Certifications first
Confirm material test reports (MTR) and compound compliance relevant to your sector — NORSOK M-710 and NACE MR0175 for oil & gas, WRAS or NSF for potable water, FDA/EU10-2011 for food contact. Ask for the actual certificate, not a compound datasheet claim.
Traceability and batch control
Every batch should carry a traceable lot number linking back to raw compound certification. This matters most for oil & gas and pharma buyers who may need to trace a failure back to a specific production run.
Manufacturing base vs. import lead time
A supplier with an India manufacturing base plus a GCC-based trading entity (FITCO operates FITCO Orings Trading LLC, Dubai) can typically combine cost-competitive production with faster regional clearance and delivery — important for shutdown and turnaround schedules anywhere in the world.
Custom molding capability
Standard AS568/ISO 3601 sizes cover most requirements, but ask whether the supplier can also mold custom cross-sections and profiles in-house — switching suppliers mid-project for non-standard parts adds risk and cost.