In recent years, in view of various foreign technical trade barriers targeting Chinas ceramic products and combining with the export setbacks of ceramic enterprises, Chancheng Office of Foshan Customs has assisted enterprises to break foreign technical trade barriers and restarted overseas markets facing the pandemic in 2020 by relying on the technical resources and advantages of its subordinate National Architectural and Sanitary Ceramic Testing Key Laboratory (hereinafter referred to as Ceramic Laboratory).

One-stop service for various testing 

In recent years, Foshan ceramic enterprises have actively expanded the markets of countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative, mainly exporting ceramic tiles. Earlier in March 2018, the Ceramic Laboratory was recognized by the Saudi Arabian Standards of Organization (SASO), becoming the first laboratory qualified for the water efficiency testing of Saudi Arabia in China, and became a recognized laboratory for the imported ceramic tile products of Saudi Arabia in August 2019.

In Foshan, enterprises can complete the one-stop testing of ceramic products exported to Saudi Arabia, including performance testing of sanitary ceramic, performance testing of bathroom products, certification of exported architectural and sanitary ceramic products and the latest standard testing.

Provide customized training services

Based on the actual needs of different ceramic enterprises, Chancheng Office of Foshan Customs has established professional teams to help 11 ceramic enterprises deal with the enterprise quality system assessment and factory inspection initiated by the national standards and certificate institutions in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and other countries.

Under the guidance of Foshan Customs, Foshan ceramic enterprises have actively expanded overseas markets. From January to November 2020, the decreasing export rate of Foshan ceramic products had been narrowed to 2.7%, dropping from 10.4% in the previous eight months. In addition, exports in November totaled 2.36 billion yuan, with a large year-on-year increase of 59.2 %.

At present, the Ceramic Laboratory has become a testing laboratory and institution designated by the government departments of Malaysia, the Philippines, Ecuador and other countries. It has recognized nearly 600 domestic and foreign standards, covering the United States, Canada, the European Union and other developed countries (regions) as well as Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Ecuador and other emerging countries, and has recognized more than 2,700 testing projects, providing technical support for enterprises to break through foreign technical barriers.

"The Customs has solved the export certification and recognition problems of Foshan ceramic enterprises, broken through trade barriers, and helped ceramic enterprises go global," Pan Yongwen, Deputy Secretary General of Foshan Ceramics Industry Association said. From January to November 2020, the Ceramic Laboratory has provided one-stop testing and certification services for 108 enterprises whose products are exported to more than 10 countries and regions, including the European Union, the United States, Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and has issued 499 certificates to help Chinas ceramic products enter the international market smoothly.

(Annie)