Guide to Importing and Shipping Mini Excavators from China

With the growing global demand for urban infrastructure construction, small agricultural equipment and garden machinery, mini excavators, as flexible and efficient construction machinery, are becoming more and more popular among small and medium-sized enterprises and individual contractors. As an important manufacturing base for global construction machinery, China provides a full range of mini excavator export services at reasonable prices, becoming the first choice for many international buyers. So how to import and ship mini excavators from China?

What is a Mini Excavator?

A mini excavator is a small and flexible excavation equipment, usually with a working weight between 0.8 tons and 6 tons. It is widely used in construction tasks in small spaces, such as municipal engineering, orchard operations, house renovation, landscaping and small demolition projects.

• Compared with large excavators, Mini Excavator has the following characteristics:
• Small and flexible: can work freely in urban lanes, greenhouses, basements and other spaces;
• Low energy consumption: moderate power, low fuel consumption, suitable for light engineering operations;
• Easy maintenance: simple structure, low maintenance cost;
• Convenient transportation: can be transported in small trucks or containers to improve shipment flexibility.

At present, well-known domestic mini excavator brands include Shanhe Intelligent, XCMG, Foton Lovol, Kubota (Made in China), Lugong, etc., and can provide electric, crawler, wheeled models to meet the needs of different global markets.

Why Import Mini Excavators from China?

In the global construction machinery market, China has become an important producer and exporter of mini excavators. Compared with European, American, Japanese and Korean brands, mini excavators made in China have obvious advantages in price, performance and customization. Specific reasons include:

High cost performance
Chinese manufacturers have relatively low manufacturing costs and can provide more competitive prices without sacrificing quality, which is suitable for buyers with limited budgets but stable demand.

Diversified configuration options
Whether it is diesel power, electric models, 0.8 tons to 6 tons and other different operating requirements, Chinese suppliers can provide a rich product line and support personalized configuration according to the requirements of the purchaser.

Rich export experience
With the development of cross-border trade, more and more Chinese factories have mature export systems, such as CE certification, EPA emission standards, CO2 certificate of origin and other document support, to facilitate customs clearance for international buyers.

Flexible order processing capabilities
Small batch ordering, multi-specification mixed loading, OEM, are all familiar operating modes for Chinese factories, especially for agents or retailers who are just starting out.

Therefore, choosing to import mini excavators from China can not only save procurement costs, but also enjoy highly customized and fast-response supply services.

If you need to import heavy excavators, you can click to read: How to Import and Ship Excavators or Other Heavy Equipment from China

How to import Mini excavators from China

Purchasing a mini excavator from China and shipping it overseas usually requires multiple steps. The following are more detailed steps for actual reference:

Purchasing stage

• Select suppliers: Select factories through Alibaba, exhibitions, recommendations, etc. to confirm qualifications;
• Prototype trial or video inspection: If feasible, it is recommended to try one or ask a third party to conduct factory acceptance;
• Reference: The price of a general mini excavator is between US$1,500 and US$10,000;
• Sign a contract and make a payment: The advance payment is usually 30%, and the balance is paid before shipment;
• Prepare export documents: The manufacturer provides invoices, packing lists, compliance certificates, etc.;

Export operations

• Customs declaration process: Customs declaration is completed by domestic freight forwarders or export agents, and the HS code and product name must be consistent;
• Loading/packing: Mini excavators usually use 20GP or 40HQ containers, and the bucket arm and crawler need to be removed for fixed packaging;
• Booking and shipping: You can choose full container, LCL, roll-on/roll-off and other transportation methods. It is recommended to entrust it to a professional freight forwarder Arrangement;
• Bill of Lading Issuance: The transport company issues the original bill of lading or SWB, and the buyer handles customs clearance based on it;

Import customs clearance and receipt

• Prepare import documents: such as commercial invoices, bills of lading, compliance documents, etc.;
• Pay import taxes and fees: Different countries have different tax rates. For example, the United States usually collects taxes based on customs valuation;
• Pickup and acceptance: It is recommended to conduct a preliminary inspection at the dock or the destination warehouse to check for transportation damage or missing parts;
• Installation, commissioning and commissioning: Some buyers will choose to assemble and commission at the destination, and manuals and tools must be prepared in advance.

You may be interested in: Guide to Importing and Shipping New and Used Excavators from China

How to choose a mini excavator supplier?

There are hundreds of mini excavator manufacturers in China, mainly distributed in Linyi, Shandong, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, Changsha, Hunan, Quanzhou, Fujian and other places. In order to ensure the quality and service of imported equipment, the following points should be noted:

• Choose a regular manufacturer with export qualifications: check the business license, customs code and export records;
• Confirm that the equipment meets the technical standards of the importing country: for example, whether it is equipped with EPA/CE/Euro V emission certification;
• Check whether the product configuration is complete: such as hydraulic system, accessories (breaker, grab), operation safety system, etc.;
• Give priority to companies that provide after-sales service and spare parts support: convenient for subsequent maintenance;
• It is recommended to conduct third-party inspection or remote factory inspection: especially for the first cooperation, to avoid purchasing low-quality products.

At the same time, you can also deepen your understanding by participating in domestic and foreign engineering machinery exhibitions, B2B platforms (such as Alibaba, Made-in-China), video communication, etc.

What are the high-quality Chinese Mini Excavator manufacturers?

In China, there are a number of excellent companies that focus on the research and development and manufacturing of mini excavators, and their products are popular in the international market. Here are a few common local brands:

Sunward
Hunan local brand, products cover 0.8 tons to 6 tons of models, high stability, widely exported to Europe and Southeast Asia.

XCMG
As one of China’s largest construction machinery brands, its mini excavators are known for their strong performance and perfect after-sales service, especially in the South American market.

Foton Lovol
Mainly focusing on agriculture and light engineering equipment, Mini Excavator is exported to the Middle East and Africa, which is economical and practical.

Kubota China
Although it is a Japanese-funded background, it has the advantages of local manufacturing after localization, and the performance of the whole machine is excellent, suitable for the high-end market.

Emerging brands such as Shandong Lugong and Komatsu Longgong
These companies have risen rapidly in recent years, focusing on mini machinery, and their product appearance, performance, and cost control are all competitive in the market.

All costs of importing mini excavators from China

How to ship mini excavators from China

How to ship excavators from China to your country? Take shipping from China to the USA as an example, you can refer to the following content.

Related recommendations: Shipping Mini Excavators from China to Houston, Texas, USA

What are the ways to ship mini excavators from China?

Mini excavators can be shipped overseas in a variety of ways due to their moderate size and weight. The main ways to ship mini excavators from China are as follows.

Full container load (FCL)

The most common method is to load one or more mini excavators into a 20ft or 40ft container, which is suitable for bulk transportation. Advantages: low cost and safe transportation.
Note: Anti-rust and shock-proof packaging is required, and the equipment oil must be emptied and the power must be turned off for transportation.

Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro)

Suitable for large quantities or when the assembled whole machine is directly driven onto the ship.
Advantages: convenient loading and unloading, no need to disassemble the equipment.
Disadvantages: limited to some ports, large fluctuations in cabin space.

Air freight or express delivery (suitable for small accessories)

The main engine is not suitable for air transportation, but some hydraulic parts, electronic controllers, engines, etc. can be transported by air for replacement.

Cost of Shipping Mini Excavator from China

Estimating Mini Excavators shipping costs requires considering a variety of factors. Size, weight, destination, shipping method, and additional services like insurance or expedited shipping all affect the final cost. It is crucial to get accurate shipping quotes from different carriers or shipping companies to compare prices and services.

As a rough estimate, shipping a 40-foot container from China to the U.S. West Coast costs between $2,500 and $4,500. For the U.S. East Coast, costs may increase by $3,000 to $5,500 due to longer shipping distances.

For more detailed information on the cost of shipping from China to the United States, please click on the link:

If you are shipping not to the United States, but to Germany, France, Spain, Romania, Turkey, Hungary or other countries, and want to know the cost of shipping from China to the destination country, you can read the following post.

Customs clearance documents for shipping mini excavators from China

Excavators are mechanical equipment products and must comply with customs and import country regulations when exported.

Common documents required for export:

• Commercial invoice (Invoice)
• Packing list (Packing List)
• Bill of Lading (B/L or AWB)
• Certificate of Origin (CO)
• Product compliance certificate (such as CE, EPA)
• MSDS report (such as equipment containing engine oil, hydraulic oil)

Customs clearance requirements in the importing country may include:

• Registered importer filing (such as South America, Southeast Asia, some countries)
• Engine emission certification (such as US EPA, EU CE certification)
• Special machinery tax or environmental tax declaration
• Customs sampling and entry inspection

It is recommended to cooperate with freight forwarders with local experience to understand the tariffs and compliance requirements of various countries to avoid customs deductions and additional costs. As a professional international logistics company for mechanical equipment, Basenton can provide you with one-stop services for the entire mini excavation transportation from China to the world, including customs declaration, document preparation, customs clearance at the destination port and DDP delivery.

Mini excavator shipping from China: Basenton Logistics

As an international logistics service provider focusing on the Chinese export market, Basenton Logistics has rich experience in the export of construction machinery and equipment, especially in the transportation of mini excavators, agricultural equipment, and construction machinery.

Service advantages include:

• Covering various modes of transportation such as FCL/LCL/Roll-Roll/Warehousing
• Familiar with mechanical product packaging reinforcement, wooden box/pallet customization
• Can assist in export customs declaration, certificate of origin, invoice certification
• Provide door-to-door transportation solutions such as DDP/DDU
• Support global customs clearance services in many countries (such as the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa)

Whether you are importing a mini excavator for the first time or have a long-term export plan, Basenton can tailor a stable, compliant, and traceable transportation plan for you.