Factory audit
A BuyerSide factory audit is a half-day to full-day on-site assessment of a Turkish manufacturer before you place a first order. We verify real production capacity, machinery, workforce, quality control system, subcontracting practices and legal ownership, and report with photographs within 24 hours. From €450. We take no payment from the factory being audited.
What an audit answers
A factory audit exists to answer one question before you commit money: is this supplier capable of doing what they have promised, repeatedly, at your quality level?
- Does the factory in the photographs exist, at that address, with that equipment?
- What is the real monthly capacity for your product — not the number on the website?
- Is the work done in-house, or subcontracted to workshops you will never see?
- Is there a functioning quality control system, or one inspector and a clipboard?
- Who legally owns the company, and is it the party issuing your invoice?
- What condition is the machinery in, and how old is it?
- Are there export references to your market, and can they be checked?
The subcontracting question
Turkish manufacturing runs on subcontracting, particularly in furniture, textiles and metalwork. That is not a defect in itself — it is how the industry achieves flexibility. It becomes a defect when you do not know it is happening.
If eighty per cent of your order is made in three workshops none of which you audited, then your audit checked the office and the assembly line and missed the production. We look specifically for this, and we report the split.
What is in the report
- Company identity
Trade registry record, tax number, ownership, capital, year established, and confirmation that the entity issuing your proforma is the entity operating the factory.
- Site and capacity
Floor area, production lines, key machinery with photographs and, where visible, age and condition. Realistic monthly output for your product with the assumptions stated.
- Workforce
Headcount by function, shift pattern, and an assessment of whether the stated capacity is consistent with the people present.
- Quality system
Incoming material control, in-process checks, final inspection, records retention, and any certifications with their issuing body and expiry.
- Subcontracting
Which processes leave the site, to whom, and whether those workshops can be visited.
- Risk summary and verdict
Recommended, recommended with conditions, or not recommended — with the reasoning written plainly enough to forward to your board.
Price
| Scope | Price | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Standard audit, single site within 150 km of Istanbul | €450 | Half to full day |
| Extended audit — multiple production halls, or capacity study for a large first order | from €700 | Full day |
| Additional subcontractor workshop visit | €180 each | Same trip |
| Travel beyond 150 km | at cost, quoted in advance | — |
Frequently asked questions
Is an audit the same as an inspection?
No. An audit assesses the supplier before there are goods. An inspection assesses the goods. Buyers placing a first order usually need both: an audit before the order, an inspection before the balance payment.
Will the factory know you work for us?
Yes. We attend openly as the buyer's appointed representative, which is normal and expected in Turkish export trade. What we do not do is negotiate on the factory's behalf or accept anything from them.
Do you audit against a specific standard?
Our default is a commercial capability audit. If you need an audit against a named standard — ISO 9001 readiness, BSCI, SMETA, a customer-specific protocol — say so in the enquiry: we will either scope it or tell you it needs an accredited body, which for some standards it does.
Can you audit a factory we have used for years?
Yes, and it is often more revealing than a first-time audit. Long-standing suppliers drift: equipment ages, the good line manager leaves, volume moves to subcontractors. An audit every two years on a core supplier is normal practice.