01 May '15
Are you thinking about outsourcing the manufacturing of your products to a factory overseas?
You’re not alone, many companies do this successfully. Factories in China, India and other countries offer competitive pricing on the production of high quality goods. However, there are also factories that will take your money and produce a sub-standard product.
It’s up to you to evaluate many different factories, speak with the managers and find a trustworthy and expert supplier in your industry.
If you’re ready to start the conversation with an overseas supplier, here are five questions you should ask them right away.
How many years have you been in business?
Stability is a really important factor when it comes to selecting a factory to work with. Established manufacturers will likely have the best equipment, experienced employees and processes that work for producing high quality goods on time and on budget.
Which brands do you manufacture products for?
Inquire about the brands that the factory has produced goods for in the past, and ask how long they have been working with those brands.
A factory that has been working with name brands for years provides a mark of confidence and lets you know the factory can meet high expectations. That’s important because my factories are used to doing the bare minimum to meet costs and do not have the materials or machinery necessary to produce high quality goods.
For example, EDS Footwear is known in the fashion space for producing shoes and accessories that brands like Aldo, Topshop and Tosconi sell. That gives smaller footwear companies the confidence that EDS Footwear can manufacture well designed shoes.
What is your quality control process like?
Quality control represents a system in which a factory employee tests a sample of a product against the design standards you want it to meet. Ideally this process will be repeated throughout the manufacturing process to ensure the entire order is made correctly.
Ask if the factory you’re speaking with has a quality control process in place, and how often they inspect the product during production.
Can I tour your factory and meet the workers?
When you visit a manufacturer be prepared to spend at least two or three days touring the factory, learning about its history and meeting the employees.
Spending any less than two full days is not adequate enough time to truly understand how the factory is run. Unfortunately, underage workers and defective machinery can be hidden during a short tour.
Also be sure to ask to see the real machinery that is used to make large quantities of products. Many factories will have high quality machines (and skilled workers) that produce samples to help them secure an order. One the order is placed, these same factories use older machinery to complete the order. In some instances, this older machinery will produce an inferior product to the sample.
Will you provide me with a batch of samples?
Before you order a large quantity of product be sure to ask for a batch of samples.
If you only ask for one sample you could be given a leftover product from a previous order that was similar to yours. Because that product may have been made by different workers using different machinery, your finished product could end up significantly different than the sample.
If you ask for a batch, that you’re willing to pay for, the factory will feel the pressure to produce new products for you using their current employees and machinery.
Don’t Be Afraid
Don’t be afraid to walk away if you get a bad feeling from a particular factory. There are many factories both overseas and local that can produce you goods on time and on budget.
Taking the time to find the right factory is too important to rush.
Your customers will not be happy paying for sub-standard products and you shouldn’t be either!
