By International Credit Reports
Match the check to the decision
A supplier credit report and a factory audit address different questions. A company report organizes available business information about an identified entity. A factory audit assesses a site or operation within the auditor’s agreed scope. Neither label tells you everything included: obtain the scope before commissioning either service.
Begin by separating the seller, manufacturer, and production site. If you contract with a trading company, information about a factory may not describe the seller’s financial position. Equally, a report on the trader does not establish the capabilities of a separate manufacturer.
Compare the evidence you need
Use this table to brief the relevant provider. It describes the kinds of questions to ask, not a promise that every report or audit contains each item.
| Question | Company information review | Factory or operational assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Who is the business? | Registered entity and available company details | Site operator and connection to the supplier |
| What financial evidence exists? | Obtainable accounts and other business information | Ask whether financial research is included at all |
| Can this site make the product? | Not established by company identity or financial figures | Agreed checks on equipment, processes, capacity, and specifications |
| What was actually examined? | Report subject, sources, periods, and limitations | Site, visit date, assessment scope, and exclusions |
Example: trader, factory, and a new production line
Imagine a trader offers to supply a new molded component made by another company. You need to understand the trader named in the agreement and the ability of the proposed facility to meet your specification. A company report may help with the first question. A suitably scoped operational assessment may address parts of the second.
Request the manufacturer’s legal identity and site details before commissioning that assessment. Confirm whether the proposed production line and your actual process are included. An older site report or a certificate supplied by the trader should not be assumed to cover your current order.
Write two clear briefs when both checks are needed
For the company report, name the entity and the financial or business questions you want researched. For the operational assessment, identify the site, product, production stage, and questions you need answered. Then record which findings relate to which entity so the final procurement review does not blend them.
- Keep dates visible: an earlier assessment may predate a change in site or operator.
- Record dependencies between the seller and a separate manufacturer.
- Ask about unavailable evidence before making it a condition of your timetable.
- Use the combined findings in your own approval process; neither check guarantees a shipment or future performance.
Check the company report scope
Explore available supplier information and clarify any essential fields. Factory inspection services should be arranged and scoped separately.