Dan Harris just published advice to exhibitors that showcase their own new product designs. In his words: It should go without saying that you should not reveal anything more at a trade fair than you would otherwise, and you should have an … [Read more...]
Archives for December 2013
Getting More out of your Chinese Suppliers
Here are some interesting or useful articles that I found recently. Levels of China Sourcing (Infographic) Etienne Charlier gives a roadmap to companies that source industrial products/equipment and that want to get more out of their … [Read more...]
Setting up Injection Molding Machines in China
Many importers complain about the lack of technical expertise in Chinese factories. In most cases, there is one key engineer who "works his magic". And, when he is gone, really bad things start to come out. Setting up injection molding … [Read more...]
Packaging: How to Protect your Shipments Effectively?
Many importers forget to specify how their products should be packed. And, every year, tons of products arriving from China are thrown away because they were not adequately protected. So, you need to think about how to protect shipments … [Read more...]
Composition and Trends of China & India Exports
HSBC released their Long-term forecast for Global Overview. It is rich in interesting data. If we look at global trade, what will be the fastest growing product categories? If we look at what China will export, it is obvious that this … [Read more...]
ISO 9001: More Popular in China than in the US or Japan
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) shows how many companies are currently ISO 9001 certified in each country: And the highest number of ISO 9001-registered companies is... China. And that number is on the … [Read more...]
QC Inspections: How Many Pieces are Checked Visually and Measured?
For purchasers who are not used to working with a QC inspection agency, it can be challenging to understand what the sampling plan really looks like: How many pieces are checked? Are some tests/checks/measurements done on fewer … [Read more...]
Choosing a Good Quality Inspector or Auditor
Last year, in What kind of inspector do you want to hire in China?, I listed two essential traits of a good quality inspector: Willingness to follow rules without looking for shortcuts Attention to details Obviously there are many … [Read more...]
When Chinese suppliers are Rude (a Reader’s Experience)
A regular reader related his recent experience with factory visits, and especially with two visits. The supplier's rep (probably a middleman) had rude manners. I am pasting the description of the situation below. My two questions … [Read more...]
Asking Suppliers to Pay for Laboratory Tests
When importers ask me how they should organize the testing of their products, I usually advise them to take the process in their own hands and to follow these steps: Send an inspector to pick up some real production samples in a random … [Read more...]