Importing construction equipment from China: the complete guide

Importing from China: a real opportunity, if you're methodical

Chinese construction equipment — mini excavators, forklifts, loaders — has made a real quality leap in recent years, at prices that remain unbeatable. More and more construction, farming and landscaping professionals are therefore considering direct import. But between the factory price and the machine finally working on your site lies a path that many underestimate.

Here, point by point, is what you need to master before getting started.

Compliance: the first thing to check

This is the first thing to verify, even before price. A non-compliant machine cannot be legally put into service in the European Union. Every machine sold in the EU must bear the CE marking and come with an EU declaration of conformity. The framework currently in force is the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC; it will be replaced by the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, applicable from 20 January 2027.

Always require from your supplier:

• the signed EU declaration of conformity;
• the instruction manual in your language;
• the technical file, to keep and make available to the authorities.

Engine emission standards (Euro 5 / Stage V)

Combustion-engine machines must meet the EU emission standards in force, referred to depending on the engine as Euro 5 or Stage V (Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 for non-road mobile machinery). Require proof of engine compliance, model by model: this is often where imports that look too good to be true turn out to be non-compliant.

An electric machine (e.g. an electric forklift) produces no emissions in use: it still requires CE marking, but not engine emission standards.

Who is the importer? (the point people forget)

A decisive and often unclear question: who places the machine on the European market? Whoever does so takes on responsibility for compliance and product liability — not the factory. If you buy in your own name, you are the importer.

This is precisely why an accompanied purchase changes everything: being supported on compliance checks, shipping and customs clearance keeps you from carrying a complex process alone.

The real cost: well beyond the factory price

The factory price is only a fraction of the final cost. Always think in terms of total landed cost, never ex-works price.

The Incoterm mistake to avoid

The Incoterm defines who pays what, and from where. An FOB price (Chinese port of departure) includes neither sea freight, nor insurance, nor customs clearance on arrival — unlike CIF (to the arrival port) or DAP / DDP (to your door). Comparing a Chinese FOB to a delivered price is comparing apples and oranges. Always ask on what basis the price is expressed.

Shipping: container, lead times, freight forwarder

Most machines travel by sea container. Two options: full container (FCL) if the volume justifies it, or groupage (LCL) for a single machine — cheaper per unit, but slower. Allow generally 30 to 45 days at sea between China and Europe, plus port transit, customs clearance and final delivery. Choose a reliable freight forwarder, ideally AEO-certified (Authorised Economic Operator): a mark of seriousness and smooth customs.

After-sales and parts: the real differentiator

This is what separates a good purchase from a nightmare. A machine 30% cheaper that sits idle for three weeks waiting for a part is no longer a good deal. Before buying, demand clear answers on the warranty (duration, coverage, who provides it), spare-parts availability and the existence of a responsive contact. In a group purchase, the warranty is negotiated for the whole collective (2 years at Powston-Direct).

Group buying: pooling the risk and the price

Importing alone means bearing the compliance risk alone, negotiating alone with the factory and paying for the container alone. Group buying answers this: several buyers pool their orders to obtain a better price, while sharing compliance, shipping and customs clearance.

This is the approach of Powston-Direct: a collective that imports directly from the factory — after an on-site audit — and supports each member from model choice to quote, compliance, shipping and after-sales. The idea is not to replace your vigilance, but to spare you from facing a complex process alone.

Frequently asked questions