# Ten questions for a sealant factory visit

> What to look at, what to ask, and what the answers reveal: ten questions for a sealant factory visit that separate a plant from a trading company.

Updated: 2026-11-10 · Source: https://karmindadhesive.com/resources/sealant-supplier-audit-questions/

A factory visit is not a tour of the showroom. Ninety minutes on the line and ten questions will tell you more than a brochure, and the answers are hard to fake consistently.

## The ten questions

1. **Which line made our sample batch?** A specific answer with a line number is a good sign; a general one is not.
2. **Where is the retained sample kept?** If there is no retained sample, there is no traceability.
3. **Which properties are tested per batch, and which per shipment?** Not everything needs testing every time, but the list should be deliberate.
4. **Who signs the certificate?** A name and a role, not a stamp.
5. **What happens when a batch is out of specification?** The answer should be a procedure, not a promise.
6. **How is the filling line cleaned between colours?** Changeover is where contamination enters.
7. **What is the actual capacity of this line per shift?** Compare with the claimed annual capacity.
8. **How long does stock sit before shipping?** Old stock in a warehouse is a shelf-life problem.
9. **Which customers buy this model, and in what pack?** Specificity signals real trade.
10. **Can we see the QC records for the last three batches?** The test of everything above.

## What to look at

- Raw material storage: labelled, in date, segregated.
- Mixing area: dust control, weighing scales, batch sheets.
- Filling line: nozzles, cartridge feed, date coding.
- Finished goods: labelled, palletised, batch numbers visible.
- Retained sample store: organised by batch, not a shelf of loose cartridges.

## Red flags

- A capacity figure that does not match the line count.
- Certificates with no batch number.
- No retained samples.
- A showroom that is immaculate and a production area that is not.

## What good and weak answers sound like

The value of the ten questions is in the specificity of the answers, not in whether they are yes.

| Question | Strong answer | Weak answer |
|---|---|---|
| Which line made the batch? | "Line 3, batch 2408-17, run on 12 August" | "Our production line" |
| Where is the retained sample? | "Climate room, shelf B, by batch number" | "We keep samples" |
| Who signs the certificate? | A name, a role, a signature | A company stamp |
| What if a batch is out of spec? | A written procedure with a hold point | "We would never ship it" |
| Line capacity per shift? | A number that matches the line count | An annual figure only |
| QC records for the last three batches? | Produced within the hour | "Our engineer will send them" |

None of these answers requires a factory to be large. They require it to have a system, and a system is what protects the second order.

## The paperwork test, done before the flight

Ask for four documents by email before booking anything:

1. The batch certificate for the sample you were sent.
2. The retained-sample policy, in one paragraph.
3. The last three QC records, redacted if necessary.
4. The procedure for a non-conforming batch.

A factory that sends all four in a day has answered most of the audit. One that sends a brochure has answered a different question.

## What this means for buyers

1. Ask the ten questions before you book the flight; the email answers filter the list.
2. On site, follow one batch from raw material to pallet.
3. Photograph the retained sample store — it is the clearest sign of a quality system.
4. If the answers are vague, the price is not the only thing you are negotiating.