As the global pandemic is continually spreading, and China insists on the zero-Covid strategy, it’s getting harder for many overseas businesses to find a product assembly company for their products.

Thankfully, you don’t have to go at it alone. Here are five strategies that will help make finding the right assembly partner much easier.

Experience

Experience is an important factor to consider when reaching out to an assembly supplier.

Nearly all of the assembly suppliers claim that they have relevant experience in dealing with any type of product so you have the confidence to work with them. But remember, some assembly companies are better at certain types of products than others. It’s better for you to partner with those who specialize in your product.

In this case, you should be careful to identify if they are telling truth. Try to clarify the questions below:

• When did the assembly plant start?
• How many engineers do you have?
• What are the processes to assemble my product?
• Have you worked on a similar project before? What was it like?
• Have you worked with an overseas business?

By answering these questions, you can figure out if the information provided to you is relevant, up to date, and available in real-time.

Capacity

The second thing you need to do is to assess your potential assembly partner’s capacity.

You don’t want to send your product and money somewhere it will sit on a shelf or in a warehouse waiting to be assembled. To ensure you won’t get stuck with products that aren’t being assembled as fast as they can, make sure you know exactly how much production space your assembly partner has is available.

If you have any concerns about their ability to meet your demand and requirements, ask them directly about their current output rate and deadline.

Don’t risk losing out on profits by making an assembly partner overburdened with your orders—go with someone who knows what they are doing.

Certifications

Not all China product assembly companies are created equally.

No matter how well-established the assembly plant is, there still may be a possibility that they don’t have proper certifications and licenses.

So, if you are concerned whether your product is being produced and assembled in compliance with regulatory standards, ensure your supplier has the relevant business licenses to operate their facility as well as any relevant compliance certifications to manufacture and assemble your product.

Here are some common ISO certifications, including:

• ISO 9001:2015: Quality Management Systems
• ISO 14001:2015: Environmental Management Systems
• ISO 45001:2015: Occupational Health And Safety
• ISO 14001 – Environmental Management

Each product or industry requires different kinds of certifications. So Each product in China requires a different kind of certificates and documents. So, always ask to check the required materials for assembling your product before any order confirmation.

Language Proficiency

One of the biggest headaches for overseas businesses to find an assembly supplier is language.

Consider working with those who have English background and speak English fluently. Although now more and more Chinese people speak English, it’s still possible to lead to misunderstanding certain points.

Therefore, remember the two principles when communicating with Chinese suppliers:

• Open – Though you and your supplier speak the same language, there is a gap in knowledge and logic that leads to misunderstandings. So try to be open and straightforward in your conversation to make both sides on the same page.
• Precise – Precision communication is fundamental to a long-term partnership. Describing your needs and requirements precisely can reduce the workload for both parties.

Services

Assembly service providers have traditionally relied on low-cost to gain a competitive edge.

But times have changed.

Nowadays, the costs of labor and land are no longer as cheap as before. More and more assembly plants are offering tailored service and support so these can be key considerations when partnering with an assembly company.

There are some assembly companies offering one-stop services from quality inspection and testing to warehousing and fulfillment, which release you from finding other services one by one.

About Shield Works

Finding a reliable and professional product assembly partner will help to boost your business by avoiding high-defect rates and unexpected delays.

Shield Work, a leading product assembly service provider in China, is ready to help you assemble your products with our well-established facility. Contact us to discuss your project today.