Model 03 · Assemble in-country
SKD local assembly
Import housings, boards, batteries and panels, assemble and test locally, and sell as a domestic manufacturer.
SKD moves the labour and the last mile of the margin into your country. It also moves the quality risk there. The difference between a profitable assembly line and a warranty disaster is a test bench and a written SOP.
Who this suits
Partners with 100-300 m2, stable power, three to eight technicians and a customs registration.
How the model runs, step by step
- 01
Choose two models
One street light and one flood light. Assembly is a learning curve; two models is a curriculum, six is a crisis.
- 02
Check the duty structure
Kits and finished goods rarely carry the same rate. Get a written tariff ruling before the first container, not after.
- 03
Build the bench
Jigs, torque drivers, a solar simulator or a controlled charge test, and a burn-in rack. Budget USD 8k-15k for the bench alone.
- 04
Train four people
Two assemblers, one tester, one stores person. Video the SOP in your own workshop so new staff learn the same sequence.
- 05
Test every unit, certify the output
Batch test every twentieth unit and log the serial. Apply for the local label or certification as a domestic assembler, not as an importer.
1,000 kits, illustrative
| Kit landed cost | 1,000 x USD 105 = USD 105,000 |
| Local assembly | 1,000 x USD 12 = USD 12,000 |
| Local finished cost | USD 117 per unit |
| Local selling price | USD 210 per unit |
| Gross profit | USD 93,000 (44%) |
| Setup cost recovered | Within the first container |
The uplift is real only if the local product passes the same test as the imported one. A cheaper unit that fails at 14 months destroys the model.
Where it goes wrong
| Risk | What to do about it |
|---|---|
| Quality drift | Test every twentieth unit and keep the record. Retrain when the failure rate moves. |
| Tariff reclassification | Get the ruling in writing and keep the BOM consistent with it. |
| Battery transport | UN38.3, MSDS and a dangerous goods declaration with every kit consignment. |
Before you order
- Written tariff ruling for the kit
- Assembly drawing and torque settings
- Test bench and burn-in rack
- Four trained staff and a video SOP
- Batch test log
- Local label or certification file
Questions buyers ask
Answers before you write.
How many kits fit in a 40HQ?
About 1,000 units for a 100 W all-in-one, depending on pole and panel content. We send the exact carton plan with the quotation.
Can you supply the test bench?
Yes, as a separate line item, or we can specify the bench locally so you avoid importing it.
What happens to the warranty?
Components carry the manufacturer warranty; assembly faults are yours. The test log is what separates the two.
Run the numbers with us.
Send the model, the market and the price you think you can get. We will reply with the landed cost, the margin and the three assumptions that matter most.