The export business process of rotary drilling rigs

As large-scale construction machinery and equipment, the preparatory work before exporting rotary drilling rigs directly determines the success of the business. Firstly, market research and access analysis require focusing on the target market's construction needs, policies, regulations, and technical standards—for example, the EU market requires CE certification, some Southeast Asian countries have clear requirements for equipment emission standards, and the North American market must comply with relevant ANSI specifications. At the same time, it is necessary to investigate the local competitive landscape, understand the price range and service advantages of local brands and other imported brands, and clarify the differentiated positioning of their own products (such as customized models for complex geology, cost-effective small and medium-sized rigs, etc.).

Secondly, qualification and document processing require enterprises to have import and export operation rights and complete basic procedures such as customs registration and electronic port registration. Core documents include: ISO quality management system certification of the equipment manufacturer, product export license (required by some countries), 3C certification (for models involving electrical systems), and special certification documents required by the target market. In addition, it is necessary to prepare product specifications, technical parameter sheets, quality certificates and other materials in advance, and all documents must be provided in the official language of the target market to ensure accurate and unambiguous information.

Finally, partner selection: It is crucial to choose an experienced international freight forwarder. It is necessary to assess their practical capabilities in large-scale equipment transportation, port operations, customs clearance processes, etc. Especially since rotary drilling rigs are oversized and overweight goods, it is necessary to confirm that the freight forwarder has large cargo transportation qualifications and an overseas agent network. At the same time, you can choose appropriate foreign trade intermediaries or directly connect with end customers according to needs, and establish a stable communication mechanism.

The business negotiation stage needs to focus on core terms to ensure clear rights and interests of both parties. The quotation link must comprehensively consider factors such as production costs, transportation fees, tariff rates, and exchange rate fluctuations, adopt reasonable quotation methods (such as FOB, CIF, CFR, etc.), and clarify the validity period of the quotation and payment terms (commonly used methods such as T/T telegraphic transfer and L/C letter of credit; for letters of credit, attention should be paid to clause review to avoid soft clause risks). At the same time, it is necessary to clearly explain core information such as product configuration, delivery cycle, warranty period, and technical support to customers, and answer customers' questions about equipment adaptability, maintenance, etc.

Contract signing is the key to risk prevention and control. A standardized foreign trade contract template should be adopted, clarifying the following core clauses: product model, quantity, technical parameters and quality standards; delivery time, place of delivery (port) and transportation method; payment method, payment nodes and exchange rate agreement; packaging requirements (must comply with international maritime standards, moisture-proof, rust-proof, collision-proof, marked with center of gravity position and hoisting marks); inspection and quarantine clauses (clarify inspection agency, inspection standards and objection handling methods); liability for breach of contract and dispute resolution methods (it is recommended to agree on arbitration clauses and select an arbitration institution recognized by both parties). After the contract is signed, it is necessary to promptly handle the acceptance of the letter of credit (if L/C payment is adopted) or collect the advance payment to start the goods preparation process.

In the goods preparation stage, production or goods transfer must be organized in strict accordance with the contract requirements to ensure that the product quality meets the agreed standards. Focus on the inspection of core components of the equipment, overall debugging, and the supporting preparation of wearing parts and toolkits (usually 1%-3% of the total weight of the machine in wearing parts is required, such as drill bits, sealing rings, filter elements, etc.). At the same time, packaging should be carried out in accordance with the packaging requirements agreed in the contract. Large-scale rotary drilling rigs are usually shipped nude or in simple packaging. It is necessary to apply anti-rust paint on the surface of the equipment, wrap key parts with protective film, and install anti-slip and reinforcement devices at the bottom to ensure stability and safety during maritime transportation.

After the goods are prepared, it is necessary to go through inspection and quarantine procedures (i.e., inspection application). According to the relevant regulations of China, exported mechanical equipment must apply for statutory inspection from the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, providing documents such as contracts, invoices, packing lists, product specifications, and quality certificates. The inspection agency will inspect the appearance, performance, safety indicators, etc. of the equipment, and issue a "Customs Clearance Document for Exported Goods" upon qualification. If the target market has special inspection requirements (such as third-party inspections by SGS, BV, etc.), it is necessary to coordinate the inspection time in advance to ensure that the inspection results meet the customer's requirements.

