I am reading Poorly Made In China, and it is a real treat. Paul Midler, the author, does a great job at analyzing the psychology of oversea buyers. He gives examples where the importer got himself locked into a relationship with a given … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2009
What is the fully-burdened cost of imports?
In Hot, Flat and Crowded, I read that the exact cost of oil delivered by air-borne tanker to the US military stations in Irak is... $42 per gallon. Here are the elements to add up: Commodity price of oil + cost of delivery + cost of … [Read more...]
WIP inventory in Chinese factories
I often tell the factory employees they have too much work-in-process inventory. In general, they don't understand how lower inventory can go hand-in-hand with faster production and lower costs. Last week I was in a factory that really, … [Read more...]
QC luncheon (organized by the Supply Chain Council)
Today I attended a QC luncheon in Shanghai, organized by the Supply Chain Council. Its aim was to gather people from different QC firms and share experiences. Andrew Reich, from In Touch, was the speaker. He touched on some interesting … [Read more...]
Different products, different ways to control quality
I published an article on Smart China Sourcing, an excellent knowledge base about sourcing in China. The article title is How to control the quality of YOUR products?, and it distinguishes between 3 main product categories (see below … [Read more...]
5 legitimate reasons why your company does not need third-party quality control
I exhibited at a few trade shows and I talked to hundreds of importers. I noticed that many of them don't have their products inspected at all. Another thing I noticed is that they have not really thought about it. It sounds like they can … [Read more...]