During-production inspection in India
Clear To Load runs during-production inspections (DUPRO) at factories across India when 20–60% of an order is complete, for US$249 per man-day. The inspector checks finished units, work in progress and materials against your approved sample, finds defects that would repeat across the order, and agrees corrective actions with the factory while they can still be fixed.
- Price
- US$249 per man-day
- Report
- Within 24 hours
- Coverage
- Any factory in India
- Result
- Cleared to load · Hold · Not cleared
A during-production inspection (DUPRO) checks an order while it is still being made, so a defect found in the first units can be fixed before it repeats across the rest. This page covers how Clear To Load times and prices a DUPRO at Indian factories, and what the report gives you. For trigger points by product, read when to book a during-production inspection; for how a DUPRO differs from a final check, see pre-shipment inspection vs DUPRO.
What a mid-production visit looks at
A DUPRO looks back at the units already finished and forward at what is still to be made. It is the one visit where the inspector sees construction that later steps will hide.
| Check | What the inspector does |
|---|---|
| Production progress | Units finished, in progress and not started, against the agreed ship date. |
| Finished units | A random sample of completed units checked for workmanship, dimensions and function. |
| Work in progress | Joinery, finishing, stitching, casting or assembly at each production stage, before it is covered. |
| Materials | Timber, fabric, foam, hardware and finishes against the approved specification; moisture readings on timber. |
| Subcontracted stages | Which steps are done outside the main unit, and the state of that work when it returns. |
| Corrective actions | Each systematic defect recorded with the action and date agreed with the factory. |
Choosing the DUPRO date in an Indian production run
A DUPRO is triggered by progress, not by the calendar. Ask the factory to tell you when each milestone below is reached.
| Step | When | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| First finished units | Early in the run | For a new product or factory, an initial production check catches set-up errors in jigs, patterns or colour recipes. |
| Your booking | At least the notice for the factory's travel band (table below) | We confirm the inspector, date and price within 24 hours. |
| Main DUPRO | About 20–60% complete | Enough finished units to sample, and enough left to change. |
| Before a hiding stage | Before finishing, upholstery, backing or plating | Joinery and moisture are checked before lacquer; frames before upholstery; tufting before backing. |
| Report | Within 24 hours of the visit | After supervisor review. Corrective actions are listed with dates. |
| Follow-up | At the pre-shipment inspection | The PSI confirms that the agreed corrective actions were made on the rest of the order. |
| Monsoon (June to September) | Book the DUPRO earlier | Timber seasoning, glue and lacquer drying slow down in humid weather, so the gap between the DUPRO and the ready date needs to be longer. |
| Diwali (October or November) | Avoid the festival week itself | Many workshops close for several days and some workers travel home. A DUPRO just before the break records the state the factory will restart from. |
Notice by travel band
Notice runs from your booking to the visit. A DUPRO date is easier to move than a PSI date, so book early and adjust as the factory reports progress. Check your factory's band on the coverage page.
| Band | Where | Notice | Travel fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | Jodhpur | Same day when an inspector is free, otherwise 1–2 working days | No travel fee |
| Band B | Jaipur, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Delhi NCR or Kolkata, where our other inspectors are based | Same day to 3 working days, depending on the city | US$99 per man-day |
| Band C | Anywhere else in India | Up to 5 working days, depending on distance | Actual travel cost, quoted before you book |
DUPRO cost, worked through
A DUPRO costs US$249 per man-day, the same rate as a final inspection, plus travel by band. As a guide, one man-day covers one factory and up to 3 furniture styles at General Level II, or up to 5 styles of smaller décor, textile or kitchen items. Large lots, many styles or full assembly and function tests can need more.
Worked example. An importer orders 1,200 pieces of brass and iron décor in 5 styles from a factory in Moradabad, which is in Band B. Five styles of smaller décor fit in one man-day. The importer books a DUPRO at about 40% complete and a pre-shipment inspection at the end:
| Line | Sum | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DUPRO at about 40% | US$249 + US$99 Band B travel | US$348 |
| Pre-shipment inspection | US$249 + US$99 Band B travel | US$348 |
| Both visits, before tax | US$696 |
The DUPRO adds US$348 to the order. If it finds a systematic defect, such as the wrong plating colour or loose joints, the factory fixes it on the remaining 60% instead of reworking finished, packed goods, and you are less likely to face a failed final inspection and a reinspection at US$149 plus travel. Rates and an estimator are on pricing.
