26/08/2026
A solar panel made in China may look like a single product, but behind it there can be an entire 🕸️ web of companies.
One company manufactures the solar cells, another produces the glass, frames or other components, and a third assembles the finished panel. The product may be sold and exported by another legal entity, while payment may sometimes be requested by yet another company.
This is not necessarily suspicious. In China, production is often divided among several companies belonging to the same group or otherwise connected to one another.
For a European company, following this chain is not always easy. Legal names and company-register information are in Chinese, while different English names may be used in correspondence, quotations and on websites. The same contact person may represent several companies.
When checking a Chinese company, it is important to understand the entire structure: who manufactures the components, who assembles the product, who sells it, who exports it and who receives the payment.
If quality or warranty problems arise later, what matters is which legal entity signed the contract and which company is legally responsible for the supplied product. It can also reveal dependence on particular suppliers, customers or countries — an important factor in assessing whether production could be disrupted if one link in the chain fails.
What can a business relationship map – or company 🕸️ “spiderweb” – help establish?
– the company’s owners and shareholders;
– parent companies, subsidiaries and other affiliated companies;
– direct and indirect ownership links;
– whether the companies actually belong to the same group;
– which companies manufacture components within the supply chain;
– which company performs the final assembly;
– who acts as the seller, supplier or buyer;
– where each company sits in the production and value chain;
– known supply relationships between companies;
– import and export flows, where such data are available;
– dependence on particular suppliers, customers or countries;
– potential risks if one company in the chain ceases operating;
– partnerships and competitive relationships within the industry;
– whether any company or individual in the chain is included on a sanctions list.
We can help untangle and verify the structure. Also our next "Safe Imports from China" training will take place on 4 October in Latvian.
Programm: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HTF7naPXlkzq_CxVpeJooLKFPRFk1jqW/view?usp=sharing
Registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1J0aSr8ZB998AUh1ameBUKuw3sIhRxCd8mW01KiiZCaM/edit