After passing the inspection, enter the customs declaration link. It is necessary to entrust a freight forwarder or customs broker to submit customs declaration materials to the customs, including customs declaration form, contract, invoice, packing list, customs clearance document for exported goods, and equipment declaration elements (such as model, specification, material, purpose, place of origin, etc.). The customs will review the materials and may conduct on-site inspection. After verifying that the goods are consistent with the declared information, relevant taxes and fees (such as export tariffs; some mechanical equipment can enjoy export tax rebate policies, and tax rebate filing must be completed in advance) will be levied. After release, shipment can be arranged. During the loading process, it is necessary to coordinate port hoisting equipment to ensure smooth loading of the equipment and take good fixing measures to avoid displacement and damage during transportation.

In the international transportation link, it is necessary to select an appropriate transportation method according to the goods situation and customer needs. Due to their large size and weight, rotary drilling rigs usually adopt full container or bulk cargo maritime transportation. The freight forwarder will be responsible for booking space, arranging truck transportation (from the factory to the port), loading and stowage, etc. Enterprises need to track logistics information in a timely manner and obtain the bill of lading (the bill of lading is an important document of title to the goods and must be properly kept). During transportation, it is necessary to pay attention to factors that may affect the delivery time such as weather and port congestion, communicate with customers in advance, and negotiate solutions in a timely manner if there is a delay.

Payment settlement must be carried out in strict accordance with the contract agreement. If T/T telegraphic transfer is adopted, it is necessary to send a copy of the bill of lading and commercial invoice to the customer in a timely manner after the goods are loaded, and urge the customer to pay the balance; if L/C letter of credit is adopted, it is necessary to prepare a complete set of foreign exchange settlement documents (including bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, inspection and quarantine certificate, certificate of origin, etc.) after the goods are loaded, and submit them to the bank for review to ensure that the documents are consistent with the letter of credit clauses and avoid delays in foreign exchange settlement due to discrepancies. After receiving the full payment, the complete set of original documents must be sent to the customer in a timely manner (or transferred through the bank) to facilitate the customer's customs clearance and pickup at the destination port.

After the goods arrive at the destination port, it is necessary to assist the customer in going through customs clearance procedures. The customer needs to declare to the local customs with documents such as bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, inspection and quarantine certificate, and import license (required by some countries), and pay import duties, value-added taxes and other taxes and fees. Enterprises need to provide customers with complete customs clearance materials in advance and assist in answering the customs' questions about the products. If there are customs clearance obstacles (such as missing materials, non-compliance with standards), it is necessary to coordinate and solve them in a timely manner to ensure that the customer can pick up the goods smoothly.

After the customer picks up the goods, it is necessary to arrange equipment delivery and commissioning. If on-site services are agreed in the contract, professional technical personnel should be dispatched to the destination to guide the customer in equipment installation and commissioning, and train the operators to master the equipment's usage methods, daily maintenance skills and safety precautions. At the same time, it is necessary to check the quantity of equipment and accessories, confirm that the equipment is operating normally, and the customer signs the acceptance certificate to complete the delivery process.

The after-sales support for rotary drilling rig exports is the key to improving customer satisfaction and expanding long-term business. It is necessary to establish a sound after-sales response mechanism, provide 24/7 technical consulting services, and promptly answer customers' questions about equipment maintenance and troubleshooting. For quality problems arising from the equipment, it is necessary to handle them in a timely manner in accordance with the warranty terms, provide free maintenance or replacement of parts and components, and dispatch technical personnel to the site for maintenance if necessary.

At the same time, attention should be paid to customer relationship maintenance. Regularly visit customers to understand the equipment usage and customer needs, collect customer feedback, and provide references for product optimization and market expansion. Personalized service plans can be provided according to customer needs (such as extending the warranty period, providing a green channel for spare parts supply, etc.) to establish long-term and stable cooperative relationships. In addition, new customers in the target market can be developed through the word-of-mouth of existing cooperative customers, and the scale of export business can be gradually expanded.