There are many misconceptions about quality control. One of them is the source of many problems: importers think QC inspections should take place at the end of production, just before shipment. In practice, it's true that most … [Read more...]
Defect sorting job (100% check)
Last week, a local trading company called me for checking thousands of products, one by one. They had found defects on several batches, and instead of repairing them, they had just put them aside. They were probably planning to sell them on … [Read more...]
Final product inspections: should the whole order be ready?
Most product inspections take place after production is finished, and just before shipment. It is a convenient way of checking whether all the product and packaging requirements are met. However, timing is usually tight. The importer … [Read more...]
Trading companies and efficiency
Some large retailers purchase their goods directly from Asian manufacturers, who in turn buy the components and process them. That's about as "direct" as it can get. It allows buyers to avoid the margins of all kinds of … [Read more...]
In defense of third party inspection companies
Third-party quality control (3PQC, or 3PQA) has gotten a bad name in some circles. It might be deserved in part. But I feel there is a lot of misunderstanding. I am going to explain the basics of our job, so that non-experts can make their … [Read more...]
China low quality: the underlying reasons
The Economist just published an excellent article entitled “The flaws in Chinese business - Time to change the act.” The beginning of the article focuses on the impact of the current downturn on Chinese business. Then it goes on to explain … [Read more...]
Why quality can be so bad in China
There are all kinds of factories in China. A few are truly world class (think of the joint ventures producing luxury cars, for example). Others are good enough for the core (and the low-end) of Western markets, in dozens of … [Read more...]
Chinese vs. Western business: different ethical standards?
Last night I had dinner with someone from the Trade and Industry Dept. here in Shenzhen, China. A very nice individual, who studied and traveled in the West. I was asking questions about the foreign investors, and he confirmed that many … [Read more...]
Hiring quality inspectors: a few tips
In my previous post entitled Quality control inspectors: an ideal profile?, I introduced the Ned Hermann model to show that only a certain thinking style tends to make a good QC inspector. Now, how to know a candidate’s profile? Recruiters … [Read more...]
Quality control inspector: an ideal profile?
Is there an "ideal profile" for inspectors? Is it enough to write and read English, and have previous experience on the job? I don't think so. Research, and our daily observations, show that every human's brain is "wired" in a specific … [Read more...]