Quick answer: If the business license says "sales" but not "production," you're talking to a middleman. Check the license first, ask one process question during quoting, and look at work-in-progress during the factory visit—not the showroom. 3 Signals You're Talking to a Trading Company 1. Business license says "sales," not "production" Open the license. Look at the business scope. What it says What it means Sales/wholesale/retail Trading company Production + sales Has production, but confirm what's in-house Registered address = virtual office Red flag 2. Quote is a lump sum, not a breakdown A real manufacturer can itemize: aluminum ingot price, processing fee, coating brand, film thickness, bending, stiffeners, packaging, freight. A trading company gives you "panel cost + installation cost" and gets vague when you ask about coating thickness or aluminum coil source. 3. They dodge one specific process question Try this duri...