Contract Manufacturing in China: How to Get Started

China manufacturing. It is one of the most well-known industries in the country, and it has a strong global presence. 

It is known as a leader in the manufacturing industry because China commands 28% of the global manufacturing industry. For perspective, the United States is second place on that list at just over 16%. 

With the country having such a strong manufacturing presence, you may be tempted to do business over there. If you have this interest, you have to look into contract manufacturers. 

What do you need to know about contract manufacturing? What do you need to get started? 

This is your guide. 

Remember Your Intellectual Property

You have to remember that when you are doing business in China, there are different intellectual property laws than in your home country. If you are coming from the United States, you need to be aware that there is much less protection for intellectual property in China than there is back home. 

So, if you have a product where success relies on you being the exclusive provider of it, you need to do your homework about intellectual property laws in China before drawing up a contract. Make sure you go through all of the proper channels and have all of the paperwork to protect your intellectual property as much as possible there. 

Set Quality Requirements 

The next thing that you have to do is make sure you set up quality requirements in your contract. This can help protect you from a business that may not be known to operate with the highest standards. 

Putting your standards and requirements in writing strengthens your position and gives you a higher chance of getting quality results. The reason for this is with having this in writing; you have something to fall back on if something goes wrong along the way. 

Whereas if the lack of quality comes up unexpectedly, you may be stuck dealing with it if you signed the wrong type of contract with this company. Make sure you spell this out and figure out what quality requirements you want before agreeing to do business with a company. 

Be Very Detailed 

When it comes to contracts, in general, you want to have as many details listed as possible. Manufacturing in China is no different. 

A contract helps make clear what your standards are, what your expectations are, and what you are expecting a manufacturer to provide. For example, if you have a quota for how many items need to be shipped every week for one product, you should put that in your contract. 

What standards need to be put in place? How much money are you going to pay the manufacturer? How are you determining that price? What is the size and color of the product requirement? 

These are things that you need to think about in terms of details in a contract. You may also want to consider how long you want this contract to last and if you want to be exclusive with this manufacturer. 

If you do, then that can have an influence on what the contract terms are and how much you are going to agree to give a manufacturer. 

Go Over Pricing 

Along with the above, you need to go over the pricing and payment procedures with your manufacturer. It is a detail of the contract, but it is arguably the most important detail. 

The reason is that having the pricing and payment structures laid out could be the difference as to whether your business survives or not. This is because if there is a misunderstanding, you may not have the funds to pay for litigation or even to pay what you owe. 

Go over this carefully and make sure you understand exactly how much you have to pay and what exactly you are getting in return for this payment. 

Prepare for Disputes 

Going off of the above, the best way to put out a potential fire is to prepare for one that might come up. This includes disputes because it is likely that you may have at least a minor one with the manufacturer that you choose to do business with. 

Try not to worry too much because this is a normal thing to go through. About 85% of people in business experience a conflict at one point or another. 

The best way that you can handle this is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Essentially, be aware of any possible problems in the future and come up with plans to resolve them. 

Find a Reliable Manufacturer 

Finally, you are going to need to have a reliable manufacturer by your side. It is best to have someone that has a good reputation in the industry and someone that has taken good care of colleagues. If you do not know anybody like this, perhaps check reviews and testimonials. 

Having a good manufacturer can save you time and money, along with any potential business headaches in the future. 

Get Started With Contract Manufacturing 

These are some of the key things that you need to know when it comes to contract manufacturing. Two of the most important things that you need to make clear are the pricing and payment of services, along with the quality you expect. In general, it is best to have all details covered with a reliable manufacturer. 

Are you ready to get started? Message us today to take the leap.