Take a dive into the process of Sourcing in Asia

manufacturing-process-timeline-mobile
manufacturing-process-timeline

Discovery

Phase 1

Finding a supplier in China or S.E. Asia is like finding a “needle in a haystack.” While over the past 20 years factories have come and gone, there are generally thousands of potential suppliers for any given manufacturing process.  Whether injection molding, metal works, electromechanical or just basic assembly options, identifying a best in class fit for a project requires much more than internet searches and emails.

Kick-Off Checklist
Kick-Off Checklist
Customer Key Criteria
Customer Key Criteria
DFMEA Meeting Report
DFMEA Meeting Report
Desktop Research Summary
Desktop Research Summary
RFI Summary
RFI Summary
Phase 1 Summary
Phase 1 Summary

Due Diligence

Phase 2

With travel not currently an option, how do you know you’re dealing with a factory directly vs. a middleman/broker?  Relying on websites and emails to find a supplier is risky.  Research and analysis can take months to complete.  For those with little to no understanding of the manufacturing clusters or industry concentrations by province, town and village, finding the right supplier can be a daunting and overwhelming task.

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NDAs
NDAs
Initial Visit Reports
Initial Visit Reports
Simple Comparison Matrix & Ranking
Simple Comparison Matrix & Ranking
Comprehensive Comparison Matrix & Ranking
Comprehensive Comparison Matrix & Ranking

Quoting

Phase 3

Most buyers focus just on price…but the cheapest price is not always the lowest cost. A properly executed Request For Proposal (RFP) will provide not just the product manufacturing price but any startup investment (usually tooling).  Total landed cost takes into consideration not only "ex-works" cost but also logistics, including shipping, taxes, tariffs and duties. We provide a side by side analysis from multiple sources and assist with recommendations based on all criteria.

Quote Comparison Workbook
Quote Comparison Workbook
Phase 3 Summary
Phase 3 Summary

Launch

Phase 4

Audits of 2-3 finalists are mission critical.  Your finalist will be with you decades and your brand depends on getting it right. There is no substitute for on-site visits to finalize pre-production preparations, sampling and first article of inspection coordination. During this comprehensive in-depth review, you’ll uncover the strengths and weaknesses of a supplier’s real (vs. claimed) capabilities for managing quality, manufacturing, capacity, logistics, and more.  In order to improve your final negotiating position and reduce risk, you’ll get checklist of concerns for action and follow up…before you sign the deal.

Factory Audit Reports
Factory Audit Reports
Phase 4 Summary
Phase 4 Summary
Sampling & First Articles of Inspection
Sampling & First Articles of Inspection