What is an indenting agent?
An indenting agent is a commission agent who brings a manufacturer and an industrial buyer together and places the buyer's order, called an indent, with the manufacturer. The manufacturer invoices and ships to the buyer directly, the buyer pays the manufacturer directly, and the agent is paid a commission for arranging and following through the sale. Chelora Amines works as an indenting agent for chemicals, alongside its own supply business.
How is an indenting agent different from a trader or distributor?
A trader or distributor buys the material, holds stock, invoices you from its own books and earns the difference between its buying and selling price. An indenting agent never takes ownership of the goods. The sale is made directly between the manufacturer and the buyer, and the agent earns a commission rather than a margin. Indenting suits regular volumes and container loads; buying from stock suits small, urgent or irregular needs.
Who pays the indenting agent's commission?
Normally the manufacturer, also called the principal, pays the commission under a written agency agreement. It is usually a percentage of the invoice value or a fixed amount per tonne, and becomes due after shipment or once the buyer's payment is received, as agreed. Where a buyer asks us to source on its behalf for a fee instead, that is agreed in writing before any work starts.
Does buying through an indenting agent cost more than buying direct?
Usually not. You are quoted the manufacturer's own price and pay the manufacturer directly, with no stockist margin and no extra handling in between. Many manufacturers would not quote a new or mid-size buyer directly at all, or would quote less competitively, so working through an agent who already has the relationship is often the way to reach the source in the first place.
Who invoices me, and who do I pay?
The manufacturer. On an indent the proforma invoice, commercial invoice, packing list and shipping documents are all issued by the manufacturer in your company's name, and payment goes from your bank to the manufacturer's bank by advance remittance, letter of credit or agreed credit terms. Chelora Amines does not collect your payment on indent business.
Who is responsible if the material does not meet specification?
The contract of sale is between the manufacturer and the buyer, so the manufacturer is responsible for the quality it certifies on the Certificate of Analysis. Our role is to agree the specification in writing before the order, check the pre-shipment COA against it and, if there is a problem on arrival, take up the claim with the principal on your behalf until it is settled.
Which chemicals do you handle on indent?
Mainly amines and their derivatives, such as methylamines, ethylamines, ethanolamines, morpholine and cyclohexylamine, plus solvents, intermediates and specialty chemicals from manufacturers we work with. Send the product name, CAS number and quantity, and we will tell you whether it is best supplied on indent or from our own invoice.
We are a chemical manufacturer. Can Chelora Amines represent us?
Yes. We represent manufacturers in India and overseas that want more industrial buyers in particular markets without building a sales office there. Send your product list, specifications, capacity, packing options and target markets, and we will come back with an honest view of where we can sell and on what basis, exclusive or non-exclusive, by product and territory.
Do you work on imports, exports and domestic business?
All three. We connect overseas manufacturers with buyers in India, Indian manufacturers with buyers abroad, and buyers and manufacturers within India. The direction changes the documents and the payment route, not the principle: the sale is always between the manufacturer and the buyer, with Chelora Amines arranging it and following it through.
What documents are involved in an indent transaction?
Typically the buyer's indent or purchase order, the manufacturer's proforma invoice or sales contract, the Certificate of Analysis and Safety Data Sheet, and the commercial invoice and packing list. Export and import orders also carry the bill of lading or airway bill, certificate of origin, insurance certificate for CIF shipments and a dangerous goods declaration where the product is hazardous. Our agency agreement is a separate document between Chelora Amines and the principal.
What payment terms are used on indent orders?
Payment terms are agreed between the manufacturer and the buyer. The usual options are advance payment by bank transfer, an irrevocable letter of credit at sight or on usance terms, documents against payment, or open credit once a relationship is established. We help both sides settle on terms that work for a first order and improve them as trust builds.
Is there a minimum order quantity on indent?
Indent business follows the manufacturer's minimum, which for most chemicals is a pallet or drum load for domestic orders and a full or part container for export. For smaller or one-off quantities, buying from our stock is usually quicker and simpler, and we will suggest whichever route fits.
How long does an indent order take?
It depends on whether the manufacturer ships from stock or produces against the order, and on the route. Domestic indents from stock can move within days of a confirmed order and payment, while export and import orders add production time, vessel booking and transit. The manufacturer's committed dispatch date is written on the proforma invoice, and we track it through to delivery.
Can I get samples before placing an indent?
Yes. For most products we can arrange a sample from the manufacturer's current production with its COA and SDS, so your QC and R&D teams can qualify the material before a commercial order. Send your application and the specification you test against with the request.
Will you tell me who the manufacturer is?
Yes, before you buy. On an indent you contract with the manufacturer directly, so its name appears on the proforma invoice and every shipping document. At the first enquiry stage we may share the specification and a typical COA first and disclose the name once both sides want to proceed, which protects the commercial information of the principal and the buyer.
Does buying on indent change my customs or tax paperwork?
No. You buy on the manufacturer's invoice exactly as you would if you bought direct. For imports you are the importer of record and clear the goods on that invoice; for domestic purchases the manufacturer charges GST on its invoice in the normal way. Our commission is a separate matter between Chelora Amines and the principal.
What happens if there is a delay or a dispute?
We stay in the middle until it is resolved. For delays we chase the manufacturer for a revised dispatch date and keep you informed. For quality, quantity or documentation problems we collect the evidence, present the claim to the principal and follow it through to a replacement, credit note or agreed settlement.
Do you sign confidentiality and agency agreements?
Yes. We sign non-disclosure agreements with buyers and manufacturers before specifications, prices or volumes are shared, and work with principals under a written agency agreement that sets out products, territory, exclusivity and commission. Your pricing and customer information is not shared with anyone else.
Who do you work with?
Manufacturers, formulators and processors buying for industrial use, chemical manufacturers looking for buyers, research institutions and registered distributors. All business is business to business. We do not supply individuals, and we ask new buyers for company registration details and an end-use declaration before the first order.
How do I start working with Chelora Amines as an indenting agent?
Buyers should send the product name, CAS number, grade, quantity, packing and delivery location. Manufacturers should send their product list, specifications and target markets. Use our
contact page, email source@cheloraamines.com or call +91 98191 11179, and we usually reply within 24 hours.
