Here are
some interesting or useful articles that I found recently.
NOTE: A FEW DAYS AGO I HIT THE “PUBLISH” BUTTON INSTEAD OF THE “SAVE” BUTTON SO THIS MESSAGE WAS POSTED TWICE. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
Question your Quotes from China
Jacob Yount gives excellent advice about the way to understand and respond to quotations from Chinese suppliers. Good read, especially for purchasers with limited experience in China.
Restricted Substances: 5 Challenges when Buying from China
Fredrik Gronkvist has a knack for taking a complicated and boring issue and simplifying it. If you are curious about safety requirements such as REACH, ROHS, Cal Prop 65, and so on, this is a good article.
CBX Software produces a report every quarter that includes many interesting data (labor rates, freight costs, currency moves, etc.) as well as some analysis of the latest trends.
Minimum Wages in China for the year 2014-15
Interesting database about minimum wages in China, with details per city.
‘Made in China’ Is Increasingly Becoming ‘Made in USA’
The American press keeps relating examples of a revitalization of American manufacturing. But the so-called vast “re-shoring” movement hasn’t happened.
What if 3D printing was 25 times faster?
It seems like a new technology is going to allow 3D printing to become much, much faster. If this promise becomes true, it might impact the global manufacturing industry in a major way — especially in product lines where China is currently competitive (injection molding, metal machining).
I just discovered this fun product. Look into it if you need to make prototypes for certain types of hard goods.
Quality Issues in China: Planning for the Worst Case Scenario
I responded to this Q&A about the types of quality issues, what to do in case of minor issues, what to do in case of major issues, and what steps small buyers should take to avoid those problems in the first place.