Why mid-run checks pay off in Indian workshops
Hand-made goods vary by batch
Many Indian export orders are made in small workshops and finished by hand, often across several units. Variation between batches is common, and a defect found at 30% completion costs far less to fix than one found at final inspection.
Subcontracted steps
Carving, casting, polishing, plating and embroidery are often done outside the main factory. A DUPRO is often the only chance to see that work before it is assembled, finished and packed.
Timing against Indian lead times
Allow for festival shutdowns, for example around Diwali, and for slower drying of wood and finishes in the monsoon when you schedule a DUPRO. We can advise on timing for the factory's city.
Corrective actions that hold until the PSI
A DUPRO is only as useful as what the factory does next. For each systematic defect the report records the defect and its class, how many units are affected so far, the likely cause in the process, the action the factory agreed, who owns it and the date. That is a short corrective action plan.
At the pre-shipment inspection the inspector checks each action against the remaining units. Defects already found on finished units are listed separately, so you can decide whether they are reworked, replaced or accepted. If a DUPRO finds a critical defect, such as a tip-over risk or a sharp edge, the verdict is Not cleared and the factory should stop that style until it is fixed.
What a DUPRO report records
Cleared to load Hold Not cleared
A DUPRO report gives the production status (finished, in progress, not started) against the ship date, the defects found in finished units and work in progress with photos, and a list of corrective actions with the date the factory agreed to each. It ends in a verdict: Cleared to load (production on track), Hold (issues to resolve) or Not cleared (stop and fix).
Our published sample reports are final-stage furniture inspections, not DUPROs. Sample 04 shows the kind of defect a DUPRO is meant to catch: in a Jodhpur lot of 661 pieces of wood, iron and marble furniture, 3 TV units had badly filled cracks and 2 marble tops were cracked, found when the whole lot was already made. Poor crack filling is a process habit; at 40% it can be corrected on the remaining units.
See all sample reports- Sample (ISO 2859-1, level II, code G)
- 31 pcs
- Critical defects
- 0 · zero tolerance
- Major defects (AQL 2.5)
- 0 · accept ≤ 2
- Minor defects (AQL 4.0)
- 2 · accept ≤ 3
- Quantity vs PO
- 181 of 181 offered
- Barcodes
- Scanned · passed
Often booked with during-production inspection
Pre-production inspection
Verify materials, components and the golden sample before production starts.
Pre-shipment inspection
A final random check of finished, packed goods before you release payment.
Factory audit
Check a supplier exists, can deliver and meets your standards before you order.
During-production inspection: questions buyers ask
If I can only afford one inspection, should it be DUPRO or pre-shipment?
For a first order with a new factory, a DUPRO usually saves more, because problems can still be fixed. For repeat orders with a proven factory, a pre-shipment inspection is the usual choice.
How far through production should the order be?
About 20–60% complete: enough finished units to sample, and enough still to make that a fix changes the outcome. For products finished in stages, book before the stage that hides defects, such as finishing or upholstery.
Does a DUPRO use AQL sampling?
For finished units, yes: the sample is drawn under ISO 2859-1 from the quantity finished at the time of the visit. Work in progress is checked stage by stage rather than sampled for an accept or reject decision on the lot.
Can the inspector return to confirm the fixes?
Yes. The pre-shipment inspection verifies that the corrective actions were made. A separate follow-up visit is priced as a man-day (US$249) plus travel.
Does a DUPRO give a verdict?
Yes. A DUPRO report ends in Cleared to load (production on track), Hold (issues to resolve) or Not cleared (stop and fix), with the corrective actions listed.
Can a DUPRO be done during the monsoon or around Diwali?
Yes. In the monsoon, book it earlier, because drying and rework take longer. Around Diwali, avoid the festival week, when many workshops are closed, and confirm the factory's progress the week before.
Sources
Checked 14 October 2026.
Know before it ships
Tell us the product, the factory's city and your ready date. We confirm the inspector, the notice time and the price before you book.