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Join Renaud Anjoran, Founder & CEO of Sofeast, in this podcast aimed at importers who develop their own products as he discusses the hottest topics and shares actionable tips for manufacturing in China & Asia today! WHO IS RENAUD? Renaud is a French ISO 9001 & 14001 certified lead auditor, ASQ certified Quality Engineer and Quality Manager who has been working in the Chinese manufacturing industry since 2005. He is the founder of the Sofeast group that has over 200 staff globally and offers services (QA, product development & engineering, project management, Supply Chain Management, product compliance, reliability testing), contract manufacturing, and 3PL fulfillment for importers and businesses who develop their own products and buyers from China & SE Asia. WHY LISTEN? We‘ll discuss interesting topics for anyone who develops and sources their products from Asian suppliers and will share Renaud‘s decades of manufacturing experience, as well as inviting guests from the industry to get a different viewpoint. Our goal is to help you get better results and end up with suppliers and products that exceed your expectations!
Episodes
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
In this episode...
Sofeast's head of Supply Chain Management, Kate, joins Adrian in this short bonus podcast with a logistics focus to explain what HS and HTS codes are, and why they're so important for importers who are shipping their products from where they're manufactured to where they're going to be sold.
These codes are added to your customs declaration and classify what your product is. Different product codes will attract different levels of import duties, taxes, and tariffs, so selecting the right code is critical (and more than one might be appropriate for your product)! Your product classification may also influence the materials, components, and packaging you use, so that's also something to be aware of.
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings.
01:11 - What are HS and HTS codes?
02:53 - How to select appropriate codes for your product/s?
03:33 - How the US/China trade war has affected costs for importers from China and why being aware of potential duties for your product is necessary before you ship.
06:319 - An example of where researching a better HTS code saved an American importer a lot of money.
08:59 - Kate's advice on getting the best code for your needs.
Related content...
- HS vs HTS Codes: How to Find the Right Code for your Product? (incl. Links to Official Sources)
- Shipping Marks
- Types of Incoterms
- Where does Sofeast provide logistics support from?
- Sofeast's logistics experts can help you get your products from Asia to where you need them - explore our Logistics Management solution where we take care of the entire process for you, from packing, incoterms, and warehousing, through to fulfillment and managing duties and tariffs upon arrival. Get a tailored quotation for your needs.
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
In this episode...
Inventors with a new product concept are rightly concerned with IP protection. They sometimes ask if they should invest in a patent for their new idea ASAP. Renaud and Andrew join Adrian to cover this topic here.
You'll learn about types of patents, their cost, when a product is most likely to benefit from being patented, best practices for protecting your IP that you can follow before you file a patent, and plenty of examples of real businesses that had legal issues related to patents or who got to market successfully by being smart and careful about IP.
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings & today's topic: Patents for new hardware products.
03:33 - IP protection Basics 1: Always sign an NDA when disclosing the product concept to people in the industry.
04:58 - IP protection Basics 2: These actions will get your product idea copied early.
07:14 - The different types of patents.
10:39 - Approximate costs for patent applications and PPA timeline.
17:24 - If patents are too expensive, what alternatives are there for protecting IP?
22:04 - The 2 main fears of people launching a new product.
33:32 - The dangers of going to investors and pitching your new product idea.
36:37 - What to do if you have a 'home run?'
39:17 - What if your product is not a home run?
41:14 - Which version of the new product really needs a patent?
46:20 - The dilemmas you face: To patent, or not to patent, and when?
50:39 - Summary and wrapping up.
Related content...
- Read a whole selection of our content about Product IP Risks & Protection When Manufacturing [Resources]
- IP Protection in China when Developing Your New Product [Importer’s Guide]
- New Physical Products: Patents Should Come After Market Success
- What’s The Investment Required To Bring My New Product To Market?
- Misguided Legal Advice Given to Startups in China: 8 Examples
- How To Create A Valid Manufacturing Contract In China To Protect Your IP
- Will A China NNN Agreement Protect Us If We Start Assembling Products There?
Get help from Sofeast to check that potential manufacturers are trustworthy: Combined Supplier Due Diligence Checks (Best Results & Value)
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
In this episode...
Renaud and Adrian talk about the 11 points buyers need to cover when sourcing a contract manufacturer in China for electronic products (although much of this advice is relevant to many hard goods in general and suppliers in other Asian countries, too) so you can find a partner you can rely on.
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings & today's topic: Sourcing a CM in China for manufacturing electronic products.
02:10 - What is a contract manufacturer in comparison to other supplier types?
06:55 - 1. What will your order quantity be? (This influences the type of CM that is suitable)
09:43 - 2. Will you order a high-volume, low product mix setup, or the opposite?
