Every time I read an article about rising Chinese labor costs, it seems there are only two solutions: moving to inland provinces or automating production. I do not really buy into these proposals, and I want to focus on the myth of … [Read more...]
The giant hole in China quality assurance programs
The quality assurance programs of most importers, when it comes to their China purchases, are far from being fool-proof. As Richard Brubaker wrote (in "20 Things I Have Learned About China"): There is no “Poorly Made in China”. There is … [Read more...]
Production in large batches in China: top 5 problems
Some really large factories appeared in the US and in Europe in the early 20th Century. The prime example is the Ford Motor Company and its huge factories. The basic idea was that the higher the number of pieces produced, the lower the unit … [Read more...]
Chinese factory workers: it’s all their fault!
Chinese factory workers are often seen as the obstacle to higher quality, fewer working hours, and better safety measures. Let's study each of these issues separately: 1. Chinese factory workers, not capable of good workmanship? As I … [Read more...]
Getting to the root cause of a quality problem
The root cause is what must be addressed to eliminate any quality problem. Getting to the root of a quality problem is seldom the concern in Chinese factories. They prefer to point fingers, and find responsible people. The China method: … [Read more...]
WIP inventory in Chinese factories
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...]
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