Quality Control in India

Quality Control Services in India

Being a time-tested textile powerhouse, India remains a strategic sourcing hub for many brands. If India is among your major sourcing destinations, you already know how much your supply chain can benefit from an effective quality control program. With a third-party partner like QIMA you can vet suppliers before you give them your business, and have experts on the ground throughout the production process to ensure your product is manufactured to your specifications.

We have a strong quality control presence in the major Indian production hubs, ready to help you monitor and secure quality at every phase of your production. Engaging a reputable third-party audit and inspection company is the best way to ensure that your products comply with all contractual specifications, mandatory regulations, and the quality standards of your destination market.

Product Inspections in India

We’ve conducted over 10,000 inspections in India and gathered a vast body of quality data. Our statistics show that last year, almost 30% of products were found to be beyond Acceptable Quality Limits during in-factory inspection. The most common reasons for order rejections were visual defects, measurement discrepancies, and violation of packing specifications. A product inspection is your way to catch any shortcoming before your order is shipped so you don’t risk losing an entire order or jeopardizing your brand’s reputation.

We offer several product inspection services to help you maintain quality throughout the manufacturing process.

• IPC – Initial Production Check
• DUPRO – During Production Inspection
• PSI – Pre-Shipment Inspection
• CLC – Container Loading Check
• PM – Production Monitoring

It is also worth mentioning that scheduling issues are common among Indian manufacturers, often resulting in delayed shipments or sub-par quality due to rushed production. This is why quality control measures at different stages of the manufacturing process can make a crucial difference in the supply chain integrity of any company that sources from India.

Supplier Audits in India

The data collected by our auditors in India indicates that social and ethical compliance of suppliers has been decreasing throughout 2017 and 2018. Due to very high levels of corruption in India, many brands and retailers struggle with transparency in their supply chains. In recent years, one of the most pressing CSR issues for companies sourcing from India was ensuring that factory workers are fairly compensated for their labor, including any overtime payments. Meanwhile, pollution also remains a hot-button issue in India, especially in the textile sectors, where factories, mills and dyeing facilities often fail to properly treat their effluent water and dump hazardous chemicals into the environment.

A supplier audit is your way to ensure your suppliers meet your criteria for quality management, ethical conduct and environmental protection. To help you protect your brand’s reputation and prevent supply chain disruptions, our professional auditors conduct Manufacturing, Ethical, Structural, Environmental, and C-TPAT audits, helping you vet your suppliers in India before you place your order, as well as follow up to ensure continuous improvement. We conduct audits to a number of international standards, our own best-in-class protocol, or your in-house requirements.

QIMA Supplier Audits in India can help you:

• Protect your brand against operational and ethical risks
• Ensure safe and ethical working conditions in your supply chain
• Increase supply chain transparency and product traceability
• Uphold your commitment to environmental protection efforts
• Gain a comprehensive profile of your Indian supplier before you give them your business

Lab Testing in India

QIMA provides fully accredited lab testing in India, with a wide variety of tests suitable for many popular consumer product categories. QIMA labs are equipped with cutting-edge equipment and offer over 6,000 tests for softlines, hardlines, apparel, eyewear, promotional items, toys and children products, and more.

Our lab testing capabilities in India are accredited by, and in accordance with, the following regulatory bodies and international standards:

• CNAS
• CMA
• ANAB
• HOKLAS
• CPSC
• ISO 17025

Sourcing from India – Current Challenges

The current decade promises to be transformative for Indian manufacturing, as the country struggles to overcome multiple issues that threaten its ambition to remain relevant in the sourcing landscape.

Product quality remains a struggle for Indian manufacturers, as India still has one of the highest percentages of inspected products beyond AQL, in a large part due to the low level of technological sophistication in manufacturing, even compared to other low-cost sourcing destinations in Asia. Nevertheless, Indian businesses, particularly those operating in its flagship textile industry, realize the importance of remaining competitive in the global market, and increasingly implement new technologies in their manufacturing. For Indian businesses, the goals of technological innovation are broad: from expanding man-made fabric production and improving productivity, to improving the environmental impact of their factories through energy-saving tech and pollution controls. The latter is particularly important, as the Indian government’s environmental protection efforts are picking up speed: polluting factories face shutdowns, while several new rating programs aim to adequately assess the amount of industrial emissions.

In terms of human rights, Indian manufacturing still struggles with such critical issues as child labor and forced labor: it is estimated that a staggering 18 million people in India are trapped in modern-day slavery. However, as awareness of the issue increases, multiple collaborative initiatives pave the way to progress. In a landmark 2017 decision, India ratified two core Conventions of the International Labour Organisation, confirming its commitment to end the worst forms of child labor.

These developments show that despite a number of technological and social hurdles, India remains an important sourcing hub determined to keep up with the times, and brands sourcing from it can benefit from long-term cooperation with their suppliers. Comprehensive quality control programs, carried out by experienced third-party providers with knowledge of local market and culture, are an important tool for improving product quality, working conditions and environmental compliance in the long term.