.0. Factory visits are made by our own staff in the Pearl River and Yangtze River deltas; if an inspection company is appointed for you, the report names it.
- Factory audit: From £395 a visit (one day on site), plus VAT; the final price depends on location and scope and is confirmed before we start. Written report usually within 48 hours of the visit. Sample factory audit report
- Pre-shipment inspection: From £275 per inspector-day (Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu), plus VAT; the final price depends on location, product and scope and is confirmed before we start. Photo report usually within 24 hours of the inspection. Sample pre-shipment inspection report
Default inspection sampling: zero critical defects, AQL 2.5 major and AQL 4.0 minor (ISO 2859-1, general level II), inspected once at least 80% of the goods are packed.
Real project: for a UK electric-vehicle charging operator we ran inspection and factory communication. A Jiangsu candidate did not meet the requirements; after reviewing a third-party check we chose a Zhejiang factory, which now ships about three pallets a month. Read the case
We are not an accredited inspection body and issue no certificates; laboratory tests and social audits go to accredited firms, and you receive their reports.
Cambridge China Bridge in brief
- Buying from Chinese factories since 2021 (the company was incorporated in September 2022), for our own businesses and for clients on the same terms.
- Our own staff are based in China, at two bases: the Pearl River Delta (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan) and the Yangtze River Delta (Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu). They visit factories themselves.
- Quotes to suit how you buy: one delivered price, or an itemised quote with the factory cost, freight, duty and our service fee shown separately. Open-book detail is available on request.
- Audits and inspections are usually included in the quote for an order placed with us; complex checks that need a third party are charged extra, agreed first.
- Orders run from a first trial to scheduled full containers; the factory’s own minimum is stated in the quote.
- In one project, a UK EV charging operator cut unit cost by 70% and scaled 3× faster. In another, a multi-site Cambridge café chain saved 50% on packaging.
- A UK company in Cambridge and London: Cambridge China Bridge is the trading name of Piggy Pineapple Ltd, company number 14385590.
- Send 1–3 products you buy now and what you pay. We compare the same specification, quantity, inspection and delivery scope to establish a cost benchmark.
- A reference call with a past client can be arranged, with that client’s agreement.
How we charge
Quotes to suit how you buy: one delivered price, or an itemised quote with the factory cost, freight, duty and our service fee shown separately. Open-book detail is available on request.
We charge a service fee, included in the quoted price or shown separately in an itemised quote, and agreed before you order. We take no kickbacks or commission from factories. The service fee depends on the agreed scope, including products, samples, inspections and ongoing supply.
Questions buyers ask
Do I have to change supplier to use you?
No. We can manage the factory you already use. A second supplier is an option if a problem keeps recurring, not a condition.
Who inspects the goods?
Our own staff in China, or an independent inspection company when you require one. The report issuer, sampling plan and scope are agreed before production.
Who approves shipment?
You review the agreed inspection evidence and approve shipment release.