Hey @dvddvd,

Yeah, I’ve looked into this a fair bit in the past, you're not alone in thinking about going direct to the source. The factory behind the Itech 6090/Laguna IQ style machines is often based in Jinan, and yeah, some of them claim to have exclusivity deals with UK distributors like Itech, which technically restricts them from selling the exact same spec direct to UK buyers.

That said, a lot of these factories do have sister models or "unbadged" alternatives that are 95% the same machine, just without the branded nameplate. Worth asking them directly if they can offer a ‘custom’ version or slight model variation, sometimes that’s their way around the exclusivity clause.

A couple of things to be aware of if you're importing direct:

CE compliance: Most Chinese machines aren’t truly CE marked, even if the sticker’s on there. If you're planning to run it in a commercial space or get insurance, this can be an issue. Some have the CE mark but actually, that just stands for China Export.

Electrical standards: Make sure the control electronics, spindle, and VFD are compatible with UK power and aren’t using fake or under-rated components, the later being a big one on cheap VFDs.

Info & After Sales Support: Buying direct means you’re pretty much on your own, so if something fails, you're the engineer. But if you’re technically minded, it's often not a deal breaker.

Import costs: Don’t forget to factor in VAT, import duty, customs clearance fees, and potentially a bit of back-and-forth with the freight forwarder.

As for alternatives, have a look at the 6040 or 6090 range from the likes of:

Omni CNC
StyleCNC
Quick CNC
XYZTech / EagleTec

Some of these will do a better job of supporting you and may be more flexible on machine spec. If you're not in a rush, I’d also recommend keeping an eye on the second-hand market here in the UK. Some serious bargains pop up all the time, especially older Isel, Denford or Boxford machines, some are even with retrofits already done.

Hope that helps!, let us know what you're leaning towards or gone for (i appreciate this thread is a few months old).