Treadmill Manufacturers in China – Definitive FAQ Guide

You might be searching over the internet for your treadmill manufacturer in China. And it’s just too time-consuming for you. However, you don’t know where to start.

This FAQ guide is your answer. We will give you all the details you need to start and smartly find your treadmill manufacturer in China.

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get right into it!

Table of Contents

Where do most treadmill manufacturers in China are located?

Below provinces are the location of treadmill manufacturers in China:

1. Guangdong
2. Jiangsu
3. Zhejiang
4. Shandong
5. Shanghai

Figure 1: Industrial Regions of China

Be sure to find treadmill manufacturers that are located in these five provinces. They are most likely the legitimate and experienced treadmill manufacturers in China. Keep that in mind.

What qualities should I look for in a treadmill manufacturer in China?

Figure 2: Good Manufacturing Practices Key Elements

1. Demonstrate knowledge and experience in treadmill manufacturing.

You have to choose the manufacturer who knows what they are doing. And may also help you learn how to do business in China. 

The best treadmill manufacturers have their business focus on producing cardio equipment. They can also be producing gym equipment in general.

2. Technical capabilities

Your chosen treadmill manufacturer should have design engineers and project managers. Those that are experienced enough to design and build cardio equipment.

They should also have the appropriate equipment to perform such manufacturing.

3. Reputation

They must have built a good standing in the gym equipment manufacturing industry. Your chosen treadmill manufacturer may not necessarily be the biggest company.  But must certainly be one of the best, like YR Fitness.

4. Business Integrity and Transparency

Choose a treadmill manufacturer in China that does business with integrity. Chinese manufacturers that are transparent in their business dealings. 

They are usually forthcoming and would tell you if there are some issues with the production. And would be honest of any other matters regarding your order. They would also agree to shoulder the cost of replacing defective treadmills. That is, as long as it is proven to be a factory defect.

How do I find treadmill manufacturers in China online?

1. Google search
2. LinkedIn and Facebook
3. B2B websites

Google search

Figure 3: Searching treadmill manufacturers in China through Google

The quickest way you can find Chinese treadmill manufacturers is through Google. 

Use the keyword “Leading Treadmill Manufacturers in China”.  This will give you a list of potential treadmill manufacturers.

You can also use “Chinese treadmill manufacturers + export + (your country)”. The keyword would give you the treadmill suppliers that export to your country.

LinkedIn 

Use LinkedIn to read into the company’s profile.

Figure 4: YR Fitness company profile

When you search for the company’s name, you will find these details.

• Company overview
• Website
• Industry
• Company size
• HQ location

The information you find on LinkedIn is enough to give you an idea of what the company is capable of. The company’s size and its business overview can tell you a lot about their operation. You would get a good idea if they can fulfill your need for a premium quality treadmill.

If you look up YR Fitness’ profile, you will see it is very capable of producing high-quality treadmills. They have a very good R&D that can help you bring to life your ideal customized treadmill requirement.

B2B websites

Business-to-business websites are gateways for Chinese manufacturers to market their products globally. 

Figure 5: China’s B2B websites

Below are the most popular Chinese B2B websites and some details about them.

Alibaba

Suppliers: Factories & Trading Companies

Mode of Communication: Email, Skype, WeChat

Payment Methods: Wire Transfer, Western Union, MoneyGram, Credit Card

Shipping Methods: Arranged by the supplier through sea or air freight and express.

Ali Express

Suppliers: Factories & Trading Companies

Mode of Communication: Online messages, email or Skype

Payment Methods: Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, Western Union, bank transfer

Shipping Methods: China Post Mail Package, FedEx, UPS, DHL

Made In China

Suppliers: Factories & Trading Companies

Mode of Communication: email, Skype, WeChat

Payment Methods: Paypal for small orders, L/C, T/T, Western Union for larger orders

Shipping Methods: Supplier will arrange for sea or air freight and express shipment.

Global Source

Suppliers: Factories & Trading Companies

Mode of Communication: email, Skype, WeChat

Payment Methods: Paypal for small orders, L/C, T/T, Western Union for larger orders

Shipping Methods: Supplier will arrange for sea or air freight and express shipment.

DHgate

Suppliers: Factories & Trading Companies

Mode of Communication: Online messages, email or Skype

Payment Methods: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Moneybookers, Apple Pay,

online bank transfer

Shipping Methods: China Post Mail Package, air and sea freight

Yiwu go

Suppliers: Suppliers from the Yiwu market

Mode of Communication: Need a sourcing agent since suppliers can’t speak English

Payment Methods: RMB

Shipping Methods: You need to hire a Chinese freight forwarder to ship the goods.

These online tools are very helpful in your search for treadmill manufacturers. But keep in mind, there will always be scammers and individuals who may mislead you about things. So be vigilant.

