A client was interested in product inspections, and they asked: Do you also offer a post-inspection service, for cases where the results are not ideal? That got me thinking. The answer is simple, yes, we can keep following up, but … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2021
How To Improve Supplier Performance? [Podcast]
In this episode... Renaud talks you through a common query that we get on a regular basis when customers ask us: "How do I get my suppliers to improve?" A recent survey of importers found that 70% said that their biggest challenge was … [Read more...]
How good DFM and DFA Help with Production Cost & Quality
I have been reading 'the' reference textbook on the concepts of DFM and DFA (design for manufacturing and design for assembly). It's great for design engineers (especially on the mechanical side), for NPI program managers, and for … [Read more...]
Strategies For Reducing Lead Times From Suppliers In China [Podcast]
In This Episode… We discuss reducing lead times from suppliers in China or other countries in Asia like Vietnam. Lead times are the time you can expect the process of getting your order from a supplier to take, from placing the purchase … [Read more...]
Product Safety When Buying from China: Avoid Negligence
Dan Harris wrote an article about product safety (How to Reduce Your Foreign Manufactured Product Liability Risks) that will, hopefully, open the eyes of many people to the risks they are exposed to. I thought it particularly interesting … [Read more...]
How The AQL Inspection Levels In ISO 2859-1 Affect Sampling Size
This article introduces the different AQL inspection levels available to buyers. Those levels are mentioned in the ISO 2859-1 standard (or its American equivalent, ANSI/ASQC Z1.4). Let’s explore the different levels of random … [Read more...]
Manufacturing Distributed In China’s Countryside: Pros & Cons
Have you inquired about a production facility, only to be told production is done "in the village"? That's quite common if you purchase arts & craft, Christmas ornaments, certain textile products, and similar goods, from Zhejiang all … [Read more...]
How To Choose The Right Packaging To Protect Your Products? [Podcast]
In This Episode… We take a close look at why packaging plays a key role in protecting your products during transit. Packaging materials, supply chain risks, and packaging reliability testing are all scrutinized to give you a good … [Read more...]
NPI Cost vs. Production Unit Cost: What To Optimize For?
When developing a new electro-mechanical product, there is a tradeoff: Do you want to spend less time & money before production (during the NPI process), and suffer higher costs for each unit made? Or do you want to invest more … [Read more...]
Exploring Product Development Agreements For Importers [Podcast]
In This Episode... We explore product development agreements that clarify your expectations, protect your IP, keep leverage over your supplier, provide you with transparency and control over your supply chain, and make it 100% clear who is … [Read more...]