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

Friday Jul 09, 2021

A Guide To Plastic Injection Mold Tooling Management & Risk Reduction For Buyers

Friday Jul 09, 2021

In this episode...

Are you developing a new product which has plastic parts? If so, you'll need tooling made which including the mold for making the parts, so you're not going to want to miss this episode where we explain how to manage tooling and reduce your risks!
Typically, the tooling (mold) needs to be designed, fabricated, tested, and stored and moved correctly. But how do you manage all of these efficiently and reduce the risks of things going wrong?

Sofeast's CEO, Renaud Anjoran, and Adrian from the team discuss the risks and best practices of tooling management and use here.

Any questions about tooling management? We can help, as we help customers fabricate, manage, and store tooling in China and beyond. Let us know.

Show Notes

00:49 - Introduction.

01:05 - Defining 'tooling management.' Basically, tooling management is setting your expectations, review what the supplier/tooling shop is doing and confirm it makes sense, double-check and confirm that the tooling reaches your requirements, and retain access and control over the tooling.

08:39 - Some of the key risks you'll face throughout the lifecycle of a piece of plastic injection-molding tooling (and how to overcome them).

Plastic part design.
Sourcing the tooling supplier.
Selecting the right tooling supplier.
Mold design & drawings.
Mold fabrication.
Tooling trials & adjustments.
Transfer of tooling to the injection-molding factory.
Setup of the tooling for mass production.
During production.
Pulling the tooling out of a supplier's factory.
Tooling end-of-life.

39:24 - If you buy and own the tooling you need your development contract with the supplier to include the following...

These points help prevent you from being hooked by your supplier and unable to walk away (the amount of risk depends on the type of supplier you work with):

Outline who owns the IP rights to the tooling and its design.
Clarify the obligations of the supplier to keep the tooling in good working condition
Indicate how many shots the tooling should be capable of if using the correct materials and processes
Agree on the process to be followed if you wish to move to another supplier (access to the tooling) and that the supplier will be responsible for fixing any damage or problems with the tooling caused during their stewardship of it

42:37 - The process to follow when moving tooling between suppliers. At Sofeast, we follow a specific process for doing this safely and securely, and it's outlined in this blog post.

43:09 - Wrapping up.

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Friday Jul 02, 2021

How Did Sea Freight End Up In Such An Expensive Mess In 2021? (feat. Jon Monroe)

Friday Jul 02, 2021

In this episode...

Renaud is joined this week by global logistics expert Jon Monroe who boasts over 30 years in the logistics industry and has a strong focus on Transpacific trade who shares detailed information about how the shipping industry works. They discuss the current global shipping crunch (in June/July 2021) that is hitting a lot of importers with both towering costs and long lead times, and explore how we even came to this point while dispelling certain misconceptions. Jon also gives some insight into the situation in the USA specifically, but touches on other areas, such as Europe, too, and talks about alternative shipping methods like air freight.

So, if you've been affected by the shipping crunch this year, this episode is for you!

Show Notes

00:49 - Introduction.

01:27 - Jon introduces himself and what he's been up to.

03:18 - What are the factors that led us to be in our current situation?

07:37 - After the surge in demand started, why couldn't shipping companies just add more capacity?

09:25 - Was the surge driven by PPE?

10:26 - The 2 pandemics plaguing us right now: Covid-19 & containers.

12:28 - How and why cargo owners have been negatively affected and face rising costs.

15:32 - The impact of the Shenzhen Yantian YICT port's partial Covid closure in June '21 and carriers bypassing smaller Chinese ports on shipping.

19:21 - Why everyone is booking 4 weeks in advance of the cargo ready date of the factory now.

21:43 - Sky-high ocean line costs are fuelling price rises across the entire industry.

25:06 - How about air freight as an alternative to ocean freight?

27:21 - What impacts of these costs is Jon seeing on businesses?

30:46 - Jon introduces his Chinese team and how he helps companies ship from China.

32:22 - Wrapping up.

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Friday Jun 25, 2021

How To Improve Supplier Performance?

