A Chinese manufacturer may already have a competitive product, international customers and experience exporting to dozens of countries. Yet entering Europe can require far more than finding a buyer.
Who will import the goods? Who is responsible for compliance? Where will spare parts be stored? Who will install the equipment, handle complaints or visit a customer when something breaks?
For companies without an established European operation, these decisions affect costs, delivery times and the ability to win new customers.
Finding Customers Is Only Part of the Problem
A Chinese manufacturer planning to sell in Germany, Poland and France has several ways to enter the market. It can appoint national distributors, work with a regional importer, sell directly to businesses or establish its own European subsidiary.
Each option changes who controls customer relationships, inventory, pricing and after-sales service.
A distributor with existing customers can provide market access without the manufacturer having to build its own sales organisation. The trade-off is less direct control over sales and customer relationships.
Chinese companies must also decide whether one partner can cover several countries or whether they need separate organisations in each market. Language, purchasing practices and distribution channels can vary considerably between European countries, even when the products are covered by common EU rules.
For European distributors and commercial agents, these decisions create opportunities to take responsibility for a specific market, customer segment or product range.
Compliance Can Change the Product and the Business Model
A product that sells successfully in China does not automatically meet European requirements.
Depending on the industry, manufacturers may need conformity assessments, technical documentation, product testing, appropriate labelling and instructions in the languages required by the destination markets.
For consumer products covered by the General Product Safety Regulation, the rules also require a responsible economic operator established in the EU.
Industrial machinery brings another challenge. The EU Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 becomes applicable on 20 January 2027, updating requirements for machinery placed on the European market.
These obligations affect decisions made before shipment, including product design, documentation, the responsibilities of importers and arrangements for ongoing technical support.
European testing laboratories, certification specialists, engineering consultants and regulatory advisers can help manufacturers prepare their products and operating arrangements for the relevant markets.
Importing Products Requires More Than Shipping Them
A Chinese company that wants to maintain stock in Europe must decide where the goods will enter the EU, who will act as importer and how customs duties and import VAT will be handled.
The choice of warehouse also affects delivery costs, customer lead times and the ability to serve neighbouring countries.
A company importing industrial equipment into Poland and supplying customers across Central Europe may need customs support, local storage, transport arrangements and a process for handling spare parts or returns.
Some manufacturers use European distributors to manage these operations. Others contract directly with freight forwarders, customs representatives and warehouse operators.
The responsibilities need to be agreed before the first shipment, particularly when the manufacturer, importer, warehouse operator and final customer are different companies.
The Service Problem: A Real Example from the Netherlands
In January 2026, Chinese machinery manufacturer FAMSUN signed an agreement with Alers BV, an engineering company based in Wekerom, the Netherlands.
FAMSUN produces machines and production lines for the animal feed, pet food and food industries. It operates in more than 100 countries, but developing its business in the Netherlands and Luxembourg had been difficult without a suitable local after-sales partner.
Martin Zhang, FAMSUN’s General Manager for Europe, confirmed that the company had identified this need while studying the two markets.
Alers, with a team of around 30 employees and specialist partners, was selected to provide installation, maintenance, repairs and support with integrating FAMSUN machines into existing production lines. It will also maintain local stocks of spare and wear parts.
Alers was selected following an evaluation process. Its representatives also visited FAMSUN’s factory in China and several reference customers.
FAMSUN gained a local technical service organisation covering two European markets. Alers secured a defined role supporting an international machinery manufacturer.
The agreement illustrates a problem that cannot be solved by shipping more products from China. Industrial customers need equipment that can be installed, maintained and repaired locally.
Building a European Operation Without Building Everything From Scratch
As sales develop, Chinese companies face further decisions about local staff, accounting, VAT reporting, contracts, customer support and supplier management.
Establishing a subsidiary may be appropriate for a manufacturer planning substantial long-term operations. A business entering one or two markets may instead use external providers for selected functions.
The right arrangement depends on how much control the manufacturer needs, the scale of its business and the responsibilities it is prepared to delegate.
For European service providers, the most relevant opportunities are often clearly defined operational tasks: managing imported inventory, maintaining industrial machinery, handling regulatory documentation, supporting local customers or coordinating suppliers in several countries.
FAMSUN’s agreement with Alers shows how an established European business can become part of a Chinese manufacturer’s market operations without manufacturing its products or managing its entire expansion strategy.
Where European Companies Fit In
Chinese manufacturers looking for European partners need to identify businesses with relevant industry experience, geographic coverage and the ability to deliver specific services.
A machinery service provider in the Netherlands, a customs specialist in Poland or an industrial warehouse operator in Germany may already have the capabilities a Chinese company needs.
For those European businesses, presenting their services clearly to Chinese decision-makers is an important part of being considered for cooperation.
Xijinmenhu (西进门户), the Chinese-facing platform developed by EnterChina, helps European B2B service providers present their capabilities in Chinese and establish a direct point of contact for companies looking for local partners.
Make your business easier to find and contact at enter-china.com.