12:24 - 3. Do you have visibility and transparency over the supply chain?
19:14 - 4. Will your Intellectual Property be protected, and how?
20:48 - 5. Will they be helping to develop your product and make it compliant?
23:51 - 6. What manufacturing processes does the CM have in-house?
27:45 - 7. What is the CM's QC capability?
28:35 - 8. What kinds of tooling, fixtures, and jigs does the CM have for in-line testing?
29:37 - 9. Who has liability for safety and compliance issues?
31:00 - 10. What payment terms can they accept?
32:01 - 11. What delivery terms do they provide (incoterms)?
34:56 - Summary and wrapping up.
Related content...
- OEM, ODM, Contract Manufacturers: Which Chinese Supplier To Choose?
- Typical Problems with Electronic Contract Manufacturers in China
- 6 best Practices When Working With Contract Manufacturers In China
- 6 Terms You Should Specifically Negotiate With Your Contract Manufacturer
- Using One Turnkey Manufacturer vs. Several Suppliers for China Production
- IP Protection in China when Developing Your New Product [Importer’s Guide]
- How To Create A Valid Manufacturing Contract In China To Protect Your IP
- Will A China NNN Agreement Protect Us If We Start Assembling Products There?
- How To Get Transparency And Control Over Your Supply Chain? [podcast]
- Explore Sofeast's different Factory Audit Solutions
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
In this episode...
Adrian is joined by one of Sofeast's senior engineers, Paul Adams, who will take us through 7 key tests that importers who are developing new metal and/or plastic products and checking that their quality remains on target after production should consider to check and validate certain critical points in materials, components, and products, such as their hardness, durability, and chemical makeup.
He explains what each test is, the equipment used, the industries and products that use them, and more, so you can decide if they're right for your product.
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings.
01:04 - Introducing Paul Adams.
02:56 - Today's topic: The tests most importers should consider performing on their hard goods and why.
Namely:
- Tensile test
- Impact test
- Hardness test
- Flexural test (bend test)
- Chemical analysis
- Fatigue testing
- Creep test
These are NOT in order of importance.
05:44 - Test 1: Tensile test
16:20 - Why importers should have an understanding of test machine types.
17:20 - Test 2: Impact test.
25:46 - Test 3: Hardness test.
34:21 - Test 4: Flexural test (bend test).
42:06 - Test 5: Chemical analysis.
49:46 - Test 6: Fatigue testing.
57:09 - Test 7: Creep test.
1:04:26 - Summary of tests covered & wrapping up.
Related content...
Need help with testing? Sofeast can help you devise and perform appropriate testing such as those outlined here on your materials/parts/product in our own lab: Reliability & Durability Testing (Products & Packaging in a China lab)
- What’s the real Cost of Poor Quality and Reliability? [Podcast]
- What To Do If Your Electronic Product Contains Unreliable Components?
- When and Why a Product Failure Analysis is Required [Podcast]
- How to Reduce Your Product Return Rate? [Podcast]
- Content from Paul about selecting and testing common thermoplastics
- Checking Steel's Properties [Video playlist including many tests]
- Silicone Rubber Properties Testing (Tensile strength, Elongation, & Tear strength) [Video]
- How To Test Silicone Hardness? [Video]
- Plastic Testing [Video playlist including many tests]
- How Reliability Testing Is Critical To Obtaining Great Mass-Produced Products
- CTQ Components: How Component Engineers Manage Their Quality
- List of testing laboratories in China
- Product Reliability Testing | 7 FAQs
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
In this episode...
Adrian welcomes back Sofeast's head of New Product Development and resident product reliability expert, Andrew Amirnovin, and in this bonus episode, they're discussing UL compliance.
You'll find out what UL certification is, what it involves, the types of products that require it, and where. UL compliance is especially important for American importers, but UL screening gives any importer a good understanding of their product's safety, too, so give it a listen here.
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings.
00:30 - The topic: UL compliance.
01:51 - What kind of product might be seen as a safety hazard?
02:48 - Where is UL usually required and is it mandatory?
05:53 - Risks if you do not do UL certification.
07:48 - How long does UL certification take and what does it cost?
13:00 - Do you need to re-certify a new version of your product?
15:36 - When should you start working on UL compliance testing?
19:40 - Some ideas to avoid doing full UL certification.
24:13 - Why UL compliance is important, which labs you need to use for the testing, and the kinds of advice and support we usually provide to help clients comply.
30:44 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- 11 Common Electronic Product Certification And Compliance Requirements
- North American Product Safety & Compliance Certifications And Requirements For Electronics (UL, ETL, and CSA)
- FAQ: Can Sofeast help us with the certification of our new product?
