You can't visit suppliers in China due to coronavirus. How can you validate their production capacity without going on-site? As we head into 2021 travelling to see suppliers in Asia, in particular China, remains difficult for most … [Read more...]
Manufacture in China, Vietnam, India, or Elsewhere in 2021? [Podcast]
Manufacturers continue to plan the move of some or all of their supply chains out of China? But where next? Perhaps the word 'exodus' is a little over-dramatic, but there has certainly been a marked rise in companies trying to diversify … [Read more...]
Tips For Continually Getting Good Results From A New Supplier | Vetting Chinese Suppliers (Part 11) [Podcast]
You've successfully vetted and started working with a new Chinese supplier. What's next? In our mini-series on vetting Chinese suppliers, you will already have learnt about due diligence, factory audits and visits, exploring testing … [Read more...]
Quality Manager Interview Questions To Test Knowledge Of ISO 9001
Next time you're hiring, here are some quality manager interview questions you should ask to make sure that they know and understand the ISO 9001:2015 standard. … [Read more...]
Why The Bill Of Materials (BOM) Is A Key Document For Importers [Podcast]
The Bill Of Materials - more important than you may think! The Bill Of Materials is an incredibly important document which spans the product development process and evolves as you get closer to mass production. It provides all of the … [Read more...]
The Impact Of Chinese New Year On Importers & Tips To Prepare For CNY 2021 [Podcast]
The Phenomenon of Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is an amazing time of year in China and several other Asian countries who also place a lot of importance on the lunar calendar (such as Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, and … [Read more...]
3 Quality Control Plans & Why They’re Needed BEFORE Production [Podcast]
What is a quality control plan and why do you need to approve it before production begins? A QC plan is an essential tool for buyers to drive their suppliers to produce goods that reach their quality standard. It will typically list your … [Read more...]
Pricing, Negotiation, Contracts | Vetting Chinese Suppliers (Part 10)
Getting quotations is a part of vetting new Chinese suppliers, too. We have been creating a mini-series guiding you through effective vetting of Chinese suppliers that will help you to find the best possible manufacturer for your products … [Read more...]
Exploring Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) [Podcast]
Time to pay attention to good manufacturing practices! Importers with suppliers over in Asia may benefit from adopting GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices). What are they? How are they useful for managing and improving the performance of … [Read more...]
How To Perform In-Depth Due Diligence On Your Supplier [Podcast]
Do your new or current suppliers pose a risk to your business? Sometimes the only way to find out if a supplier poses a risk is to perform some deep due diligence on them in order to assess their business health and if they're able to be a … [Read more...]