China Manufacturing Decoded
 

China Manufacturing Decoded

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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

BONUS: Covid Lockdowns Intensify Across China

Monday Mar 14, 2022

Monday Mar 14, 2022

In this episode...

Renaud is back with a bonus episode about the Covid situation in China. Since our last episode, the situation has gotten a lot more serious and there are lockdowns all around China, including in some major manufacturing cities and provinces, including Guangdong, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Changchun (to name but a few).

Until now supply chains probably haven't been affected so much, but now factories are being shuttered, staff are at home, and deliveries and shipments can't take place. Add this to the sanctions on Russia, and times are getting complicated.

 

Show Sections

00:00 - Introduction.

00:52 - The uncertain situation. Have the figures been accurate?

02:05 - Shenzhen has been locked down, here's what we know.

04:28 - Focus on South China (including Hong Kong)

08:08 - Can the government contain the outbreaks and what's the impact on manufacturing?

14:14 - Other areas and cities around China's North facing restrictions.

16:06 - How these lockdowns will impact importers, especially logistics.

21:34 - Ports in China and shipping are at particular risk of disruption by Covid cases.

22:37 - Wrapping up. 

 

Related content...

Here are some related posts:

 

Get in touch with us

 

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What’s The ’Cradle To Cradle’ Product Design Concept?

Friday Mar 11, 2022

Friday Mar 11, 2022

In this episode...

Renaud and Adrian are back to discuss 'Cradle to Cradle' product design. Sustainability is in the media a lot these days as we have global instability from Covid and war causing energy, material, and shipping cost increases (among others) and climate change and environmental damage becoming more serious leading to the need to reduce carbon emissions as well as lowering the amount of hazardous waste produced.

So, traditional products that become waste at the end of their lifecycles are starting to be replaced by more sustainable ones, and one of the most sustainable product design concepts is C2C that, theoretically, stops products from becoming waste at all.

Sit back and listen as we discuss the history of manufacturing, how it has evolved to become 'less bad' in the late 20th Century and now more sustainable in the early 21st, what's included in C2C certification, how to design Cradle to Cradle products, and the pros & cons of following this approach.

However, as the Covid situation in China becomes more serious, we start by checking in on how this could be affecting supply chains and the situation on the ground there...

 

Show Sections

00:00 - Greetings & introduction to the topic.

01:47 - The Covid situation in China and Hong kong.

07:45 - How we got from unsustainable (take/make/waste) to more sustainable (cradle to grave) manufacturing.

15:08 - The move to fully sustainable (cradle to cradle) manufacturing due to the failure of recycling to be sustainable.

20:22 - Key features of the C2C ethos.

25:18 - How much can manufacturers do to increase their use of renewable energy?

27:20 - C2C certification.

33:54 - C2C product examples.

36:55 - What do product designers need to keep in mind when designing a C2C product?

41:15 - Benefits of C2C.

44:55 - Drawbacks of C2C.

49:16 - How Sofeast can help your businesses become more sustainable.

53:22 - Wrapping up. 

 

Related content...

Here are some related posts:

 

Get in touch with us

 

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:


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Could War In Ukraine Affect Chinese Supply Chains?

Friday Mar 04, 2022

Friday Mar 04, 2022

In this episode...

Renaud and Adrian speak about the current war in Ukraine as we reach about a week into Russia's invasion. How can large-scale wars like this affect global supply chains? Where does China come into it? Is the West likely to turn its back on China in a similar way as they have done with Russia in the future? Finally, Renaud leaves you with some tips to reduce supply chain risks by potentially not leaving all of your eggs in the China basket.

 

Show Sections

00:00 - Greetings & introduction.

01:15 - Some thoughts about the war in Ukraine.

04:26 - The speed of Western sanctions against Russia and their effects.

07:57 - Will sanctions on Russia affect China?

10:34 - Logistics costs.

12:28 - Could the decoupling happening to Russia happen to China, too?

17:24 - Is the risk of a sudden decoupling from China higher or lower now?

20:29 - What can be done to reduce supply chain risks in this time of instability?

25:06 - Wrapping up. 

 

Related content...

Here are some related posts:

 

Get in touch with us

 

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:


Get in touch with us

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6 Phases Of The Industrial Design Process (Feat. Andy Bartlett)

Friday Feb 25, 2022

Friday Feb 25, 2022

In this episode...