Friday Jun 25, 2021

In this episode...

Sofeast's CEO, Renaud Anjoran, talks you through a common query that we get at Sofeast on a regular basis when customers ask us: "How do I get my suppliers to improve?"

A recent survey of importers found that 70% said that their biggest challenge was working with suppliers to improve performance. So, with this in mind, Renaud goes through the topic based on training that he gave for European Chamber of Commerce in China members on improving suppliers with a focus on product quality, delivery times, price, and more.

So, how to spur improvement in your Chinese suppliers? Keep listening...

Show Notes

00:30 - Introduction. This episode's topic: Why supplier improvement is a big challenge and how to achieve it.

02:01 - In these cases, supplier improvement is very difficult or impossible.

04:46 - How to plan your supplier improvement project (step-by-step)?

08:05 - Why being a hand-off buyer doesn't help you drive improvement.

10:00 - Translating what you want into KPIs

14:44 - The cost of quality

18:11 - Hidden costs

20:22 - The impact of the cost of poor quality on your organization

23:53 - Time and attention needed for improvement activities

25:41 - Which manufacturing processes to work on based on the issues you have found with suppliers?

32:41 - Conclusion: How to drive lasting improvement in your suppliers

36:20 - Wrapping up

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Friday Jun 18, 2021

How To Reduce Lead Times From Your Suppliers In China & Asia

Friday Jun 18, 2021

In This Episode...

Renaud Anjoran, Sofeast's CEO, catches up with Adrian from the team to talk about reducing lead times from suppliers in China or other Asian countries.

They cover why reducing lead times is important, the benefits of doing so, what causes longer lead times, and some strategies you can follow to reduce them and receive your products faster.

Show Notes

00:00 - Introduction & chat about the COVID-19 situation in South China which does have a hand in delayed shipments and increased lead times.

04:05 - Why should importers be striving to reduce lead times?

08:55 - Another reason why...

13:55 - Some of the common causes of lengthy lead times.

Where the manufacturing is taking place.
The time it takes for the supplier to start production.
Your order size.
Incoming and outgoing QC checks on materials/components and products.
Customs delays or time spent waiting to get a container.
And these might also cause delays...
Poor communication with the supplier.
Processing time.
How much inventory they keep.
Having a large number of components from different sub-suppliers.

24:45 - Renaud's key strategies for reducing lead times.

40:47 - The role of vetting suitable suppliers in obtaining good lead times.

42:52 - Wrapping up

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Friday Jun 11, 2021

How To Choose The Right Packaging To Protect Your Products

Friday Jun 11, 2021

In This Episode...

Renaud Anjoran, Sofeast's CEO, joins Adrian from the team to discuss packaging! We take a close look at how packaging has a serious effect on your products' chances of arriving with you in one piece from wherever they've been manufactured.

Packaging materials, supply chain risks, and packaging reliability testing are all scrutinized to give you a good introduction to this topic and help you choose the right packaging for your needs.

You'll see why considering packaging and developing the right inner and outer packaging for your needs should be done during the product development process and should neither be left until the last minute nor to your supplier to handle.

Show Notes

00:00 - Introduction & how COVID-19 is affecting logistics, especially in China in Summer 2021

02:25 - What is packaging's role in the protection of products?

04:37 - The role of pallets and crates

06:59 - What's 'the rule' when you're thinking of packaging for protecting products?

10:39 - Why deciding on the packaging should be an important part of the NPI process

14:04 - Examples of different kinds of products that have varying protection needs from their packaging

17:20 - What elements are critical to choosing the right packaging?

20:16 - Outlining which packaging reliability tests are done to replicate real-world conditions

24:30 - Renaud's key takeaways about selecting the right packaging for the job

27:18 - Wrapping up

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Friday Jun 04, 2021

Deep Dive Into Product Development Agreements For Importers

Friday Jun 04, 2021

In This Episode...

Renaud Anjoran, Sofeast's CEO, joins Adrian from the team to explore product development agreements that clarify your expectations, protect your IP, keep leverage over your supplier, provide you with transparency and control over your supply chain, and make it 100% clear who is responsible for what when working with a supplier on developing a new product that is going to be manufactured in China or other Asian countries.

