Where do you start when you are looking for a manufacturer of your product? We have already acknowledged the benefits of offshoring, but how do you find a business when they are thousands of kilometers away? This article will outline the best practices to take when choosing your manufacturer.
The first step in selecting an offshore manufacturer is to get as much background knowledge as you can. This is important because you want to ensure that they are high-quality, safe and reliable. Note that everything you find should be taken with a grain of salt and you should combine your information to get the answers you need. You can get background information by:
You may need to work with a partner to get more background information on your selected manufacturer. Kingstec’s manufacturing partners are all fully vetted, trusted and have worked with Kingstec for multiple decades. We are ultimately responsible for your project, so we only work with people we trust.
Language barriers can often present problems during the process of manufacturing your product when using an offshore manufacturer. Prior to selection, you should ensure that the communication between you and them is good. The process of communicating with them should be seamless. You want a team who speaks the same language as you or has access to a translator. When you do communicate with them, ask yourself if they truly understand your direction and are following your instructions as you have laid them out.
When interviewing potential offshore manufacturers, their experience is going to be paramount to the success of your product’s production. Do they have the experience to guide you as the client through the issues that will come up from design to finished product? A manufacturer who has experience manufacturing products in your line of business or with machinery and processes that you require could be a good choice.
While this may be difficult with the current travel restrictions, there are still ways that you can execute a site visit to your potential manufacturer. Cameras, Zoom meetings and partners on the ground ensure that you can see what is happening on the shop floor. You want to make sure of a number of factors during your virtual or in-person site visit. Ask yourself:
While housekeeping might seem like a minor issue, it gives you a sense of the bigger picture. A shop that is not run well means your quality, speed or general production could be impacted.
When considering pricing, the lowest or higher bidders are not necessarily the winners in this scenario. While some shops may have higher pricing, they may also have specialized tools, machines and expertise, which you will have to consider if you truly need. Finding exactly what you need and then pricing from there is important. A key factor to remember is that the better the service, the higher the price when it comes to offshore manufacturing. Your objectives will change as the complexity of your project changes. Price may be the most important objective for a simple project, but other factors will come into play as the technicality or specialization of your project increases.
Background checks, communication issues, reference checks and site visits are a tall order for someone looking to manufacture their products, but it is completely necessary if you want to select the right manufacturer. Enlisting the help of a partner to help with the selection is going to take the onus off of you to do this work.
Kingstec has many fully-vetted offshore manufacturers who produce in a number of industries. We have done the site visits, completed background and reference checks and most importantly, we have the relationships to leverage to get your project done right and on time. They can help with translation and working out the pricing details. Want to learn more about how Kingstec can help you find the right offshore manufacturer? Contact us today.
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