How to do an initial check to treadmill manufacturers in China before contacting them?

Check their website and try to find these:

1. Company profile
2. Business license
3. ISO certifications
4. Privacy Policy
5. Return and exchange policies
6. Warranty Terms and Conditions
7. Contact us details checks out:

• The address is traceable on Google maps
• Phone numbers listed are working
• Email is also working

8. Company details match what is on whois.com

You may or may not find all of these documents and details in the company’s website. But what should always check out is their contact us details. And also their privacy and return and exchange policies. And even their warranty terms and conditions.

You may not get a copy of the treadmill manufacturer’s business license on their website. But you can get one through an RFQ.

How do I review the business license of a treadmill manufacturer in China?

Check the name of the company with the AIC (administration for Industry and Commerce). 

Figure 6: Sample of Chinese Business License

Every province in China has its own AIC and database. Look for the AIC website where the company is located as specified in its license. You may need to ask for someone who understands Chinese to carry out this task.

Can I get a hardcopy of the business license of the treadmill manufacturer in China?

Yes, you can get a hard copy of the treadmill manufacturer’s license. But you have to hire a Chinese lawyer to represent you and get the hard copy from the provincial AIC.

However, this might not be the course you want to take if you are still in the initial vetting stages.

How to verify if a supplier is a trading company or a treadmill manufacturer in China?

Inspect particulars in these documents:

1. Business License
2. VAT invoice and business license
3. MOQ
4. Products catalog
5. Factory audit reports
6. ISO certification
7. Supplier Location

Business License Scope

When you get a copy of the company’s business license, look into the certificate’s scope line. Find the words “manufacture” or “produce” in the business license scope. That will prove that the company is a treadmill manufacturer in China.

Figure 7: Parts of a Chinese Business License

The business license will be in Chinese, so find a friend that knows the language well and ask for help. If not, you can use a good translation service online.

Cross Checking the VAT invoice and Business License

You may ask the supplier to issue a 17% VAT invoice for your export exemption. If they agree to issue such an invoice, then they probably are a treadmill manufacturer. That is because only factories can issue that kind of invoice.

Figure 8: Sample VAT Invoice in China

If they agree to issue a VAT invoice, compare the company name in the invoice and their business license. When you can confirm that the names are an exact match, you can be assured that they are a legitimate treadmill manufacturer.

MOQ

The minimum order quantity set for a factory or treadmill manufacturer would always be higher than trading companies. So be well informed what the average MOQ of treadmills for factories is. 

Products Catalog

When you check their catalog and see that the company produces products for several industries other than gym equipment, they are likely to be a trading company.

Treadmill manufacturers in China usually produce fitness equipment and gears. They may trade one or two products not related to fitness machines, but that should be it.

Factory Auditing Reports

Figure 9: Sample Factory Audit Report of a Chinese Manufacturer

Request for a factory audit report done by a third party as requested by previous clients. If they can provide this, cross-check the name of the company with its business license.

ISO Certification

Figure 10: Sample of ISO certification given to a Chinese company

ISO certifications are a must to treadmill manufacturers in China, but some still don’t have one yet. You can verify the ISO certificate to the issuing body that’s named on the certificate. If the details on the database match, you can be assured that it is a treadmill manufacturer.

Location

There are only five provinces that are regarded as the industrial hub of China. If your supplier is located in one of these provinces, it might be a treadmill manufacturer.

But to be more vigilant, also check their address in Google maps. If it checks out, then you’re on the right track.

What should I include in my RFQ to the treadmill manufacturer in China?

Figure 11: RFQ Form Sample

Details to include in your RFQ to treadmill manufacturers:

1. Brief general description of your company and products you manufacture
2. Product specifications

• Size and dimension
• Materials
• Drawings, pictures, and blueprints

3. Order quantity (initial and annual order)
4. Packaging requirements
5. Manufacturing technology requirements
6. Lead times

• Production
• Shipping
• Sample production

7. Your shipping address
8. Incoterms (FOB, EXW,CNF, etc.)
9. Costs

• Production
• Shipping
• Sample

10. Payment terms
11. Sample Request Process
12. Proposed product testing method
13. Submission requirements

Here the documents you want manufacturers to submit together with the RFQ:

Business documents:

1. Company profile
2. Business license
3. Organization/enterprise code
4. Tax registration
5. Foreign trade registration
6. Export license, if any
7. Bank account certificates
8. Client references
9. Audit reports
10. ISO certificates
11. OHSAS certificate

Product Documents

1. Product test reports
2. Product certificates
3. Patents, if any
4. Other product quality certificates

How do I contact treadmill manufacturers in China?

Chinese treadmill manufacturers are reachable through:

1. Email
2. Skype
3. WeChat

When contacting Chinese treadmill manufacturers, be:

• Concise
• Specific
• Cordial
• Detailed but not too much that your message is too complicated to be understood.

