Visit Template
China Factory Visit Agenda Template for Buyers
Turn a supplier visit into a controlled review of company identity, offered scope, relevant processes, evidence, open issues, and next decisions.
A China factory visit should answer a defined buyer decision. Without an agenda, the day can become a showroom tour, lunch, and general conversation that produces little comparable evidence. This copy-ready agenda is designed for machinery and manufacturing supplier visits, including Zhangjiagang projects.
1. Send the agenda before travel
| Time block | Agenda item | Expected output |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Participants, visit objective, confidentiality, photo permission | Confirmed scope and named technical contacts |
| Company identity | Legal entity, factory address, quotation and payment entity | Entity record and explanation of related companies |
| Project review | RFQ revision, offered scope, assumptions, open questions | Marked equipment list and clarification log |
| Workshop route | Processes relevant to the quoted product or machine | Observation notes tied to capability questions |
| Technical session | Drawings, materials, controls, quality points, subcontracting | Document references and action owners |
| Closeout | Findings, missing evidence, revised quote, next decision | Signed or emailed open-action list |
2. Confirm who is actually involved
Record the legal company name, factory location, website domain, quotation issuer, proposed payment entity, export entity, and each participant’s role. Related entities are not automatically a problem, but the commercial and manufacturing responsibilities should be explicit. Ask which steps occur at the visited site and which are subcontracted or supplied by partners.
3. Follow the quoted production path
Plan the workshop route around the product or equipment being purchased. For machinery, this may include design, cutting and forming, machining, welding, surface treatment, assembly, electrical build, programming, testing, packing, and parts storage. For products, follow incoming material, processing, in-process checks, final inspection, packing, and storage. Do not infer capability for the buyer’s exact requirement from unrelated products on the floor.
4. Use a consistent observation sheet
- Observation: what was directly seen, where, and when.
- Supplier statement: who said it and which requirement it addresses.
- Evidence: drawing, record, nameplate, test, sample, photo, or video reference.
- Gap: what remains unverified or inconsistent with the quotation.
- Action: owner, due date, required response, and decision affected.
5. Ask project-specific questions
Bring the approved requirement, drawings, sample list, supplier quotation, and numbered clarification log. Ask how the supplier will meet the exact materials, dimensions, output, interfaces, quality checks, packaging, documents, and acceptance conditions. For bottling projects, discuss test bottles, caps, labels, film, product substitute, line balance, changeovers, spare parts, utilities, and FAT preparation.
6. Close the visit in writing
Reserve time before departure to review the main observations and open items. Agree which quotation revision, drawings, evidence files, sample actions, test plans, or commercial clarifications will follow. Send the written record after the visit and ask the supplier to correct factual errors. A visit should end with a next decision, not only a photo collection.
A hosted factory visit is not automatically an independent audit or inspection. Choose a qualified third party when formal criteria, sampling, competence, independence, or certification-related verification is required.
Questions buyers ask
How much time should be reserved?
It depends on project complexity and test needs. Allow enough time for entity clarification, technical review, the relevant workshop path, evidence review, and written closeout.
Should buyers visit before requesting a quotation?
Usually a preliminary requirement and supplier response make the visit more focused. A visit can then test specific assumptions instead of replacing basic RFQ work.
What should be photographed?
Only with permission: relevant equipment, nameplates, process stages, samples, test setups, packing, and documents needed for the decision. Label every file with context.