Did you know that almost 30% of all manufactured goods came from China?
The Chinese manufacturing industry has become one of the most dominant industries in the world. Supplying goods to almost every country on the planet, Chinese manufacturers provide high-quality, scalable production services.
Leveraging the best China manufacturing services can help with more than just product assembly. Modern organizations also offer product development, product design, quality control, and even global distribution services. This makes Chinese manufacturing companies some of the most powerful partners for your business.
Looking for a manufacturing partner in China? You’ve found the perfect blog. Read on for everything you need to know about securing the best China manufacturer.
1. Do Your Research
When deciding on a new manufacturer, the best place to start is with research.
This preliminary research sets the tone for the entire project and allows you to quickly shortlist manufacturing options for your business.
2. Hire a Consultant
While preliminary research will allow you to shortlist a few potential companies, hiring a consultant is the most effective way to secure a manufacturing contract with a Chinese company. These consultants are experienced professionals who can negotiate the best deal on your behalf.
Since most of the information about Chinese manufacturing companies is in Chinese, these firms can help do in-depth research on your behalf. They will be able to contact manufacturers on your behalf and even collect quotes for you to compare.
3. Compare Quotes
Once you have shortlisted your options, the next step is to compare quotes. It’s important to compare equal quotes. This means that if one company does not include shipping or 3PL services, you should add those figures to the total sum before comparing quotes.
An important tip to keep in mind is negotiation. If you’ve received a better quote from another company, don’t be shy to leverage that to get you a better deal.
This process can be a bit difficult, especially when you take the language barrier into account. This further emphasizes the value of hiring a professional consultant to help you through the entire process.
4. Scalability
One of the most important aspects of finding a manufacturing partner is to consider their ability to scale. International partnerships are complicated and time-consuming to set up, so it’s important that you find a partner who can meet your needs both today and in the future.
If you were to require a sudden increase in production, your manufacturing partner would need to scale along with you. If you partner with a manufacturer that can’t scale, you may have to spend more money finding a new supplier. This can cost you money and valuable time.
This is why it’s so important to find the right partner from the start.
5. Embrace Communication
When dealing with international manufacturers and suppliers, it can be difficult to keep in constant communication. This is particularly difficult if you’re in different time zones. However, one of the best ways to find and maintain a good relationship with an international manufacturer is through consistent communication.
If there is a language barrier, you can consider hiring a cultural translator. These services will help keep you and the manufacturer on the same page.
Some Chinese manufacturing companies hire translators to make communication easier. Think about this when deciding on switching to a new manufacturer.
6. Look for Online Reviews
When looking through your manufacturer options, it’s important to do your research on every company. This includes looking through their website and customer reviews. You can look for products they have produced in the past as well as approach other businesses that procure their services.
As a business owner, the best way to find out whether a manufacturer is reliable is to talk to other business owners. Before signing anything, talk to a few people that have done business with them in the past so that you’re fully aware of what the experience is like.
While some companies can hide bad reviews online, it’s far more difficult to hide a bad personal experience.
7. Hire A 3rd-Party Inspector in China
Although modern technology enables you to do everything online, it can be helpful to visit China for yourself. Chinese companies are incredibly hospitable and would happily give you a tour of the manufacturing facility.
It would be a great way to see the might of a manufacturer for yourself, but due to the current travel restrictions, it’s nearly impossible to secure a trip to China. A 3rd-Party inspector can be your eyes for an on-site audit.
Making definitive supply chain decisions can be tricky. At the end of the day, making the wrong choice can cost you money, time, and even your brand’s personal reputation. With this in mind, having on-site representation can help ease your mind and give you the confidence you need to sign off on the agreement.
When the country reopens, visiting China can also help you spot new opportunities to expand. There are hundreds of manufacturing and product expos in China every year, with manufacturers and designers from around the world advertising new opportunities in which to invest.
Leverage the Scale of China Manufacturing Services
China manufacturing services are some of the most technologically advanced and scalable solutions to implement in your business.
If you need help choosing a manufacturer, we are here to assist. We specialize in building strong relationships between Chinese manufacturing companies and small businesses around the world.
If you have any questions or want to learn more about leveraging the scale of the Chinese manufacturing industry, feel free to contact us today.