Show Notes

00:00 - Introducing the episode

00:45 - What is a product development agreement?

03:46 - Common risks that a PD agreement will protect against

07:03 - Is working with a contract manufacturer best when developing a new product?

12:04 - The 3 key phases of a product development agreement -

17:44 - Key points that a development agreement needs to clarify

25:31 - The difference between owning Intellectual property rights and the 'deliverables'

29:44 - Retaining the ability to switch to another manufacturer as a worst-case scenario

31:04 - Wrapping up

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Friday May 28, 2021

The Benefits Of Rapid Prototyping (& Rapid Tooling Methods)

Friday May 28, 2021

In This Episode...

Renaud Anjoran, Sofeast's CEO, joins Adrian from the team to talk about rapid prototyping and rapid tooling methods to make prototypes a lot faster than production tooling, with a focus on electromechanical products and plastic injection molding.

You'll get answers to the following questions: What are rapid prototyping and rapid tooling? What do we discover from different rounds of prototyping? What are the features of hard tooling? What are the pros and cons of the different technologies used for rapid prototyping? And much more...

Ultimately, you'll see why rushing into production without utilizing prototypes to test and validate your product design is a big risk.

Show Notes

00:00 - Introducing the episode

01:01 - What is rapid prototyping?

04:37 - Why to perform rounds of prototyping to get to a minimum viable prototype

06:33 - The difference between additive and subtractive manufacturing for prototypes

08:55 - Rapid prototyping rounds and PP samples and making the distinction between rapid prototyping and rapid tooling

Read our Guide To Rapid Tooling Prototyping for more details and a handy table that compares the different methods.

13:30 - Discussing hard tooling and its pros & cons

18:32 - The benefits of doing iterations of prototypes during pre-production - based on this blog post: Prototesting: Reap All the Value of Proof of Concept Prototypes.

21:57 - The pros & cons of the different technologies for typically making plastic parts - Renaud talks through the different technologies that may be used for rapid prototyping:

3D printing
CNC machining
Die casting
Silicone tooling
Soft tooling
Altering standard parts: An example here is the original Tesla Roadster which used a lot of standard parts from a Lotus.

37:57 - Renaud's key points to take away if you're an importer who is looking into doing rapid prototyping - here are the takeaways that will be helpful:

Look at similar products and avoid reinventing the wheel by creating something similar but with added features
Keep the product as simple as possible for a V1.0 in order to get to market as quickly and cheaply as possible
Work with an industrial designer who has good communication and understands your vision (Andy Bartlett is a great example and we spoke with him about tooling for plastic injection molding on the podcast already).
Be aware of keeping control over your IP and designs when approaching manufacturers. Vet the suppliers first, get them to sign an NNN agreement and product development contract before you get them to start developing the product
Take your time in the product development stage to play with the design, refine it, speak to users, research alternatives and ways to simplify it

41:24 - Wrapping up

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Friday May 21, 2021

Why Pre-Production Samples Are So Important

Friday May 21, 2021

In This Episode...

Renaud Anjoran, Sofeast's CEO, is back with Adrian from the team this week and they're discussing why pre-production samples (also known as golden samples) are such an important tool for obtaining your desired results once your products go into mass production.

What are PP samples? How do they evolve over time until they're a final PP or 'golden' sample? What problems do they help avoid? How to specify your exact requirements? Who pays for them? These questions and more are answered in this episode!

Show Notes

00:00 - Introducing the episode, discussion about the COVID situation and problematic raw material cost rises

03:34 - What are pre-production samples and where do they fit in the production process?

12:57 - Specify what YOU mean by a PP sample

14:58 - About 'Golden' samples

16:07 - How do you assure that your external inspection company gets hold of the PP sample?

18:52 - Some issues that we can expect to iron out during pre-production sample development

21:58 - Is it common for the PP sample process to be skipped?

