Offshore cable outsourcing has become a standard business practice for most large manufacturers around the world. Many companies have established their production facilities in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and India making these countries central global cable assembly manufacturing hubs.
If you are looking for an offshore cable manufacturer most likely you will use a search engine to create a target list of suppliers to contact. First, you will see major manufacturing directories that display mainly Chinese custom cable assemblers. You can browse the directory and create a list of prospects to contact but as you go through the list you will encounter the fact that you cannot land on the manufacturer’s site and you have to communicate through the online manufacturers’ directory. That’s how online directories make money, by charging advertisers for OEM inquiries. Besides, the manufacturer’s profiles in these global directories are descriptively limited and you end up spending a great deal of time sending out messages while getting poor replies.
Another way to find cable manufacturer in China is to acquire services of the outsourcing company and ask them to connect you with the type of manufacturer you have in mind. This can be effective but let’s face it, you are looking for ways to reduce cost and by contracting a third party you are also agreeing to pay additional fees. Also, there is no guarantee that you will be provided with a viable outsourcing option because now, not only will you have to check your cable manufacturer’s background, you also will have to learn more about the integrity of the outsourcing company.
Keeping in mind that you have your production schedule to keep and the process of outsourcing could be limited by the outsourcing company’s resources and can be frustrating. That is why many companies abandon their efforts in this initial stage – the process of outsourcing becomes time consuming and entails too many unknowns. Unknowns are not something that an outsourcing department can live with. You need clarity and assurance.
You want to make sure that your cable supplier will deliver quality products on time. You certainly want to know that the manufacturer has an impeccable reputation and has the capacity needed to accommodate your order. You absolutely must ensure that they are skilled in logistics and their manufacturing plant is in good standing. All this information has to be documented, verified and gathered within a certain timeline.
One of the common misconceptions about China cable manufacturers is that manufacturing in China lacks regulations and conformity. This is not true. The Chinese keeps very strict manufacturing standards and stringent manufacturer’s approval. China cable manufacturing approval standards and environmental regulations are stricter than those of India. Therefore if you are looking for an offshore cable manufacturer who can offer both savings and quality, China is the first choice.
So what creates a major obstacle when dealing with many China based manufacturers? It is the language barrier. When you work in a technical environment you need a clear communication protocol. If at the end of the business meeting, whether it is in person or a teleconference, and you still are not clear about all the facts, you shouldn’t proceed further. Make sure that after connecting with a potential supplier, there are no language barriers and all communications are crystal clear. Some of the most successful China cable companies have representatives in different countries.
Saison Electronics is Japanese company with manufacturing facilities in China and we have representatives in Japan, Hong Kong and North America who provide valuable support for regional clients and prospects without delays imposed by geographical time differences.
Next, you have to check the manufacturer’s standing. Request all the current manufacturing certificates as well as ownership information. Once that is out of the way you can add this company to your prospect source list.
Now it is time to check the manufacturer’s references. Look at their clients list. This will tell you a lot about the manufacturing integrity and service. If you see brand names on the client list it is a good sign because getting contracts from the large companies is only possible when a manufacturer has proven to be of the highest standard. Large OEMs follow very strict protocols when it comes to supplier approval and you may capitalize on their experience.
Request information about production capacity, delivery, logistics – this information will help you to determine the likelihood of getting your cable shipments on time. Many China cable companies ship all over the world but not all are experienced in international logistics. To avoid delivery delays ensure that the company you are dealing with has adequate experience in getting products on time anywhere around the globe.
Make sure that the manufacturer’s profile fits your cabling needs because various cable assemblies require special equipment. At Saison, we manufacture a large variety of custom cable and wire harnesses but we do not make everything. In fact, it would be hard to find a cable manufacturer who could make every type of cable imaginable. Ask what kind of equipment is being used to manufacture your particular type of custom wiring component.
Inquire about manufacturer’s quality control process and work out an arrangement where you specify what happens if delivered product is contains unsuitable product.
After you have completed all these steps you may start accepting bids on your custom cable assembly. If you start accepting bids without checking manufacturer’s reputation first you may end up spending additional time later seeking supplier approval which again may affect your production schedule.
So to recap, here are the steps when you are looking for a China cable manufacturer:
Saison Electronics has managed to combine the best of both Japanese and Chinese cultures and has developed an environment which has made us a premium choice for many OEMs around the globe. You are welcome to check our client’s list and inquire about our manufacturing capacity as well as engineering support.