Andy Bartlett, an experienced UK-based product designer, joins Sofeast's CEO Renaud Anjoran on the podcast once again. Following on from a recent episode where Andy introduced industrial design and how to work with designers, this time they break down the ID process (with a focus on electro-mechanical products being made by startups and SMEs) into 6 detailed 'phases' and Andy explains each drawing from his own long experience. This will be helpful for anyone who's currently developing a new product and will need to work with an industrial designer as you will understand roughly how the process will work.

*Apologies for any occasional tapping sounds during this recording* 😉 🙏 

 

Show Sections

00:00 - Greetings & introduction.

03:22 - What does the ID process typically include?

There are 6 phases:

  1. Clarification of needs
  2. Early discovery
  3. Initial concepts
  4. Focus on 1 concept
  5. Detailed aesthetics
  6. Handover & follow up

04:38 - Clarification of needs.

16:29 - Early discovery.

19:19 - Initial concepts.

33:57 - Focus on 1 concept.

41:29 - Handover & follow up.

43:07 - Detailed aesthetics.

45:17 - Follow up once the product is being developed.

47:36 - Wrapping up. 

 

Related content...

Andy is a friend of the show and has been on a few times. You may remember him from shows about good project management of Chinese suppliers and NPI process best practices.

 

Get in touch with us

 

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:


Get in touch with us

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BONUS: Covid Situation in China (24 Feb 2022)

Thursday Feb 24, 2022

Thursday Feb 24, 2022

In this episode, Renaud and Adrian give a bonus update on the Covid situation across China as localized Omicron outbreaks lead to restrictions and difficulty moving in and out of affected areas.

Why is this important information for importers?

Some major manufacturing hubs are affected, including Shenzhen, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Suzhou. This could mean that your supply chain is affected as workers are quarantined. Alternatively, it may affect your ability to keep control over or in contact with your supply chain and visits such as factory audits and product inspections may need to be cancelled.

Restrictions are affecting logistics, too, as shipping to and from China is currently subjected to fairly strict quarantine procedures.

We also explain some of the ways that we've used at Sofeast to keep providing remote services such as inspections at times when access to manufacturers is not possible...these could be helpful for you if your supplier is in an affected area.

Related content...

 

Get in touch with us

 

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:

 


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Building Rapport With Suppliers - Sourcing from China (Part 5)

Friday Feb 18, 2022

Friday Feb 18, 2022

In this episode...

Many importers are new to sourcing from China so we've been creating a mini-series of episodes that explores the sourcing process with advice and best practices from Sofeast's CEO Renaud Anjoran.

Up until now, we have discussed hard skills in parts 1-4 (links below) such as how to identify suitable suppliers, arrange backups, negotiate terms, create your quality standard, manage your project, and inspect product quality.

But dealing with suppliers takes soft skills, too, and this is the area that Renaud and Adrian explore today as they discuss how to build rapport and relationships with Chinese suppliers and the benefits of doing so.

 

Show Sections

00:00 - Greetings & introduction

02:48 - Examples of 3 types of typical customer/supplier relationships

07:25 - Reciprocity for favors between suppliers and customers

10:18 - What are the inner and outer circles in Chinese relationships? 

13:30 - Is it worth befriending your Chinese supplier to break into the inner circle? 

16:04 - What is the concept of 'face?'

23:13 - Tips for how to build relationships with suppliers in China.

26:20 - How to be seen as a 'good customer?'

28:15 - Risks facing customers without a good relationship

31:31 - How to get better results from email communication?

33:22 - Wrapping up. 

 

Related content...

These resources will also help you understand how to build relationships with suppliers or improve (or end) those that you already have:

And, if all else fails and you need to ditch your current supplier and switch to a new one...

 

Get in touch with us

 

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:


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The Long-Term Costs of Poor Quality & Reliability (feat. Clive Greenwood & Andrew Amirnovin)

Friday Feb 11, 2022

Friday Feb 11, 2022

In this episode...

Renaud is joined this week by two guests who both have decades of industry experience each: Sofeast's reliability expert, Andrew Amirnovin who has a background in electrical engineering and a keen focus on product reliability, and Clive Greenwood a quality consultant at WWMG associates who is a Six Sigma Black Belt and has a special focus on medical devices and product compliance.

They'll be discussing the long-term costs of poor product quality and reliability, including some real product examples you've probably heard of, the negative effects of poor reliability and quality products hitting the market, how to prevent those issues when developing & making a product, and how to prevent those issues when building a quality management system.

 

Show Sections

00:00 - Greetings & today's topic

01:16 - Clive & Andrew introductions and industry experience

03:59 - Some real-life examples of products that suffered from bad quality and reliability

11:17 - People often focus on quality, but not reliability. A mistake?

