Case studies

Three Nordic projects. Every number, certificate and inspection report.

Anonymised at client request. Full case files — including contactable references willing to take a call — available under NDA. Read what we sourced, what we verified, and what we charged.

Multi-family residential · Västra Götaland

A 120-unit residential development saved €21,400 on its tile package

Total project saving

€21,400

−42% across 2,400 m²

"We'd been burned once before, so the inspection report before final payment was the difference. Same spec, same look, 42% less. We've used them on three projects since."

— Project Manager · Multi-family residential

The challenge

The developer's Swedish distributor had quoted €19.40/m² for R10 porcelain across 2,400 m² of common areas and balconies. Their previous attempt at importing directly from China two years earlier had ended in mis-shipped sizes and an unverifiable CE Declaration of Performance. They were ready to pay the markup rather than risk it again.

What we sourced

Product: Porcelain tile, 600×600, R10 slip-rated, frost-resistant
Factory: Foshan, Guangdong — ISO 9001, CE EN 14411 Group BIa
Quantity: 2,400 m² + 8% wastage allowance
Spec match: Exact size, slip class, frost rating, edge profile, two shade variants

The numbers

Source	Unit cost	Delta
Previous supplier	€19.40/m²	—
Factory-direct via Sino Nordic	€11.20/m²	−42%

Timeline

Day 0Inquiry received with material schedule
Day 43 factories shortlisted, samples requested
Day 11Physical samples delivered to client in Gothenburg
Day 18Formal savings analysis + verified DoP returned
Day 24Order placed with deposit
Day 51SGS pre-shipment inspection passed; balance released
Day 73Delivered DDP to site, all 2,400 m² accounted for

Documents provided

CE Declaration of Performance — verified with notified body 1234
ISO 9001:2015 certificate — verified with TÜV SÜD
EN 14411 test report — frost & slip class
SGS pre-shipment inspection report (28 pages, photo evidence)
Commercial invoice + packing list + bill of lading

Commercial fit-out · Oslo

An office refurb saved €64,800 on aluminium curtain wall + glazing

Total project saving

€64,800

−28% across 1,840 m²

"The thermal performance test was witnessed independently. That's what made it work for our energy consultant."

— Procurement Director · Commercial contractor

The challenge

The contractor had a tight U-value requirement (Ug 0.6) and a 14-week window before the building had to be weathertight. A Central European fabricator could meet the spec, but the price made the project's value engineering targets impossible to hit.

What we sourced

Product: Thermally-broken aluminium curtain wall, triple-glazed Ug 0.6
Factory: Taiwan — EN 14351-1, CE marked, NF certified
Quantity: 1,840 m² façade + 92 operable vents
Spec match: Full thermal modelling, wind load to EN 1991-1-4 zone 3

The numbers

Source	Unit cost	Delta
Previous supplier	€240/m² installed	—
Factory-direct via Sino Nordic	€173/m² installed	−28%

Timeline

Day 0Inquiry + drawings shared under NDA
Day 6Taiwanese mill engaged; thermal & wind-load review
Day 14Sample frame + glazing unit shipped
Day 26Quotation issued; trial order for 1 floor
Day 48Bureau Veritas factory audit + U-value test report verified
Day 96Full delivery + on-site QA accompanied by our engineer

Documents provided

EN 14351-1 CE certificate
Ug 0.6 third-party test report
Bureau Veritas factory audit report
Wind-load calculation pack signed by EU-licensed engineer
Full installation drawings + fixing schedule

Residential developer · Stockholm

An 86-unit development saved €19,260 across a matched bathroom suite

Total project saving

€19,260

−37% across 86 suites

"The mock-up before the order was what sold our QS. He held it, tested the flow, saw the finish — then signed."

— Owner · Residential developer

The challenge

Eighty-six apartments needed a coherent bathroom design — WC, basin, brassware, shower — sourced from a single supplier so warranties and replacements stayed simple. Their Nordic builders' merchant could supply, but only by mixing three brands at a price that left little room on the project budget.

What we sourced

Product: Matched suite: rimless WC, wall-hung basin, thermostatic shower, brassware
Factory: Chaozhou — ISO 9001, EN 997 (WC) / EN 200 (taps) / EN 14516 (basin)
Quantity: 86 complete suites + 8% spares
Spec match: WaterSense flow rates, NCC accessibility-compliant heights

The numbers

Source	Unit cost	Delta
Previous supplier	€612/suite	—
Factory-direct via Sino Nordic	€388/suite	−37%

Timeline

Day 0Material list + accessibility brief received
Day 5Two factories shortlisted; mock-up suite ordered
Day 19Full suite installed in show flat; client approved
Day 27Deposit placed; production begins
Day 58SGS in-line inspection during production
Day 84Delivered DDP Stockholm to staging warehouse

Documents provided

EN 997 / EN 200 / EN 14516 test reports
ISO 9001 certificate — verified with issuing body
Mock-up sign-off photos
SGS in-line inspection report (mid-production)
Single-source 10-year warranty document

Full reference

The complete case file — including a reference call — is available under NDA.

No obligation. No cost for the analysis.

Request the full case file

Client results

What our clients say

* Early client results. Full case studies and references available on request.

"We paid €22/m² for porcelain through a Swedish importer. Sino Nordic found a CE-marked factory equivalent at €11.50. On a 2,000m² job, that's €21,000 on one line. The certificates checked out and the inspection report gave us confidence before we paid the balance."

M.L. · Project Manager

Göteborg Bygg AB

"We'd tried Alibaba ourselves — it was chaos. The difference here is they actually speak to the factory owners in Mandarin and verify everything. Our first order arrived on schedule, fully documented, no surprises."

P.A. · Procurement Director

Nordic Construction Group

"The no-savings-no-fee offer meant zero risk to try. Their analysis showed 38% on our tile and sanitary schedule. We checked the numbers ourselves — they held up. Fourth project with them now."

K.S. · CEO

Väst Fastighetsutveckling

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