China SourcingFOB ChinaOne Shipment

Solar water pump system supplier, China sourcing

We specify the system, buy it from audited partner factories in China, and ship it as one consolidated package with one set of export documents. We do not own factories and we do not say we do.

What we add is the part that goes wrong on its own: getting the duty point right, getting the array inside the drive limits, and getting one bill of materials you can inspect against.

How an order runs

Four steps. The first one is where most of the value is, and it is the one most suppliers skip.

  1. 1

    You send the duty, not a model number

    Static water level, drawdown, daily demand and the site location. Or the nameplate of a pump you already have. We work back from that to what the system has to do.

  2. 2

    We come back with a selection and a priced bill of materials

    Line by line, with manufacturer and model on every line, plus the pump curve with your duty point marked on it. It is comparable against anyone else’s offer on the same basis.

  3. 3

    You inspect before it ships

    Your own inspector or a third-party agency, at the factory, against that same bill of materials. We would rather you did this than not.

  4. 4

    It ships FOB China

    Export packing, loading and the shipping documents are ours. Freight, insurance, duty and the inland leg are arranged at your end, or by a forwarder you nominate.

Why buy a pumping system from China at all

Three reasons that hold up, and one honest limit.

The supply chain is herePumps, drives, modules, mounting, cable, connectors and enclosures all within a few provinces. A kit assembled from one country has fewer handoffs than one assembled from four.
Price per delivered wattFor BOS and pumping equipment the gap is wide enough to absorb freight to most markets and still be worth it. It narrows on small orders, so we say plainly when a shipment is too small to make sense.
One export document setConsolidating a pumping system into one shipment from one origin removes most of the paperwork that makes multi-origin buying painful.

What we are

A sourcing integrator. We select, specify, buy from audited partner factories and consolidate.

What we ship

One package, FOB China, with one set of export documents.

What we are not

A manufacturer. Nobody here owns a production line, and you should be wary of a trader who says otherwise.

The limit: on a very small shipment, freight and documentation are a large share of the landed cost and the saving disappears. We will tell you when that is the case rather than take the order.

What is included, and what is not

In our scope

  • Pump, motor and motor cable, or the drive cabinet alone against your existing pump
  • PV modules, mounting structure, clamps and fixings
  • Drive cabinet or controller with its protection devices
  • DC combiner, cabling, connectors and earthing materials
  • Selection, string sizing and the bill of materials
  • Export packing, loading and shipping documents, FOB China

Not in our scope

  • Drilling, well work, pipework, tanks and the irrigation network
  • Civil foundations and concrete
  • Installation, commissioning and local electrical connection
  • Freight, insurance, duty and customs clearance at destination
  • Local permits, water rights and abstraction licensing

How to check any China supplier, including us

Five things that separate a supplier who has done the work from one who has forwarded an enquiry to a factory and added a margin.

Ask for the pump curve, not the catalogue pageModel number on the chart, your duty point marked. Anyone can send a specification sheet.
Ask for the bill of materials with part numbersGeneric descriptions are not comparable and cannot be inspected against.
Ask who the factory is and whether you can inspect thereA sourcing partner with real relationships will arrange access. One that will not is telling you something.
Check the export entityLegal name, business licence, and whether the company invoicing you is the one exporting. A mismatch is worth asking about before payment, not after.
Start small if you are unsureOne system before a container. We would rather have a second order than a difficult first one.

Frequently asked questions

Are you a manufacturer or a trading company?

Neither label fits exactly. We are a sourcing integrator: we specify the system, put the bill of materials together, and buy from audited partner factories in China. We do not own factories and we do not claim to. What we add is the selection work, one consolidated shipment and one set of export documents instead of four suppliers to manage.

What is the minimum order for a solar pumping system from China?

One system, if it is a complete one. The economics are the issue rather than a policy: on a very small shipment freight and documentation are a large share of the landed cost, and we will say so rather than take an order that will disappoint. For a first order with a new buyer we would usually rather do one system than a container.

Can I inspect the goods before they ship?

Yes, and you should. Your own inspector or a third-party agency, at the factory, checking against the same bill of materials we quoted. We arrange access and have the goods ready. On a container-scale order it is money well spent.

What does FOB China actually cover?

The goods, export packing, loading and the export documents, delivered on board at a Chinese port. Freight, marine insurance, duty, clearance and the inland leg at the far end are arranged by you or a forwarder you nominate. If you would rather we quoted CIF to your port we can, but FOB is usually cheaper for a buyer with their own forwarder.

How do I know the pump will deliver what the offer says?

Ask for the flow-versus-head curve for the exact model with your duty point marked on it, and a bill of materials with part numbers. We send both without being asked. A catalogue maximum flow and a catalogue maximum head are opposite ends of one curve and prove nothing about the point in between.

Do you supply for tenders and World Bank funded projects?

We quote against tender bills of quantities and coordinate the document pack with the factories. What we will not do is imply that every item is in hand before it is. On a bid we tell you which documents are routine and which need a factory to agree something, so you can decide whether the timeline works before committing.

Send a duty point or a BOQ

Either is enough to start. You get a selection, the pump curve with your point marked, and a priced bill of materials you can compare against anyone else.