- Get help from Sofeast to handle your product compliance process if you are unsure or confused. Our engineers research and take the time to understand which standards your product needs to comply with during the development stage, passing on testing suggestions and quotes from testing labs: Compliance Testing Consulting
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Jan 20, 2023
Friday Jan 20, 2023
In this episode...
Renaud and Adrian dissect two recent FT articles concerning how Apple set up a successful supply chain in China that helped them dominate rivals, how they handle the NPI process in a fairly unique way, and whether, in light of the current geopolitical situation, they're too reliant on China and what moves they're making to diversify.
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings.
01:20 - The topic: A focus on Apple. How they built a successful supply chain in China, and whether are they too reliant on China now.
04:00 - "I want to make a product with Apple's quality and design." Realistic?
08:06 - Finding new suppliers to keep the pressure on their supply chain and get the best deal possible.
11:26 - Apple has 15k of their own staff in China. What does this mean?
17:47 - Apple may not own the factories, but they do own a lot of the equipment. Why?
23:32 - They get sub-suppliers to commit to building custom parts just for Apple in large quantities.
27:27 - The benefits of using CMs like Foxconn.
29:29 - Giving away too much control and technical know-how is not the Apple way.
35:27 - Apple's attempts to diversify supply chains into Vietnam and India.
40:07 - Will/should they leave China entirely?
49:48 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Article 1: How Apple tied its fortunes to China
- Article 2: What it would take for Apple to disentangle itself from China
- Further confirmation that India’s exports to North America are booming
- ”Enterprise China” – China’s Strategy for Economic Success (Author Interview with Drs. Allen J. Morrison & J. Stewart Black)
- Can We Remove China From Our Supply Chains? [Podcast]
- How Sourcing From India Has Changed In 2022 (Part 1: Trends & Manufacturing Landscape)
- Globalism 2.0: North American Importers To Move Supply Chains Out Of China Soon? [Podcast]
- How to Manage the NPI Process based on your Manufacturer's Ability [Video]
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Jan 13, 2023
Friday Jan 13, 2023
In this episode...
Renaud returns this week, but this time he's flying solo and coming to you from Las Vegas where he's been at CES 2023.
What's new, what's interesting, and everything else you need to know about this gigantic consumer electronics trade show is included in this episode!
Show Sections
00:00 - Greeting from Vegas!
00:39 - Why is CES important and how is it structured?
05:46 - There was a strong Korean showing.
07:04 - Reinvented 'smart' products were a hot category.
10:16 - Products that are more revolutionary.
12:16 - Health and concept products.
14:19 - The Metaverse.
17:40 - Other 'hot' products.
23:58 - Electric Vehicles.
25:12 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- The weirdest and most wonderful products CES 2023 had to offer
- An Effective New Product Development Process for Electronics
- Why New Product Development of Electronics Takes So Long
- Electronics Videos: Basics about PCB, PCBA, and the SMT Process For Importers
- Plastic Enclosures for Electronics Projects (Plastics Sourcing Guide)
- Typical Problems with Electronic Contract Manufacturers in China
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Jan 06, 2023
Friday Jan 06, 2023
In this episode...
Sofeast's head of Supply Chain Management, Kate, joins Adrian from the team who is on hosting duty to kick off 2023 with an interesting discussion about how logistics from China are affected by the current Covid epidemic at the beginning of 2023, what has changed in the logistics and shipping industry (such as costs), and what other changes might be on the horizon for importers from China.
After some troubled years, it's mainly good news!
Show Sections
00:00 - New year's greetings, introducing Kate, and introducing today's topic: changes in logistics from China to the West since 2021 and looking ahead into 2023.
01:16 - What is China's Covid epidemic like right now in early Jan '23 and how is it affecting importers?
07:36 - What is the current situation in logistics from China now?
13:37 - What logistics challenges are we facing now in early 2023?
21:31 - Looking ahead into 2023.
24:56 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Chinese New Year 2023 Comes Early. Be Prepared! [Podcast]
- What Does a Re-Opened China (Without Quarantine) Mean for Foreign Business?
- Where does Sofeast provide logistics support from?
- Sofeast's logistics experts can help you get your products from Asia to where you need them - explore our Logistics Management solution where we take care of the entire process for you, from packing, incoterms, and warehousing, through to fulfillment and managing duties and tariffs upon arrival. Get a tailored quotation for your needs.
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Dec 30, 2022
Friday Dec 30, 2022
In this episode...
Renaud and Adrian review 2022's largest geopolitical and new stories that have affected manufacturers with supply chains in China (and other Asian countries to a lesser extent).
Covid has continued to be problematic in China for numerous reasons, even now that the Zero Covid policy has been dropped, the Russian invasion has the world nervously looking at China's actions towards Taiwan, the USA and China continue to fight a trade war, and other Western countries' relationships with China have also started to worsen. That's just a few of the stories discussed!
