Ordered 10,000 Bolts. Only 5,000 Arrived. What Now?
Every EPC team has a similar story.
The installation team reaches site.
Racking is ready.
Panels are placed near work zones.
Then fasteners arrive.
Or half of them do.
This is where real project damage begins.
The Real Cost of Missing Fasteners
On paper, missing bolts look like a small issue.
On site, they create big problems:
• Manpower sitting without work
• Cranes and access equipment booked but unused
• Daily cost leakage
• Client dissatisfaction
• Procurement firefighting instead of planning
A solar project doesn’t stop because of panels.
It stops because bolts didn’t reach the site.
Why Solar Fasteners Go Missing
From field experience, shortages usually happen due to:
1) Dispatch by weight instead of quantity
Fasteners are heavy.
Suppliers often ship by weight, not by actual count.
2) No set-wise packing
Instead of full kits (Bolt + Nut + Washers), cartons are mixed.
Site teams waste hours sorting.
3) No dispatch verification
No carton photo = no proof.
No packing list = no clarity.
4) Partial shipments without communication
One truck arrives.
The rest “will come tomorrow” — and often does not.
5) Poor inward checking
Many teams open cartons days later.
By then, recovery is difficult.
How Smart EPC Teams Prevent Missing Deliveries
Ask for Quantity Verification
Never accept fasteners by weight alone.
Always request:
• Piece count
• Set count
• Carton numbering
Demand Dispatch Evidence
Ask suppliers for:
• Load photos
• Packing list
• Invoice copy
• Tracking details
Same day.
Enforce Set-Wise Packing
Every joint should arrive as a kit, not as loose parts.
Example:
• M10 bolt
• M10 nut
Packed together as one unit.
Perform Inward Check Immediately
Don’t wait.
Count and verify within hours.
Final Word
A solar project isn’t delayed by steel.
It’s delayed by missing steel.
Fasteners are small parts with big impact.
If your supplier cannot:
• Pack correctly
• Count accurately
• Communicate clearly
Then your project is at risk.