A simple checklist to follow day in, day out, is a highly undervalued tool. Here are a couple of examples where the value of checklists has been recognized: In aviation, checklists have been used for more than 70 years and have … [Read more...]
A Simple Checklist for Reliable Quality Inspections
What is a simple tool that has led to a dramatic reduction is mistakes in several industries? The checklist. Checklists have been mandatory for pilots (among others) for a long time. More recently, they have become more common in … [Read more...]
Upwork vs. a Sourcing Agency for Managing Your China Production
Some importers take a shortcut as they set up their supply chain, and pay for it many times over a few years later. I want to cover one of these shortcuts today. We have had a few clients come to us after being let down by an Upwork … [Read more...]
Supply Chain Management: Quality Inspections’ Role
Do you sometimes feel that your company, your suppliers, and their own suppliers, are on different planets? Does information spread with difficulty through your supply chain? Nothing unique here. It is quite typical if you work with … [Read more...]
Sourcing from China 101, Part 9: Check Quality Early In Production
I’ll assume you have found and audited a good manufacturer. They have communicated well up until now, and you feel confident about them. But should you feel confident? Several things can go wrong: They might be too busy and farm … [Read more...]
Limits of Letting a Supplier Self-Inspect their Product Quality
A few days I wrote about the trend toward more supplier self-inspections. In certain cases, it makes a lot of sense to stop sending employees to check if a supplier has done a good job. However, it is not just a case of saying "oh by the … [Read more...]
Why Supplier Self-Inspections Are Getting More Popular in China
In 2005, when an importer asked their best manufacturer for a report that shows their own inspection findings, they seldom received a document. They were usually told "no problems were found". Getting a few digital photos by email was … [Read more...]
Beware of Combined Sampling (Many Products in 1 Lot)
There is one concept in quality inspections that is quite simple and yet widely misunderstood: the sampling lot. The ISO 2859 standard calls it a "lot". It may or may not include different products based on how different they … [Read more...]
China Environmental Inspections & Factory Closures: an FAQ
Beijing has been inspecting and closing factories for some time, yet it seems the full effect is starting to be obvious to all. Supply chains get disrupted, many production lines are stopped, and an increasing number of importers are … [Read more...]
Quality Control of Made-In-China Products in Different Industries
Over the past few months, on the SynControl blog, I have written articles about what differs from one product category to the next. I'll list them below and summarize what is really specific about each industry vertical when it comes to … [Read more...]
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