Quality, testing & documents
Batch and lot number
A unique code identifying a quantity of product made under the same conditions, from the same raw materials and in the same time window. It appears on packages, the COA and the packing list, and lets you trace which goods are affected by a complaint or recall. Lot-level traceability is a legal requirement in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and feed; buyers of plastics and metals may also ask for single-lot shipments for consistent quality.
Certificate of analysis (COA)
A document in which the producer or an independent laboratory reports the test results for a specific lot together with the specification limits. It shows the product name, lot number, production date, test method (e.g. ASTM, ISO), measured value and acceptance range. A TDS gives a product’s typical properties; a COA gives the actual values of the lot delivered. Under a letter of credit the COA must be issued by the party and with the content the credit requires.
EN 10204 mill test certificate (2.2, 3.1, 3.2)
The European standard defining types of inspection documents for metallic products – plate, pipe, sections, castings and forgings – used worldwide under the name “mill test certificate” (MTC). Type 2.2 gives the manufacturer’s non-specific test results; Type 3.1 gives chemical and mechanical results specific to the delivered lot, validated by the manufacturer’s independent inspection representative; Type 3.2 additionally includes tests witnessed by the purchaser or an independent body such as a classification society. Pressure vessels, shipbuilding and energy projects usually require 3.1 or 3.2.
Halal and kosher certification
Certificates showing that food, feed, cosmetic and pharmaceutical ingredients – gelatin, emulsifiers, fatty acids, glycerine, flavours, enzymes, vitamins and so on – are produced in line with Islamic or Jewish dietary law. Halal certificates must come from a body recognised by the importing country (e.g. BPJPH in Indonesia, JAKIM in Malaysia, GAC/ESMA in the Gulf, HAK in Türkiye); kosher certificates are issued by agencies such as OU, OK and Star-K. For ingredients of animal or possibly animal origin, and for Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian markets, they are often a precondition of sale.
ISO 9001 quality management and related ISO certificates
ISO 9001 is the international quality-management standard, audited by accredited certification bodies, showing that a company defines, controls and continually improves its processes; it certifies the system, not the product. Other certificates frequently requested in raw material supply include ISO 14001 (environment), ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety), ISO 50001 (energy), ISO 22000/FSSC 22000 (food safety), IATF 16949 (automotive) and ISO/IEC 17025 (laboratory competence). Validity should be checked in the certification body’s database or IAF CertSearch.
Pre-shipment inspection (independent inspection) PSI
An independent inspection company – SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, Cotecna, CCIC, ALS and others – checks quality, quantity, packing and marking, draws samples and issues a report before the goods are loaded. The contract should state whether results are “final at load port” or “final at discharge”. Some countries require inspection under certificate of conformity (CoC) programmes for imports. It is one of the most effective safeguards when working with a new supplier.
Safety data sheet (SDS / MSDS)
A document setting out, in 16 standard sections following the GHS, a chemical’s hazards and information on safe handling, storage, transport, personal protective equipment, first aid, firefighting, accidental release and disposal. It is mandatory for hazardous substances under REACH in the EU and similar laws elsewhere, and must be supplied in the recipient’s language. Carriers and customs rely on section 14 for dangerous-goods classification and the UN number.
Sampling (representative sample)
Taking samples so that they represent the whole lot, following standard methods – e.g. ISO 24333 for grain, ISO 3082 for ores, ASTM D4057 for liquids. In bulk loading, increments taken at intervals are combined and divided, and usually three or four identical samples are sealed: one for the seller, one for the buyer and one retained for umpire analysis. At the quotation stage, small type samples are tested for suitability; the contract should commit that the shipment will match the approved sample.
Technical data sheet (TDS)
A product description sheet showing typical physical and chemical properties, test methods, applications, processing conditions and storage advice. For a plastic resin it lists MFI, density, tensile strength, impact strength and recommended melt temperature. Because the values are “typical” they are not guaranteed; binding values should be written into the contract as a specification and confirmed for each lot by a COA.
Traceability (supply-chain transparency)
The ability to document, at every stage from source – mine, farm, forest or refinery – to end user, who processed a raw material, where, and from which lot. It is becoming mandatory in raw material trade because of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), OECD guidance on conflict minerals and recycled-content claims such as ISCC or GRS. Geolocation data, mass balance and digital product passports are key concepts here.
Umpire analysis
Analysis of the retained sealed sample by an independent laboratory agreed in advance, used when the seller’s and buyer’s results differ by more than the splitting limit set in the contract. It is common in ore and concentrate trade; the umpire result is usually binding, or is averaged with whichever party’s result is closer. The cost is normally borne by the party whose result is further from the umpire’s.