23:00 - Why do suppliers deviate from your PP sample during production and what can be done to guard against this happening?

27:28 - How to reduce variations?

29:00 - Should importers pay for PP samples?

31:01 - Does the inability to visit China or other Asian countries hinder an importer's ability to approve samples?

34:05 - Wrapping up

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Friday May 14, 2021

Greg Fleming | Vietnam VS China Manufacturers & Digitizing Processes In The Factory

Friday May 14, 2021

In This Episode...

Renaud interviews Greg Fleming, an experienced merchandising and manufacturing operations manager who went from New Zealand to Australia to China and finally is now based in Ho Chi Minh City in South Vietnam.

Greg's background is mainly in the apparel trade, from fabric production to retail. Due to his experience in both Vietnam and China, he is well-placed to give us some really interesting insight into manufacturing in both countries.

Since Vietnam is a very popular China-alternative for many importers, let's hear more about it from Greg here!

Show Notes

00:00 - Introducing the episode, Greg, and his experience

01:51 - What's the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam?

04:51 - What are the main differences between working with Chinese or Vietnamese manufacturers?

09:11 - What have been the main obstacles that have prevented Vietnamese manufacturers from digitizing their processes?

12:23 - Is there a particular software Greg suggests for apparel based on his experience?

15:56 - How software can save on costs of getting a new apparel product from concept to production (example)

17:22 - How software can save on costs of getting a piece of new furniture from concept to production (example)

19:29 - When starting the digital transformation on a factory, where to begin?

28:57 - Summarising Greg's approach of implementing IT

31:15 - Is there a risk that some importing countries will start to demand more proof that products are truly made in the country claimed, materials are not from certain contentious areas, they are sustainable, etc? What is the solution to this?

34:40 - Wrapping up

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Friday May 07, 2021

How To Qualify A Contract Manufacturer Or Component Supplier? (Best Practices)

Friday May 07, 2021

In This Episode...

Sofeast's CEO Renaud Anjoran joins Adrian from the team to explore the best practices importers could follow when sourcing a new contract manufacturer or component supplier in China, or beyond. This includes sourcing options (who to use), the typical sourcing process, if the lowest prices are always best, IP protection, manufacturer types, and CM sourcing tools and steps.

The purpose of this episode is to give you the awareness of risks that await you, suggestions on how to qualify better supplier/CM options, and an understanding of the different types of manufacturers you may encounter and what their expectations may be.

Hopefully, you'll find a CM or supplier who better aligns with your needs.

Show Notes

00:00 - Introducing the episode

00:49 - Who should be doing the sourcing? Is working with a sourcing agent necessary? - Renaud explains the different sourcing options and some of their pros and cons:

01:53 - Commissioned agent.
05:00 - Third-party sourcing agency. (This is the model Sofeast's supply chain management team follows when sourcing suppliers for you).
05:52 - A trading company.
09:07 - Buy direct from a factory yourself.

12:41 - Exploring two typical sourcing process 'templates' that can generally be followed by most buyers.

If you buy standard off-the-shelf products...
If you develop your new product with confidential IP...

After going through a thorough and careful sourcing process you can end up with a preferred supplier and keep one in reserve as a backup factory, too.

20:14 - Is chasing the lowest price the best strategy? - choosing the lowest price comes with risks which we explore here.

26:33 - Tips to protect IP when sourcing manufacturers or suppliers - don't send designs, etc, to 20 potential suppliers, as you are leaking it yourself. Don't assume that your local NDA will protect you in China, it won't.

🤔 Explore further: We spoke before about manufacturing contracts/agreements here.

32:38 - Which of the different types of manufacturers is suitable for you? ODM, OEM, or CM? - Renaud explains each of your manufacturer options:

ODMs
OEMs
Contract Manufacturers, like our own CM subsidiary Agilian Technology

🤔 Explore further: We covered OEMs, ODMs, and CMs in detail in this episode.

41:35 - What kinds of tools and steps might buyers follow when sourcing a CM? - if you develop a new product you need to consider the following tools and steps...

47:11 - Wrapping up

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