Would you like to purchase a foreign company. Or perhaps you your local company has some interest from Chinese buyers? The best thing you can do is to hire well trusted consultant. ChinaTradeBlog is working closely together with Zeker Bedrijfsovername. A trust partners who knows all about national and international mergers and acquisitions. Especially when a foreign investor c0mes into play, regulation can become quite complex. Luckily, Zeker Bedrijfsovername can help you with the whole process. From finding potential merger candidates to negotiating a price, to legal advice, to deal structuri ..read more

COVID-19 taught us numerous things when it comes to manufacturing. Throughout 2020, we saw countless industries and companies alike struggling to source materials, complete production, and get their product to the end user. When normal supply chains were disrupted, there was a challenge and difficulty sourcing alternative means to achieve supply chain stability during this time, and keep production going. Despite the world having a magnitude of advanced manufacturing capabilities, these are difficult to find and access. What has become clearer than ever before, is that current supply chains an ..read more

When it comes to China manufacturing, there are both benefits and drawbacks. Here we explore some of the potential pitfalls and how they can be avoided, as well as the benefits of China being a key location in your supply chain 1. Communication is key Previous concerns with manufacturing in China are now greatly improved due to projects such as made in China campaign. Often a language barrier can make the partnership not as strong as it should be. Communication is key in ensuring your supplier fully understands your needs. Cultural differences may also be apparent, choosing a supplier who unde ..read more

To most of us, automation in manufacturing is nothing new. However, it is often associated with state-of-the-art factories that produce the latest technology. Yet, automation is present in nearly all factories, at least to some extent. Some plants only have a single automated operation while others have completely automated their production lines. So, what exactly is automation? When is it useful? And, what are the forms? In this article, I will explain the different automation possibilities in manufacturing. Automation in General Automation is an automatically performed process by means of ma ..read more

We often hear importers talk about their bad experiences with Chinese manufacturers. However, I believe that in many cases it actually is the importer who is to blame. It seems that often, these importers failed to communicate all their product requirements clearly to suppliers. I mean, relying on a few photos and then asking for ‘best quality’ simply doesn’t work. Much of the quality issues could have been prevented if these importers had prepared a proper product specification sheet upfront. In this article, I’ll show you how to do this. What is a product specification sheet? A product speci ..read more

Let’s say your final product design is ready and you are done with capacity planning. Now it’s time to dive into production. The process of converting inputs into outputs. It is of vital importance to select a manufacturing process that suits your product requirements. A mismatch could mean inefficient production which leads to higher cost of operations. So how many production possibilities are there? In general, there are four basic manufacturing process types. In the article, I will explain the differences, and how to select the right manufacturing process for your situation. The Four Basic ..read more

So, you have done due diligence and found a good factory. On paper, the manufacturer seems to be a right fit for your product. Everything seems great. But are you really sure? What proof do you have that the factory is all they say they are? Probably not that much. And that’s why you should do a factory audit. What is a factory audit? A factory audit is an on-site evaluation of a factory. The objective of a factory audit is to verify whether a manufacturer is able to make a specific order as per your requirements. Therefore, a factory audit usually focusses on one specific product (c ..read more

Cheap is a word which often comes to mind when scouting foreign products. If only you could import these goods without additional cost, your profits would skyrocket. However, in reality, the price drastically changes once the goods have arrived at your doorstep. Shipping costs, import duties, and taxes all add up to the price of your product. The total amount you pay for your imports is called landed cost. In this article, I will explain how to calculate landed cost for your goods. The Three Main Elements of Landed Cost Product cost Shipping cost Import duty & tax 1. Product Cost Produc ..read more

When it comes down to successfully manufacture your product in China, having ‘a good Chinese partner’ is definitely the most important factor. I often get asked How to exactly find this perfect manufacturing partner. And the answer is not always clear-cut. There are many things that determine whether a manufacturer is suitable for your project. One that often seems to be overlooked is the size of the manufacturer, and the impact your order has on them. The case of a hardware startup Let’s say you are a New York based bicycle company. Founded 5 years ago, you have managed to establish a so ..read more

We all know Trump is taking open fire on China in an effort to level-off the playing field. Headlines shouter one tariff after another in order to protect Americans from unfair competition. And, it seems Trump’s trade-war-strategy is paying off for the United States. In May 2018, China officials had announced they were willing to reduce America’s trade deficit, and currently both countries negotiate a better deal for the U.S. However, despite the advances for Trump, tariff measures also burden the American society. In fact, imposing tariffs have widespread consequences for the entire U.S. econ ..read more