8 steps to select high quality solar light manufacturer

Selecting High Quality Solar Lights Manufacturer-8 Steps

As a contractor from the USA, I've got a couple of street lighting projects on my plate. I need to buy high-quality solar lights directly from an OEM or ODM manufacturer. I've found a number of potential suppliers and manufacturers in China, but I'm not sure which one to choose. If I decide to visit their factories or offices, what steps should I take to ensure they produce good quality products and select high quality solar lights manufacturer?
select high quality solar lights manufacturer

Below are the feedback from Mr. Wang, Supply Chain Manager @ BackMorning

Selecting the right OEM/ODM manufacturer is a crucial step for the success of your streetlighting projects. Here are some steps you can take to evaluate high quality solar lights manufacturer

Table of Contents

1. 8 Steps to Select High Quality Solar Lights Manufacturer

  • 1.1 Review their Business Credentials

Check their business licenses, certifications, and any industry awards or recognitions. If they have internationally recognized quality certifications (like ISO 9001), it can be a good indication of their commitment to quality. But you have to be reminded, if the ISO9001 certificate is release by a organization which is not famous, high possibility that is just a money game, it has nothing to do with the factory’s quality management system or product quality.

quality certifications (like ISO 9001) of solar lights manufacturer
  • 1.2 Visit the Factory

Visiting the factory can give you insights into their manufacturing capabilities, quality control procedures, and working conditions. Look at the cleanliness and organization of the facility, the condition of the machinery, and the overall workflow.

As your target product is solar street light, the factory should have these facilities and these facilities should be in a very good condition:
-Optical test instrument
-Spectrum test instrument

-Safety test instrument
-Battery capacity test instrument
-Solar Panel efficiency test instrument

-Water proof test instrument

-Oven
You should be reminded: some companies just buy these instruments, but not using them, this is not Good enough. You should also not visit the showroom only, because the important details are in the production line.

Battery pack capacity tester of solar lights manufacturer
Solar Panel tester of solar lights manufacturer
  • 1.3 Check their Past Projects and Client References

Ask for examples of their past work similar to your project. This can give you a better understanding of their ability and solar lights manufacturer to meet your requirements 

Past Projects of solar lights manufacturer
Past Projects of solar lights manufacturer
  • 1.4 Evaluate the Quality of their Products

Ask for product samples and test them for quality. As you’re handling streetlighting projects, you would want to check factors like light intensity, energy-efficiency, durability, and how well the solar panels work. You can refer to this testing list from BackMorning, this list is for normal LED light, you just need to add the testing of solar panel and battery.

  • 1.5 Financial Stability

You would want to work with a manufacturer who is financially stable and will be able to fulfill your orders on time. You might want to check their credit history and ask for their bank references.
It’s not easy to get the financial data from the manufacturer, but Backmorning can do something for you on this by checking Legal disputes arising from failure to pay its raw material suppliers in time and in full.

  • 1.6 Communication of  Solar Lights Manufacturer

Good communication is key for a successful partnership. They should be responsive to your queries and able to communicate effectively in your language. But the more important is: the supplier can give you priority. Sometimes, a small buyer can not get priority from a big manufacturer. And a supplier who focus on wholesale economic products, they can’t understand the requirements from a buyer who want to get high quality product for the project. So you’d better to select the supplier who can understand you well and give you priority.

Solar Lights Manufacturer
  • 1.7 Pricing

While not the only factor, pricing is definitely important. Make sure their pricing fits within your budget without compromising on the quality.

  • 1.8 Lead Times

Check their lead times for manufacturing and delivery. It should fit within your project timeline. However, you have to prepare enough time buffer for your order, especially when you work with a new supplier, the progress may be postponed because of sample quality issue, mold need modification,etc.

Taking the time to thoroughly evaluate potential manufacturers can save you a lot of time and resources in the long run. It’s often a good idea to visit more than one factory before making a decision. You can work 3rd party like BackMorning to do it in a professional way and save you a lot of time.

As a third-party quality inspection company, we are equipped to safeguard the quality of your LED Lighting products. Our services encompass professional quality inspections, sample testing, and assessments of factory capabilities to provide you with peace of mind regarding product excellence.
Email: [email protected]
WeChat: LNY0539
Whatsapp: +86 18616827523
Web:  www.backmorning.com

Picture of Hank Wang
Hank Wang

Supply Chain Management Professor.
Quality Inspector in Lighting Field and Steel Structure Field.
Certified Welding Inspector by American Welding Society.
15 Years' experience of supplier quality management.
Six Sigma Green Belt.

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