What to ask treadmill manufacturers in China?

Inquire about the ff in assessing your potential treadmill manufacturers:

1. What types of businesses are they in?

Look for treadmill manufacturers that:

• Specialize in cardio equipment production.
• If they engage in other businesses, it should not be completely unrelated to gym equipment manufacturing as plastic bottles.
• If they trade in other industries, they should only be trading one or two to properly focus on treadmills or cardio equipment production.

Can they customize their treadmills according to your specifications?

If the manufacturer can customize, what parts of the treadmill can they alter or change. 

Also, make sure that they have the equipment and manpower to follow designs according to your standards.

How big is their factory?

Check this by asking for the number of employees they employ. Having this information would give you an idea of their production output. A key indication if they can deliver your goods at the right time.

Where do they get their materials?

Knowing what companies supply their raw materials is critical in ensuring that their treadmills are made of high-quality materials.

How do they manage the quality assurance for their treadmills?

Ask if they have a quality control handbook for safeguarding the quality of their treadmills. You can even ask for a quick run-through to understand how they assure their products’ quality.

What are their lead times?

• Production timeline
• Shipment timeline
• Samples production timeline
• Timeline for replacing non-conformance treadmills

Can they assure exclusivity of tools you may need to buy to produce your customized treadmills?

Other clients should not be allowed to use the equipment. You can ask for market, territorial, or total exclusivity.

Will they charge setup fees?

Some manufacturers will charge a fee to get their equipment ready to produce your treadmill.

How will they manage defective items?

• Process of reporting faulty treadmills.
• Who shoulders the cost of the defective treadmills?
• Who will pay for the shipment and duties – to and from the factory?

How do I negotiate the MOQ with treadmill manufacturers in China?

Understand the reason behind the MOQ, and you’ll be in a better position to give them a counteroffer.

Often times, the reasons for having the MOQ are:

1. The manufacturer will have a loss if they agree to purchase below the MOQ.
2. They only want to work with larger companies.
3. There is so much work to be done upfront, and they would need to cover up that cost.

What are the usual payment terms of treadmill manufacturers in China?

1. 100% T/T (telegraphic transfer) pre-payment
2. 30% T/T deposit, 70% T/T payment after QC inspection
3. 20% T/T deposit, 50% T/T payment after production and passing QC, 30% after delivery to buyer’s country
4. Letter of credit (L/C)
5. 100%  T/T payment 2 months after shipment, with no deposit

Take note the ff when agreeing to these payment terms:

• Never agree to payment term a). You will lose your leverage as the buyer if you agree to these terms. Walk out of this deal as early as possible when the manufacturer insists on this payment scheme.
• Deposit means a non-refundable initial payment.
• Quality control inspection will either be the QC of the factory or a hired third party. To better guard your treadmills, it would be best to hire a third-party QA yourself.
• Payment scheme c) is the most favorable for you as a buyer. Though you may only get this type of term when ordering large quantities and when the equipment is customized, you need to inspect it when it arrives in your country.
• L/C type of payment is used for orders above a certain amount, ex. USD 30,000.
• Lastly, when your company is looking for a factory to perform R&D and produce a prototype, always agree to pay for non-recurring engineering costs. It is wise to draft a contract with the specifics of who owns what and what each party can do after the prototype is completed. The contract will help in avoiding future problems about intellectual property rights and issues similar to that.

What language should I use in my designs to be sent to treadmill manufacturers in China?

You can use the Chinese language to better communicate your designs. But also send them in in English. That way, you are somehow bridging the gap in language barrier issues.

It is also best to talk through the design in a teleconference or meeting. You would be assured that the treadmill manufacturer does understand what you want them to do.

What manufacturing processes treadmill manufacturers in China use?

1. Repetitive manufacturing
2. Discrete manufacturing
3. Job Shop manufacturing
4. Continuous Process Manufacturing
5. Batch Process manufacturing
6. 3D manufacturing

You must understand what kind of process your treadmill manufacturing uses to properly gauge their capacity to meet your demands. And if they have the right process to produce your treadmills with the highest quality.

Repetitive manufacturing

Treadmill manufacturers that use repetitive manufacturing will have a production line that needs minimal changeover. It operates 24/7. The speed of production can easily be increased or decreased. And units produced can be accurately estimated. 

Discrete manufacturing

Discrete manufacturers use an assembly line that can be changed depending on the design specifications of the product. 

Equipment setups need to be changed, and in some cases, the production lines need to be torn down and rebuilt again.  These changes slow down the production process.

Job Shop manufacturing

Job shop manufacturing has production areas that are set up for smaller customized batches of goods. The workstations are organized to make one or more versions of a product. They can be made as an assembly line if the customer requires it with some equipment and labor replaced.

