Sourcing industrial equipment in China for projects in Francophone Africa, France, and Canada

Sourcing in China without a local partner who speaks your language costs more than what is indicated in the quote.

This is an observation we make regularly on EPC projects in sub-Saharan Africa, infrastructure contracts in Ivory Coast or Cameroon, and energy projects in France.

Three systematic friction points.

1. Mill test report traceability not verified per EN 10204 Type 3.2

The Chinese supplier delivers API 6D valves with a compliant inspection certificate. No one verified that the heat traceability scheme corresponded to the requirements of the 3.2 certificate according to EN 10204. The discrepancy is only detected upon arrival at the site, thousands of kilometers from Shanghai. Verification must be done at the factory, not at the port of arrival.

2. Technical specifications in English, loose interpretation

The specifications arrive in English. The supplier interprets them according to their own reading. The deviation is only discovered at the final inspection. Renegotiating remotely, in CFA francs or euros, from China, takes time that the project schedule did not foresee. Technical review prior to consultation prevents the discrepancy.

3. Deadlines met on paper, actual shipment delayed

Manufacturing deadlines are met on the planning document. The actual shipping date is delayed by two to three weeks because no qualified representative performed factory follow-up during production. Weekly on-site monitoring with photographic reporting makes it possible to spot slippage before it affects the critical path.

What we do

Meritus Technology is your procurement office in China. We manage suppliers, oversee manufacturing, coordinate third-party inspections, and deliver complete, verified documentation to you. Our EPC clients operate in French-speaking Africa (Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal, Gabon, DRC), metropolitan and overseas France, Canada, and the Maghreb region.

If you are sourcing industrial equipment from China for a mining, oil, gas, or infrastructure project, let's discuss it.

Contact: sales@meritustech.com · WhatsApp +86 134 8206 1802 · www.meritustech.com/fr