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...]
Reducing quality risks without paying more
I published an article entitled China Production: Reduce Your Quality Risks Without Paying More, on China Business Success Stories. It is a series of 7 tips for importers: Write your product specifications Put in place a QA system … [Read more...]
Better sales forecasts and more flexible supply chains
At the end of a previous post entitled Trading Companies And Efficiency, I explained how some large intermediaries could accelerate the manufacturing cycle, and this way minimize the risks of poor sales forecasts. Actually importers can … [Read more...]
Respecting contracts and telling the truth in China
China Business Success Stories just posted an interesting article entitled What Do We Mean By 'Trust' In China? by Frank Gallo. Nothing really new, actually, when you consider all the business books already written about China. But it is a … [Read more...]
Quality control inspections: basic concepts
I just posted a guest article about the basics every importer should be familiar with, on the China Sourcing Blog. They do a great job publishing very informative and practical posts. My article was a little on the long side, but I don't … [Read more...]
The importer’s dilemma: legal risks or higher costs?
Importers often play a delicate balancing act between reducing quality control expenses on the one hand, and minimizing product liability risks on the other. Many small importers are cornered in a situation where they have to sacrifice … [Read more...]
Forgot to have quality inspected before shipment?
In my last post I explained why inspecting quality earlier is better. The idea was: you should have your production checked before/during production if possible, and you should definitely not let your supplier ship some goods that were … [Read more...]