Qualification predicts delivery better than price does
The largest losses in capital equipment are almost never the purchase price. They are the twelve weeks of lost production caused by a supplier who could not deliver, could not commission, or could not service the machine in your country. Qualification is the discipline of testing whether a company can actually do what its proposal claims.
Note the language: qualified suppliers, not verified suppliers. No independent platform can verify every claim a manufacturer makes. What can be done is a structured, evidence-based qualification against criteria that matter for your specific project — and disclosing where evidence was unavailable.
The qualification scorecard
| Criterion | Weight | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant installed base | 20% | 3+ references in your sector, similar capacity, last 5 years |
| Manufacturing capability | 15% | Own workshop vs. subcontracting, capacity utilisation, lead time record |
| Financial stability | 15% | Audited accounts, credit report, advance-payment guarantee capability |
| Service coverage | 15% | Engineers in region, response SLA, spare parts stock location |
| Engineering depth | 10% | In-house design team, customisation record, documentation quality |
| Compliance | 10% | CE/UL/ISO certification, food-grade or ATEX where relevant |
| Commercial terms | 10% | Payment structure, guarantee, liquidated damages acceptance |
| Communication quality | 5% | Response time and technical accuracy during the RFQ itself |
Score each criterion 1–5, multiply by weight, and require a minimum threshold on service coverage and financial stability regardless of total score. A supplier who scores brilliantly on technology and poorly on service is a maintenance problem you will own for fifteen years.
How to run a reference call that produces truth
Questions that reveal more than a site tour
- What was the actual commissioning date versus the contracted date?
- How much did the final invoice differ from the contract value, and why?
- What broke in the first year, and how quickly was it resolved?
- How available are spare parts, and at what price relative to expectation?
- Which part of the scope did you have to complete yourself?
- What throughput do you actually achieve versus the guaranteed figure?
- Would you buy from them again for a larger project?
Ask for a reference the supplier did not choose
Request the contact details of the most recent installation in your region, rather than a curated list. Willingness to provide it is itself a qualification signal.
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
What does 'qualified supplier' mean on this platform?
It means a supplier has been assessed against documented criteria — installed base, manufacturing capability, financial stability, service coverage and compliance — for your specific project type, with the basis of assessment disclosed. It is not a guarantee or endorsement.
Should we always visit the factory before ordering?
For orders above roughly $1M, or for any custom-engineered line, a pre-award audit is strongly advisable. For standard catalogue machines from established OEMs, documented references and a third-party inspection at FAT are usually sufficient.
How do we protect ourselves against supplier insolvency?
Advance payment guarantees, milestone-linked payments, retention against performance, title transfer clauses and — for larger contracts — a bank-issued performance bond. Financial screening at qualification stage is cheaper than any of them.
Is Global B2B Group tied to specific manufacturers?
No. We are supplier-neutral and take no commission from suppliers on the buyer's behalf, which is why the shortlist can include local, regional and international options on equal terms.
Industrial financing
Financing routes for buying & procurement
Financing is scoped alongside the RFQ, not after supplier selection — the funding route changes the optimal supplier, currency, incoterms and delivery schedule. Global B2B Group never lends, never takes a success fee from buyers and is not tied to any institution. Below are the nine routes we actively structure against.
Export Credit Agencies
State-backed cover (Euler Hermes, SACE, EKF, UKEF, Atradius, K-Sure) on equipment exported from the supplier's country, usually combined with a commercial bank loan.
- Tenor
- 5 – 12 years
- Ticket
- $2M – $250M
Best for: Imported production lines and turnkey plants from EU, UK, Korea or Japan
- Eligible country content
- Down payment 15%
- Bankable feasibility study
Development Banks & DFIs
IFC, EBRD, AfDB, ADB, IDB, FMO, Proparco and bilateral development windows funding industrial capex with concessional pricing and long grace periods.
- Tenor
- 7 – 15 years
- Ticket
- $5M – $200M
Best for: Food security, cold chain, energy efficiency and job-creating projects in emerging markets
- ESG / E&S compliance
- Audited financials
- Development impact case
Commercial Lending
Bank term debt and capex facilities secured against project cash flow, equipment and corporate balance sheet, in local or hard currency.
- Tenor
- 3 – 8 years
- Ticket
- $500K – $80M
Best for: Established operators expanding proven capacity
- DSCR ≥ 1.3x
- Security package
- Sponsor equity 25–35%
Equipment Leasing
Operating and finance leases that keep machinery off the balance sheet, preserve working capital and align payments with production ramp-up.
- Tenor
- 2 – 7 years
- Ticket
- $100K – $25M
Best for: Single machines, packaging lines, handling fleets and phased upgrades
- Asset resale value
- Insurance
- Deposit 10–20%
Vendor Financing
Supplier-supported deferred payment and instalment structures negotiated inside the RFQ, before supplier selection narrows your leverage.
- Tenor
- 1 – 5 years
- Ticket
- $250K – $30M
Best for: Buyers who want a single contractual counterparty for supply and payment terms
- Supplier credit appetite
- Bank guarantee or LC
- Milestone schedule
Project Finance
Limited-recourse SPV structures where the facility's own cash flow repays the debt, with independent technical and market due diligence.
- Tenor
- 8 – 18 years
- Ticket
- $20M – $500M
Best for: Greenfield plants, integrated processing complexes and utility-scale infrastructure
- Offtake agreements
- EPC contract
- Independent engineer report
Private Equity
Growth and buy-out capital from industrial and agri-focused funds, typically alongside a debt tranche to lower the blended cost of capital.
- Tenor
- 4 – 7 year hold
- Ticket
- $5M – $150M
Best for: Platform build-outs, consolidation and cross-border expansion
- Governance standards
- Growth thesis
- Exit path
Investment Partners
Strategic co-investors, family offices and regional sponsors who bring local licensing, land, offtake or distribution alongside capital.
- Tenor
- Negotiated
- Ticket
- $1M – $50M
Best for: Projects needing local partnership or market access as much as funding
- Shareholder agreement
- Clear capital structure
- Aligned exit
Government Programmes
Industrial localisation incentives, capex grants, interest subsidies, free-zone benefits and agri-processing schemes that reduce effective project cost.
- Tenor
- Programme specific
- Ticket
- Grants 5% – 40% of capex
Best for: Projects in priority sectors, special economic zones or import-substitution plans
- Local registration
- Job creation targets
- Application windows
How financing is structured
1. Scope & budget
Technical scope and realistic capex band are fixed first — lenders price the project, not the wish list.
2. Route selection
We map which of the nine routes actually fit your country, sector, ticket size and sponsor profile.
3. Bankable package
Feasibility, offtake, DSCR model and equipment quotations assembled into a lender-ready file.
4. Introductions
Independent introductions to ECAs, DFIs, banks, lessors and equity partners — no exclusivity, no success fee to buyers.
Get a funding route assessment
Human-led, supplier-neutral and 100% free for buyers. We return the routes that realistically fit your project, with indicative tenors, equity requirements and documentation checklists.
Next steps
Put this into practice
Request machinery quotes
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