QualityInspection.org

Quality Assurance, Product Development, and Purchasing Strategies in China

Zero-China Supply Chain: Should Importers pursue it?

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Following October 2022's 20th Communist Party Congress in which Xi Jinping made various statements about the state of China and its future plans, some of which spooked Western observers, let's investigate what China's current politics might mean for manufacturers with a supply chain there and if trying to build a 'Zero-China' supply chain is warranted for anyone who's worried about the stability of the region. You'll also learn about how to minimize supply chain disruption by following a China … [Read more...]

Why You Need To Know Who’s In Your Supply Chain [Podcast]

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In this episode… Consider this: If you don't know who's making your key components or product itself, or even where they are, how can you be sure that your product will be of acceptable quality or compliant with market regulations? More importers than you might think do not have visibility over their supply chains, and there are a number of reasons for this. Renaud and Adrian discuss how to improve your visibility over your supply chain. You'll learn why new regulations are making … [Read more...]

The Impacts of Russia Sanctions on International Trade & Logistics

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The horrific invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions on Russia are starting to have effects that importers & exporters are feeling. Combined with the consequences of covid outbreaks and the already very high shipping prices, they will probably make for a rough environment in the next few months. Let's go through the 4 main issues one by one.   1. China is having a hard time containing covid For the past couple of weeks, many people from our Shenzhen office have been in … [Read more...]

How To Keep Your China Factories’ Identities Secret

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Last week I wrote How To Push a Chinese or Vietnamese Supplier for Supply Chain Transparency. And, of course, pushing suppliers for transparency is hard: In the vast majority of cases, Chinese suppliers (and, to a lesser extent, those in Vietnam, too) do NOT want to disclose that supply chain information, mainly for 2 reasons: If the buyer can see the cost of the full bill of material, it becomes much easier to challenge the final price. In many cases, the final assembly … [Read more...]

How Does Mexico Compare To China As A Manufacturing Base? [Podcast]

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In this episode… Dan Harris from China Law Blog recently wrote: "Mexico is the New China" and Manufacturers are Moving There. Renaud Anjoran and Adrian from the team explore the topic of nearshoring to locations like Mexico, why it may especially suit US companies, what Mexico's manufacturing pros & cons are in comparison to China, assessing your supply chain risk, and Renaud finishes off by giving some guidance for importers who are interested in moving some or all of their … [Read more...]

Buying Electronic Components In Advance In China To Avoid Further Price Hikes

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Several customers have asked us for help with buying electronic components in advance recently. If you purchase electronics from China, you have certainly noticed that prices have kept rising, and in some cases, the lead times are 6 months or longer. Some companies have stopped producing and are waiting for the insanity to stop, but most others have to keep supplying their customers. The question in their minds is 'how much worse is it going to get?' I thought I'd share some advice on … [Read more...]

4 Common Ways To Ship Products From China By Sea

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Our clients often ask for alternatives. And we encourage that. What makes sense for one company may not make sense for another. So, I wrote this mini-guide to the 4 main alternative ways to ship products from China by sea in order, from more to less common. Note, I only discuss sea freight here for simplicity. There are, of course, differences with air freight. … [Read more...]

Rising Raw Material Prices: What Strategy To Follow? (6 Approaches)

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In March (2021), we noted that the raw material prices of some commodities (silicone, some papers & cartons, some batteries...) went up a lot. And some analysts predict a multi-year increase in raw material prices. Bloomberg came up with an interesting article on this topic -- When Does a Commodities Boom Turn Into a Supercycle?: A surge in commodity prices has Wall Street banks gearing up for the arrival of what may be a new supercycle -- an extended period during which demand drives … [Read more...]

Importer’s ‘Supply Chain Spring Clean’ Checklist To Find Risks & Opportunities [Podcast]

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Got some time on your hands during Chinese New Year while your suppliers are on holiday? In this bumper 43 minute Chinese New Year episode to keep you entertained during the holiday, Renaud & Adrian discuss tasks importers can perform to spring clean their supply chains during the CNY holiday when you might have a little extra time on your hands. The point of this episode is to provoke some thought and help you to face some of the more difficult questions and tasks that often get put … [Read more...]