Industries like paint, cement-based putty, coats, medicines, tile adhesives, and personal care products have one common ingredient. That is a foundational ingredient that either retains water, binds the product, controls viscosity, or maintains thickness. It is cellulose ether powder that performs all these functions. Unless these industries add this ingredient, they don’t get the desired production results. However, there is some due diligence that has to be done when sourcing cellulose ether powder. It will help in avoiding fraud and other potential business losses. The following are the ways that can help any importer avoid these scams.
Having much lower prices from a supplier than the market rate raises flags. How is it possible for a manufacturer to offer excessive cut prices when other suppliers in the same region are not doing that? That means you need to cross-check the authenticity of that supplier. If someone is offering unrealistic discounts, that means you should stay away from that supplier. That could be a scammer who is just trying to lure buyers who want low-priced cellulose ether powder.
Once you find a supplier who has reasonable prices that are low and close to market rates, here is what you should do. Now, you need to make sure the supplier is also an authentic and certified manufacturer. The only way to ask for evidence is by asking for certificates that prove their authenticity. ISO 9001, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001 certifications can prove a manufacturer’s worth. The more certifications they have, the higher their trustworthiness they have. FDA standards compliance, EU regulations, and ASTM D2364-15 standards are some other authentication elements that can further make integrity concrete.
Local governments and some international institutions provide production licenses. They show whether a manufacturer is eligible for production or not. You need to ask the cellulose ether powder supplier about the export license that can show if you should go ahead or not.
Even if a supplier has multiple ways to convince you, there are some signs that you should look for. If a supplier is asking for advanced payment before the delivery of cellulose ether powder, stop right there. That could be a sign that the supplier is trying to trick you. It happens in some rare cases where a supplier could justify their honesty with different documents, but some signs could raise alarms. Do not give any advanced payment if you find anything suspicious.
Here is another red flag that you should be aware of. If a supplier is asking you to send payment to a personal bank account, it is a sign that something is wrong. Always remember that the bank account must be registered in the supplier’s business name instead of a personal name. That means the account title you will get from the supplier for payment transfer must be in the company’s name.
To inspect if a trader is claiming to be a manufacturer, you need to ask them to send a sample. That sample of cellulose ether powder will clarify lots of things. If a supplier sends a sample, and that sample takes longer than the usual duration, it is suspicious. Usually, traders ask other manufacturers to send them a sample, so they can dispatch ahead. This process takes more than usual, which means you should consider it a warning sign. However, there could be a shipping delay or customs hold that may delay a sample, and you can get its evidence from the supplier.
Then you will have to make sure the cellulose ether powder you are procuring meets your requirements. Inspect the compatibility in physical and chemical terms, which depends on the application you are using it for. Cellulose ether works as a thickening agent, binding agent, water retainer, viscosity and texture enhancer. There are lots of other functions besides them, and you need to inspect the quality accordingly.
• Ash content
• Purity
• Particle size
• Viscosity level
• Moisture level
• Chemical stability
• Whiteness level
• Light transmittance
Then there is the compatibility of cellulose ether powder that needs to match the other ingredients. Methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and some other types exist in industry. You will have to choose the type that matches your product’s requirements. It could be paint, cement adhesive, medicines, personal care products, grouts, and some other products that contain it. All these products need cellulose ether powder for a specific function, and the right type and quantity matter.
Here is some advice if you still have some doubts about the supplier. You can visit your supplier’s country and do a factory visit. An expert with you will further inspect if the cellulose ether powder supplier is an authentic manufacturer. The production unit, warehouse, and entire supply chain process will show you how authentic a supplier is.
If it is not possible for you to visit a foreign country to do any factory audit, you can hire a third-party auditor for that. You will find many service providers in your supplier’s country that locally verify, cross-check the information, and share details with you. They charge fees for that, and you can choose this way if it is affordable for you.
If your supplier is avoiding shipping responsibility, it means you need to ask the reason behind that. If the reason is genuine because of any cost issue, there could be another way for that. If there is no reason behind that, it means your supplier is hiding something, and it raises suspicion.
Sourcing cellulose ether powder is about finding a reliable supplier in the first place. Unless you partner with a supplier who wins your trust, it is not possible to go ahead. All the signs and ways to detect suspicion will only be possible if you do due diligence. It will be time-consuming and costly, but at least you will be safe from problems later. Once you find an authentic supplier, your business operations will get a straight track for cellulose ether powder sourcing.