17:28 - How to make a reliable product and prevent quality & reliability issues?

27:27 - Where do design engineers go wrong?

34:34 - Compliance standards

37:22 - A list of typical costs of poor quality once a bad product hits the field

39:39 - The example of a defective toy and how it affected the brand

42:47 - The relationship between the design and quality & reliability teams

47:45 - Process risk analysis

50:51 - The 8D corrective action process

55:26 - Summary and conclusion

 

Related content...

 

Get in touch with us

 

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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:


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All About Industrial Design (feat. Andy Bartlett)

Friday Feb 04, 2022

Friday Feb 04, 2022

In this episode...

Adrian from the Sofeast team catches up with a friend of the show, British product designer Andy Bartlett, to have a lively chat all about industrial design.

If you're bringing your new product idea to market you're going to need to work with an industrial designer to explore the idea and create designs that can actually be produced by a supplier in their factory. So let's get acquainted with some of the key aspects of industrial design here.

What is industrial design? What are the best practices followed by designers? What tools might they use and when? What role does CMF (color, material, finish) play in the design process? What do industrial designers need to know from you when you start working with them? 

These and more questions will be answered by Andy, so keep listening to find out...

 

Show Sections

00:00 - Greetings 

00:59 - Today's topic 

1:10 - Andy introduces himself and his experience as a product designer

02:16 - What is industrial design?

04:56 - When can/should you engage an industrial designer?

07:13 - What tools & processes will industrial designers use?

11:34 - Can you go into prototyping before finishing 3D designs?

13:24 - CMF: Color, Material, and Finishes

17:22 - Is it beneficial for industrial designers to specialize in one product type or have a broader experience?

19:14 - Why compromise is a useful skill for designers

21:11 - What information do industrial designers need from their clients at the start of an engagement and how to manage the customer's requirements?

28:57 - Tips about being a part of a multinational project (customer in one country, designer in another, production supplier in Asia)

33:33 - Wrapping up. 

 

Related content...

Andy has been on the show before, of course, and you may remember him from shows about good project management of Chinese suppliers and NPI process best practices. 

 

Get in touch with us

 

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:


Get in touch with us

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Chinese Or Western Model Manufacturer. Which To Use In China?

Friday Jan 28, 2022

Friday Jan 28, 2022

In this episode...

Sofeast's CEO Renaud recently wrote this guest post on Harris Bricken's China Law Blog about the two main product development models importers will experience when sourcing a Chinese manufacturing partner. Today he goes deeper, joined by Adrian from the Sofeast team, and explains what they are in detail, why expectations about how most Chinese manufacturers will behave need to change, and their pros & cons to you if you're searching for a manufacturer right now. You'll learn which model to use, how to structure your relationship with a Chinese manufacturer, protect IP effectively, and much more...

 

Show Sections

00:00 - Greetings & introduction

01:59 - Who does the product engineering design work?

08:16 - The 'Western Model' and its pros & cons

18:13 - The 'Chinese Model' and its pros & cons

33:03 - How do you select which model is better for your needs?

38:50 - Wrapping up. 

 

Related content...

 

Get in touch with us

 

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:


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Risks You Face When Skipping New Product Introduction Steps (feat. Andrew Amirnovin)

Friday Jan 21, 2022

Friday Jan 21, 2022

In this episode...

The NPI process constitutes a lot of time, money, and effort before your product is even ready for manufacturing. Some manufacturers rush into mass production without following an NPI process or by skipping some of its key phases. Sofeast's CEO Renaud and reliability expert Andrew are going to revisit the NPI process and explain why skipping its phases is a terrible idea while illustrating the many risks you face if doing so.

 

Show Sections

00:00 - Greetings & introduction

01:11 - Looking back at one of our most popular older episodes about the NPI process

Episode 23: Analysing the (NPI) New Product Introduction Process & its Benefits is one of our all-time most popular episodes, and in it, Renaud went through our 6-phase NPI process for bringing your product from concept through to mass production. 

02:53 - Today's focus: The risks of skipping the different NPI phases and rushing into production

04:16 - Concept/Idea & Documenting the requirements

10:05 - Feasibility study/Proof of concept

13:42 - Sourcing key components and materials early

19:40 - Getting feedback on the design before production

24:38 - In-depth testing during pre-production

30:20 - Pilot runs

34:56 - Wrapping up. 

 

Related content...

 

Get in touch with us

 

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:


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