What certifications should Chinese mills provide for steel and metal products?
Mill Test Certificates per heat, ISO 9001 quality management, and product-specific standards (GB, ASTM, BS, EN, JIS) are the baseline - plus any destination-specific compliance certificate.
Standard documentation a buyer should receive with every steel or metal shipment:
**Per-shipment documents:**
- **Mill Test Certificate (MTC) / EN 10204 3.1** for each heat/batch showing chemical composition and mechanical properties
- **Packing list** with weights, dimensions, and bundle marks
- **Commercial invoice** and **bill of lading**
- **Certificate of origin** (often required for duty preference)
**Supplier credentials:**
- **ISO 9001** - quality management system
- **ISO 14001** - environmental (often required for ESG-sensitive buyers)
- **OHSAS 18001 / ISO 45001** - occupational health and safety
**Product standards** the goods must be produced to (specify in the PO):
- **GB** (Chinese national standards), **ASTM** (US), **BS / EN** (UK/Europe), **JIS** (Japan), or **AS** (Australia)
- Examples: GB/T 1499.2 (rebar), ASTM A615 (rebar), EN 10025 (structural steel), JIS G3302 (galvanised sheet)
**Destination-specific compliance** (varies by country):
- **SONCAP** (Nigeria), **PVoC** (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Saudi Arabia), **SABS** (South Africa), **COC** (Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia)
For a country-by-country compliance summary see our [markets directory](/markets).