Continuous Process manufacturing

This manufacturing type is similar to repetitive manufacturing but only processes raw materials like gases, liquids, powders or slurries.

Batch Process Manufacturing 

Batch process manufacturing is a combination of discrete and job shop manufacturing processes. The factory creates batches of customized goods according to the customer’s demands. They can switch these assembly areas to produce other designs if needed.

3D Printing manufacturing

The manufacturing process that makes three-dimensional solid objects out of a digital file. This is the most accurate and advanced manufacturing process, the costliest. You find these types of manufacturing for products that are solidly made and require great precision.

Do treadmill manufacturers in China produce different types of treadmills?

Yes, treadmill manufacturers produce four different types of treadmills.

1. Manual Treadmills
2. Electronic or Motorized Treadmills
3. Hybrid Treadmills
4. Magnetic Treadmills

Manual treadmills

Figure 12: Manual Curved Treadmill by YR Fitness

Design and Features:

• Require no electricity
• LED operated panels for speed or distance measurement
• Some have inclination options
• With fold-up design

Sizes

• Smallest: 39” x 20” x 43” (LxWXH)
• Largest: 50” x 24” x 47” 

Materials

• PVC running belts
• Foam covered handrails

Electronic/Motorized Treadmills

Figure 13: Electric Treadmill

Design and Features:

• Inclination from 6% to 40%Screens with pre-programmed workout videos
• The largest screen can be up to 22in.
• Electronic measurements for speed, distance, heart rate, calories burned, and others
• Speed up to 12 mph
• Touchscreen design
• Self-cooling motors
• Fans in various speeds
• Auxiliary ports for MP3 players, phones, headphones
• Bluetooth chest straps
• Amplified speakers

Sizes

• Collapsed size: 70” x 40” x 72” (LxWXH)
• Platform size: 22” x 60”

Materials

• Heavy stainless steel frames
• Cushioned platforms
• Padded handles

Hybrid Treadmills

Figure 14: Hybrid Treadmill

Design and Features:

• Oversized pedals
• Large, cushioned seats
• Programmable LCD features for heart rate, speed, and other measurements
• Pre-programmed workouts
• Switch to a stair-stepping or stationary bike mode
• Switch from high impact to low impact exercises

Sizes

• Average size: 57″ x 60″ (LXH)

Materials

• Heavy stainless steel frames
• Cushioned seats and platforms

Magnetic Treadmills

Figure 15: Magnetic Treadmill

Design and Features:

• Runs on magnetic force
• Folded
• Smoother and quieter motor
• With inclination option
• Electronic monitor for speed, distance, calories burned, time and heart-rate 

Sizes

• Assembled size: 47″ x 26″ 44″ (LXWXH)
• Folded size: 20″ x 26″ 49″

Materials

• Heavy stainless steel frames
• Cushioned seats and platforms

Do manufacturers in China use CNC manufacturing procedure?

Yes, but only a few once use the very precise computer numerical control (CNC) to create their treadmills.

Figure 16: YR Fitness CNC Manufacturing Line

YR Fitness is one of those few treadmill manufacturers in China that use the CNC manufacturing process.

CNC manufacturing ensures that every piece of equipment in the assembly line is in sync and the products are manufactured as accurately as the designed drawings.

How to ensure the product quality of treadmill manufacturers in China?

1. Make sure that the treadmill manufacturer knows and understands your specifications and requirements for your treadmill.
2. Visit their factory – once before choosing them as your treadmill manufacturer and schedule regular visits
3. Hire a third party to handle the QA audit of the treadmills

What export documents should treadmill manufacturers in China provide?

1. Commercial invoice
2. Bill of Lading
3. Airway Bill
4. Packing list
5. Certificate of origin

How do I maintain a good relationship with my treadmill manufacturer in China?

Figure 17: Maintaining Good Relationships with Business Partners

1. Focus on effective communication

Be in regular contact with your treadmill manufacturer. Keep them updated with all things about your business that concerns them. Most especially when you’re having issues with the treadmills they manufacture.

2. Respect cultural differences

You have to be aware that doing business in China as much as in any other countries is different. Be polite when talking to them but be shrewd when dealing business with them. 

3. Pay on time

Pay your dues on time and if payments are delayed, let them know in advance. It would also be wise to set up a contract with the payment terms so you can follow those through.

4. Be honest and upfront

Tell them what you need and what you want to happen. That way, there are no misconceptions. 

Conclusion

Finding treadmill manufacturers in China might not be as easy as 1, 2, 3, but we hope this guide has shown you the way to do it properly.

Remember, when you need a reliable and premium quality manufacturer in China, look no more and go to YR Fitness. We have the best design and engineering teams. Plus, we can give you the fairest price.

So, contact YR Fitness and let us know what your treadmill requirements are.