China supply chain transparency and monitoring is still as important an issue as it has ever been, and importers need to stay on their toes. Let's explore why this isn't getting any easier... … [Read more...]
6 Steps and 1 Key To Reduce Subcontracting Risks in China
I wrote before that the vast majority of Chinese manufacturers find it natural to subcontract certain orders. There are two main problems with this: It seems like a disproportionate number of quality issues occur on batches on which a key process was subcontracted. Walmart and other retailers are driving transparency and are ready to cut a supplier out if production is found in a non-approved factory. You can expect this trend for openness to gain in momentum in the coming years. This is … [Read more...]
8 Ways to Prevent Chinese Suppliers from Subcontracting
I wrote before that the vast majority of Chinese manufacturers routinely subcontract some orders. The problem is, they usually do it without disclosing the reality to their customer. Why do they subcontract production to another factory? Sometimes it is a necessity to meet the customer's tight deadlines. And sometimes it is a way to cut costs, by placing production in a cheap workshop that has virtually no control over quality. This can result in a quality disaster (very common), a PR … [Read more...]