Proforma Invoice
The original proforma invoice specifying product, quantity, unit price, deposit and balance amounts, delivery terms (Incoterms), and payment trigger for document release. Forms the commercial foundation of the Term Sheet.
PRINCIPAL-RESELLER · DEPOSIT-SECURED PRODUCTION
How Asaptic Works — Our Direct-Factory Sourcing Process & Deposit Structure
Factory-direct certified sourcing that feels like standard B2B procurement — because the payment structure, document obligations, and principal liability are made explicit from the start.
THE FIVE-STEP PROCESS
Asaptic's sourcing process works in five steps: (1) you submit a specification brief covering product category, regulatory target market, and volume; (2) we identify certified factories matching your spec and verify current certification status; (3) we issue a proforma invoice requiring a 30% deposit to reserve the production slot; (4) the factory commences the certified production batch; (5) your balance payment triggers document release and shipment. The deposit structure is standard in B2B factory-direct procurement — it is the same mechanism used by large medical device distributors, made explicit here rather than hidden inside 90-day payment terms.
DEPOSIT RATIONALE / PAYMENT STRUCTURE
Why Deposit-First?
Certified factories operate to order. A regulated production batch cannot be held in stock and sold to the next buyer — each batch is produced against a specific buyer's spec and regulatory target market. Reserving a production slot requires the factory to allocate capacity, pre-order certified raw materials, and schedule quality-management system oversight for that batch.
The deposit secures that commitment. Without it, a factory has no basis to begin a batch — and a buyer has no enforceable basis to claim delivery on a timeline.
Asaptic bears the factory relationship risk. As principal in the transaction, Asaptic is the contracting party with the factory. If the factory underperforms, the buyer's claim is against Asaptic — not against an overseas manufacturer the buyer has never met. The deposit model makes this principal-layer liability concrete and transparent.
This structure is not novel. Large medical device distributors and group purchasing organisations routinely pre-pay factory production runs — the difference is that the deposit is often embedded inside extended payment terms rather than stated explicitly. Asaptic states it plainly.
30%
Deposit on proforma invoice — reserves certified production slot
70%
Balance payment against Bill of Lading — triggers document release
0 days
Asaptic working capital carried by buyer — none
24h
Spec-to-confirmation turnaround on factory fit assessment
5 days
TFLN photonics sample lead time from confirmed factory (business days)
COMPLIANCE DOCUMENT PACKAGE
Every shipment ships with six compliance documents.
Document release is tied to balance payment. The compliance package is not an afterthought — it is a contractual deliverable structured into every engagement from the outset. Asaptic retains copies for five years from shipment date.
Factory Certificate Summary
Current ISO 13485 or ISO 9001 certificate for the producing factory, including certificate number, accreditation body, scope statement, and expiry date. Verified against the accreditation body's public register before issuance.
Regulatory Cert Reference
Primary-source regulatory registration reference — MDALL (Canada), ARTG (Australia), or CE Declaration of Conformity number — for the product category, allowing buyer to independently verify on the regulator's own database before paying balance.
Certificate of Conformity
Factory-issued certificate confirming that the specific production batch conforms to the agreed specification, applicable quality standard, and any buyer-specified test parameters. References the batch number and shipment date.
Bill of Lading
Original Bill of Lading from the freight forwarder, confirming goods received for shipment. The 70% balance payment is triggered against this document — no B/L, no balance request. Document title passes on B/L release.
Factory Audit Summary
Summary of Asaptic's pre-engagement factory assessment — quality system review, scope confirmation, and any material findings. Not a full audit report, but the key findings that informed the factory selection decision.
RISK FAQ
Questions buyers ask before paying a deposit.
The deposit-first model raises predictable questions. Below are the five questions Asaptic receives most often from procurement teams and legal reviewers evaluating a first engagement. Plain-language answers — no hedging.
If your question is not listed, email [email protected] before committing. We will answer within four business hours.
Factory fails to deliver?
Asaptic is principal. Buyer's legal claim is against Asaptic HK Ltd, which holds the factory at risk — not the buyer. Asaptic's deposit to the factory is Asaptic's exposure, not yours.
Verify certs before paying?
Yes. MDALL, ARTG, and CE numbers are provided pre-proforma for independent primary-source verification on the regulator's own database. Buyers are expected to check before committing.
Recall post-shipment?
Asaptic retains the full compliance document chain — factory cert, certificate of conformity, B/L, audit summary — for five years from shipment date, supporting any post-market traceability requirement.
Is Asaptic registered in HK?
Yes. Incorporated and operating in Hong Kong SAR since 2021. Companies Registry number available on request, verifiable on the CR e-Search at www.icris.cr.gov.hk.
Is this model standard?
Yes. Distributors and GPOs routinely pre-pay factory runs. Asaptic makes the deposit percentage, balance trigger, and document schedule explicit — what large distributors embed inside 90-day terms is stated plainly here.
PRE-ENGAGEMENT CHECKLIST
Three checks Asaptic runs before any factory is presented to a buyer.
Asaptic does not present a factory to a buyer unless all three of the following checks have passed. These are not aspirational — they are conditions of engagement. A factory that fails any check is not included in a fit assessment.
Regulatory Certification — Primary Source
The device or product category holds a current registration in the buyer's target market (MDALL for Canada, ARTG for Australia, CE Declaration of Conformity for the EU, or equivalent). Asaptic verifies the registration number on the regulator's own primary-source database — not on the factory's letterhead. Expired or suspended registrations disqualify the factory for that target market.
Quality System — Accredited and In-Scope
The factory holds a current ISO 13485 or ISO 9001 certificate from an accredited certification body, and the certificate scope explicitly covers the product category in question. A factory certified for packaging materials is not eligible to supply medical device components — scope is verified, not assumed. Certificate expiry and accreditation body standing are confirmed before the factory is presented.
Export Compliance — Screened
The factory and its principals are screened against the BIS Entity List, OFAC Specially Designated Nationals list, and EU Consolidated Sanctions List. Any factory appearing on a control list is excluded regardless of product quality or price. Where the product category intersects with dual-use export controls, an export-licence applicability assessment is completed before the factory is presented to the buyer.
READY TO START?
Submit a Specification Brief — we respond in under four hours.
Include: product category and target market, required certifications, volume and timeline, and any preferred Incoterms. Asaptic will return a factory fit assessment and proforma timeline within four business hours. No commitment required at brief stage.
Submit a Specification Brief →