We also cover some of the Sofeast group's activities and achievements during 2022, and refresh your memory about our top podcasts and best pieces of content published during the year!
See you back here in 2023! 😉
Show Sections
00:00 - New Year's Greetings
01:20 - Covid's effects in 2022 and into 2023.
08:57 - Logistics and shipping costs and availability.
12:06 - Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
15:14 - The US/China trade war and tech war.
21:03 - Political friction increasing between the West and China.
24:27 - The expansion of Chinese-owned enterprises around the world and the future of ODM products.
29:21 - Key Sofeast group highlights from 2022.
33:01 - Top podcast episodes of 2022.
These episodes were the most popular with you all this year.
- Is It Time For North American Importers To Leave China? (Feat. Andrew Hupert)
- How to develop your Chinese suppliers? - Sourcing from China (Part 7)
- Levels of Quality Standards (from Basic to Advanced)
- An Effective QA Program For New Electronic Products
- ’Design for X’ Overview: 12 Optimizations for New Products (Feat. Andrew Amirnovin)
- The One ’MUST DO’ Before Mass Producing Your New Product (Feat. Andrew Amirnovin)
- Chinese Or Western Model Manufacturer. Which To Use In China?
- Risks You Face When Skipping New Product Introduction Steps (feat. Andrew Amirnovin)
- Factory Audits = Better Suppliers = Better Quality Products. Real Data Analysis! (Feat. Prof. Neale O’Connor FCPA)
- Calculating the Cash Needed to Prototype and Launch your New Product
- How To Start Developing Your New Product (Feat. Liz Long)
38:33 - Sofeast Content highlights
- A series of in-depth articles about the types of plastics that can be chosen for various common types of products like signage, electronic products, etc. How to Choose the Correct Outdoor Plastics for your next Product? (4 Guides) and Sourcing Guides for Internal Use Plastic Mechanical Parts.
- Content about product environmental impacts:
- What is the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation?
- The EU Ecodesign Regulation Is Coming, But Are You Prepared? (Podcast part 1)
- How To Comply With The EU Ecodesign Regulation? (Podcast part 2)
- Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Requirements: What Manufacturers need to know
- How To Do an LCA? (Measuring a Product’s Environmental Impact)
- Minimizing a Product’s ‘Cradle to Grave’ Environmental Impact
- 15 Key Eco Certifications For Green Manufacturers - Blog posts about sourcing different popular products from India.
41:25 - Wrapping up ~ happy new year to all of our listeners! 🎉
Related content...
- Ultimate Guide To Sourcing From China And Developing Your Suppliers [FREE eBook]
- Get help from Sofeast to comply with the EU Ecodesign regulation if you import into Europe.
- Sofeast assists you with LCA and/or EPD Support (For Measuring a Product’s Environmental Impact)
- We will continue to blog every month on Sofeast's blog, QualityInspection.org, and the Agilian Technology blog.
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- Don't forget to grab our monthly newsletter where we remind you about our latest content so you won't miss a thing - subscribe to the Sofeast newsletter here.
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Dec 16, 2022
Friday Dec 16, 2022
In this episode...
Renaud and Adrian revisit the topic of protecting product IP and your business interests when doing your product development and manufacturing in Asian countries. Renaud shares 5 key pieces of advice for anyone who is concerned about this topic, such as which agreements to use and why, not getting bogged down with patents, what to share online about your new product idea and when, and much more!
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings
00:24 - Today's topic: Protecting IP and yourself when manufacturing in Asia.
03:26 - 1. Don't let worries about being copied consume you and put you off from manufacturing in China.
10:59 - 2. Don't immediately take what IP and patent lawyers say at face value.
11:55 - Doing market research and raising funds the smart/safe way.
21:18 - 3. Don't get bogged down with questions about IP rights from investors.
23:46 - When to register trademarks?
24:29 - 4. DON'T add a category to your product name.
27:11 - 5. Use the right agreements.
34:03 - How agreements can help with supply chain transparency and protecting your business.
39:59 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- IP Protection in China when Developing Your New Product [Importer’s Guide]
- How To Create A Valid Manufacturing Contract In China To Protect Your IP
- Will A China NNN Agreement Protect Us If We Start Assembling Products There?
- Chinese Copycats: A Real Problem For Entrepreneurs?
- Exploring Product Development Agreements For Importers [Podcast]
- Correctly Using A Non Disclosure Non Use Non Circumvention Agreement [Podcast]
- How To Get Transparency And Control Over Your Supply Chain? [podcast]
- My Supplier Won’t Provide Important Supply Chain Information!
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please: