You already know the advantages Turkey offers Finnish companies: a 35–50% cost advantage, the Customs Union, the shared euro and the heavy and medium part experience expected by the mobile machinery, energy, maritime and forestry machinery sectors. This article explains step by step how to place the first order in practice, with particular attention to the logistics section because of Finland's geographic location.

Step 1: Prepare the Technical Documents

Finnish drawings are prepared to SFS-EN ISO standards and are read without difficulty in Turkey; English drawings are common in Finnish industry. The ideal package:

  • STEP (AP214) 3D model + PDF technical drawing; revision numbers must match.
  • Material with its EN grade (S355J2, S355MC, 42CrMo4, 1.4404, EN AW-6082, machining of EN-GJS castings); high-strength structural steels (S690QL) and low-temperature toughness requirements (−40 °C impact test) must be stated explicitly.
  • General tolerance (ISO 2768-mK) in the title block; geometric tolerances with their datums.
  • Surface roughness (Ra), edge breaks, heat treatment, coating; corrosivity category for outdoor parts.
  • Annual quantity, batch size, first-order quantity and target date.
  • Documentation expectations: inspection report, EN 10204 3.1, FAI; reference to the OEM supplier manual in the mobile machinery supply chain.

Step 2: Request and Compare Quotes

Send the RFQ to 2–3 Turkish suppliers and compare quotes line by line: unit price (quantity breaks), set-up, certificates, inspection report, packaging, Incoterm and lead time. Supplier codes of conduct and sustainability reporting are common in Finnish companies; you can ask the Turkish supplier for a signed code of conduct and transport emissions data. For the method, see our RFQ guide.

Step 3: Clarify the Commercial Terms

Incoterms

FCA Istanbul (your own forwarder collects) or DAP (the Turkish supplier delivers to your door; the import declaration and ALV are yours). On the Finland lane, loads are consolidated in Germany or Poland and carried by Baltic ferry; under DAP this is not your concern. Details are in our Incoterms guide.

Payment

In Finland, 30 days net is common (14 days in some sectors). For export sales, Turkish suppliers work with partial advance payment (30–50%) plus the balance before shipment on first orders, and 30-day open account in an established relationship. As Finland is in the eurozone, there is no currency risk; SWIFT transfer is standard.

Contract and confidentiality

An English-language NDA and quality agreement are sufficient; the general purchasing conditions frequently used by Finnish companies (Nordic standard conditions such as NLM 19) can be attached. Governing law and venue for disputes should be specified.

Step 4: Samples and First Article Approval

For the first order, request 1–5 samples and a full inspection report against a ballooned drawing. For mobile machinery and energy suppliers, FAI + material certificate; for maritime, any classification society requirement must be stated separately; for general machinery, a standard FAI is sufficient. Verify the report with your own measurements; series production starts after approval. The process is described in our FAI guide.

Step 5: Logistics, Customs and Import

  • Road + ferry: Istanbul to Helsinki, Tampere or Turku door to door in 8–10 working days; via the Poland–Baltic states route (Tallinn–Helsinki ferry) or via Germany–Sweden with the Stockholm–Turku ferry. Weekly groupage departures are available.
  • Sea: For heavy and bulky loads, Istanbul–Helsinki/Kotka container 3–4 weeks; the lowest unit cost.
  • Air freight: Istanbul–Helsinki 1–2 days (direct flight); express courier 2–4 days for samples.
  • Customs duty: Parts enter duty-free with an A.TR movement certificate. Document details are in our A.TR guide.
  • ALV (VAT): VAT-registered Finnish companies do not pay import VAT (25.5%) at the border; they declare it in the periodic VAT return filed with Vero and deduct it in the same return. There is no cash outflow.
  • Declaration: The forwarder lodges the import declaration in the Tulli system under your EORI number; commercial invoice, packing list, A.TR and CMR are sufficient.

Step 6: Series Deliveries and Continuous Improvement

Framework agreements and call-off orders are common; because of the transit time, planning 3–4 weeks of safety stock or monthly consolidated shipments is useful. Each batch ships with an inspection report and 3.1 certificate in the package. After the first 2–3 batches, price, packaging and frequency settle; OTD and PPM data can be shared for supplier evaluation.

Common Mistakes

  • Planning transit time as for Central Europe (3–5 days); 8–10 days is realistic.
  • Not writing the low-temperature toughness requirement (−40 °C) into the material specification.
  • Making small, frequent shipments; for Finland, consolidated monthly shipments significantly reduce the unit freight cost.
  • Raising sustainability and code-of-conduct expectations only after the quote.
  • Comparing unit price alone without aligning the full scope.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send technical drawings in Finnish?

Yes; dimensions and symbols are international. English drawings are already common in Finnish industry; it is sufficient for the critical notes to be in English.

How much time should I plan for the first order?

Quote 1–2 days, samples 1–3 weeks (by air freight), series 3–5 weeks after approval, transport 8–10 days: the first series batch is typically in your hands in 8–12 weeks.

How does the process work in case of a complaint?

Notification with photo and measurement evidence, 8D report, remanufacture or credit note, defined in writing in the quality agreement. Replacement supply by air freight is possible in 1–2 days.

Do I need to visit the supplier in Turkey?

Not mandatory; with a roughly 3.5-hour direct flight Helsinki–Istanbul, an overnight audit is feasible.

Conclusion

Outsourcing CNC machining from Finland to Turkey is a predictable process: the right document package, a line-by-line quote, sample approval and a simple, duty-free import under A.TR with ALV offset in the VAT return; when the logistics plan is set up correctly, distance is not an obstacle. Send your technical drawings and quantities via our quote form; you will receive a line-by-line quote in euros within 24 hours. For the process steps, see our how we work page.