Company Registration and Qualifications
Balford is the export brand of Zhejiang Balford Mechatronics Co., Ltd., a registered metal stamping and fabrication manufacturer in Zhuji, Zhejiang, China. Below are the official company registration documents and the ISO 9001:2015 quality-management certification. These documents are published so that buyers can verify the legal identity of the company before placing orders.
Registered Company Information
- Legal representative: Xu XiangFei (徐祥飞)
- Registered address: 2#, Guangfa Road, Yaojiang, Zhuji, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, 311800, China
- Telephone: 0086-13588462222
- Email: shawn@balford.net
- Export brand: Zhejiang Balford Mechatronics Co., Ltd.
Quotation Process
Our quotation process is designed to be transparent and fast. Here is the full flow from first contact to production instruction:
- Contact us. Reach us on WhatsApp or by email (shawn@balford.net). We respond within 24 hours.
- NDA. If you need confidentiality, we sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement before you share any drawings.
- Send your drawings. Share PDF 2D drawings, CAD files, or 3D models.
- Specify requirements. Tell us the raw material, process, surface treatment, packaging, trade terms, payment terms, and target delivery date.
- Quotation. We send a formal quotation covering price, tooling, lead time and terms.
- Deposit & tooling. After you approve the quotation, you pay the deposit and we build the tooling and produce samples.
- Sample approval. You receive and approve the samples.
- Production instruction. You issue the mass-production instruction and we start volume production.
Payment Terms
We keep our payment terms flexible for international buyers:
- Trade terms: FOB is accepted (CIF and EXW are also possible on request).
- Payment: NET 30–60 days is acceptable for qualified customers, based on contract agreement.
- Collection company: Payments are collected by our foreign-trade agency company. The bank account details will be provided when needed.
- Deposit: A tooling deposit is required before tooling starts; production payment terms are agreed per order.
Guarantee Terms
- All quoted lead times are based on confirmed drawings and material availability.
- We guarantee the parts meet the approved samples and the agreed drawing tolerances.
- Tooling ownership depends on how the tool is funded. (a) Where the buyer pays the commercial price of a new tool, ownership belongs to the buyer, who may collect the tool at any time once the balance is paid. (b) Where we modify tooling that Balford already owns and the buyer pays only our labour, ownership stays with Balford and the tool cannot be removed from our plant. (c) Where the tooling cost is shared between the buyer and Balford, ownership remains with Balford but the buyer has the right to use the tool exclusively. Tooling storage and maintenance are included for active programmes.
- Where non-conforming parts are caused by our manufacturing, sorting or rework at the buyer's site is carried out at our cost; where the parts cannot be salvaged we remake them at our cost and cover the air freight and the import duties, taxes and clearance charges in the buyer's country. If neither route is acceptable, we will issue a credit note at the buyer's choice.
- Exclusivity of buyer-funded and shared tooling (liquidated damages). Balford shall not use buyer-funded or shared tooling to produce parts for any other customer, and shall not offer or sell parts produced from that tooling to anyone else. If Balford breaches this clause, Balford shall pay the buyer liquidated damages of five times the tooling price paid by the buyer, with a minimum of USD 100,000 per occurrence, the parties agreeing that this is a genuine pre-estimate of the buyer's loss, that it is payable on demand, and that it is enforceable as a contractual debt in addition to any injunctive relief.
Quality Assurance and Product Responsibility
We operate an ISO 9001:2015 quality management system covering quoting, tooling, production, inspection and shipping.
- First article inspection: FAI reports are provided with samples and first production batches.
- In-process control: Dimensions, material and surface are checked against the control plan during production.
- Material traceability: Mill test certificates are available for critical materials.
- Product responsibility: We are responsible for manufacturing defects in workmanship and material. Where a defect is ours, we carry it to the end and there is no monetary cap on our own quality failures: if the parts can be sorted or reworked at your site we pay the sorting and rework cost; if they cannot, we remake them at our cost, and we also bear the air freight and all import duties, taxes and clearance charges in your country. Defects that are not attributable to us — buyer-supplied design, material or specification — remain outside our responsibility.
- Buyer responsibility: The buyer is responsible for the correctness and completeness of drawings, specifications, and material/process requirements provided to us.
Lead Times (Natural Days)
Lead times below are for sample delivery from confirmed drawings. They are natural days (calendar days), not working days.
| Process | Sample Lead Time | Expedited (rush) |
|---|---|---|
| Single-operation stamping die | 15–30 days | ≈ 15 days |
| Progressive and transfer die stamping | 30–60 days | ≈ 30 days |
| CNC machining (turning) | 7–15 days | ≈ 7 days |
| Sheet metal fabrication | 7–30 days | ≈ 7 days |
| Tube bending | 7–15 days | ≈ 7 days |
Rush orders can reduce lead time by about half, subject to tooling complexity and material stock. Production lead times depend on order quantity and are confirmed in the quotation.
Response Time Commitment
We commit to the following response times:
- Quotation response: typically within 24 hours after receiving complete drawings and requirements.
- Feasibility / DFM feedback: typically within 24 hours for most parts.
- Email and WhatsApp messages: typically answered within 24 hours on business days.
- NDA signing: typically within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Balford is the export brand of Zhejiang Balford Mechatronics Co., Ltd., a metal stamping and fabrication manufacturer registered in Zhuji, Zhejiang, China. The business license and ISO 9001:2015 certificate are published on this page for verification.
FOB is our standard trade term (CIF and EXW on request). Payment is typically NET 30–60 days for qualified customers, with a tooling deposit before tooling starts. Payments are collected by our foreign-trade agency company, whose bank details are provided when needed.
Sample lead times in natural days: single-operation stamping dies 15–30 days, progressive and transfer dies 30–60 days, CNC turning 7–15 days, sheet metal 7–30 days, tube bending 7–15 days. Rush orders can roughly halve these times, depending on tooling complexity and material availability.
Yes. If you need confidentiality, we sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement within 24 hours before you send drawings or specifications. You can contact us on WhatsApp or by email at shawn@balford.net.
We run an ISO 9001:2015 quality management system with first-article inspection, in-process control, and material traceability. FAI reports accompany samples and first production batches, and mill test certificates are available for critical materials.