How we work
On this page, we will explain how we work, including our philosophy, insight, our "elevated perspective", our proprietary analysis system on manufacturer qualification, our "inside-out" approach, our problem-solving attitude, our focus on "tripod balance", big picture thinking, our quest for cost efficiency in our work of China manufacturing and sourcing, and our interest in people. We will also address some common concerns business owners have about manufacturing in China, see if you agree.
What makes us different?
Every quality offshore manufacturing service provider should offer you three basic benefits. We are no different in this regard.
But, that is where the similarities end. We explain in details below how weI work, each from a different angle, see what you think.
Wen Yan---"As a transplant from China, having seen and experienced the huge difference between China and the US, I have to say I deeply value the freedom and democracy I am embracing here. In my opinion, the utmost beneficiary of America's freedom and democracy is the freedom of the mind, leading to active entrepreneurship and vigorous creativity of the American people.
Creativity, design, innovation, invention coupled with entrepreneurs' visions are the driving forces in the evolution of mankind . I am blessed to live in this great country, the land of the free. Having the opportunity to offer my experience and expertise on manufacturing in China to help American entrepreneurs manufacture their products in a cost efficient way, and to contribute to the exploration of their visions inspires me every morning."
China has traveled a long way from being an isolated country to nowadays a globally economic powerhouse. It has gradually lifted itself from poverty to abundance(the vast inland part of China is still poor). The living standard in China has dramatically improved. As China continues to grow economically and raises its living standard, inevitably, the Chinese people will become increasingly aware and demand political reform and modernization towards freedom and democracy. All changes come from within. I am proud that my work contributes to China's economic prosperity and eventually its freedom.
I love my work. And I love supporting American entrepreneurs and business owners to do business with China without all the hassles. "
We would like to use the metaphors of "investment adviser" and "money manager" to help explain our work.
Our work starts from research and picking right manufacturers, to prototyping, production, shipping from China to the US, and the delivery of products to your door. See a detailed chart in the big picture link.
The first phase of research and manufacturers pick is just like the investment adviser's work of picking the winner stocks. There are countless stocks available in the market, which one to pick? The same truth holds for the Chinese manufacturers. In the ocean of manufacturers, which one shall we choose to work with? We gave a detailed explanation below in our next topic of "elevated perspective" how we pick the right manufacturer for you.
All the following works from product prototyping all the way to delivery to your doorsteps are like your money manager's work. Your money manager follows the performance of your portfolio, watches the market closely every day, reads all the financial reports, makes necessary adjustments on your asset allocation, buys, sells, on and on. Our work basically is the same. We follow closely the entire process of manufacturing your product in China and shipping back to the US. The goods you receive at your doorsteps are like the quarterly or year-end statements you receive in your mailbox from your money manager stating the total return of your investment.
Needless to say how important it is to choose a quality financial adviser/manager for your money, it is as important for you to choose a quality offshore manufacturing service provider for your manufacturing needs overseas.
Over the years, we have visited over 95% of the Chinese industrial belt, where the vast majority of industrial zones and manufacturing facilities concentrate. We pride myself in our "elevated perspective" we have gained after 16 years of intensive participation and study in the Chinese manufacturing sector. What you see on the ground level is different from what you see from an elevated height. You get to see a bigger picture from the higher up.
Try to visualize together with us: we take on a new project, your project, we first research your specific industry in China. Now imagine you see China from a 20 miles-height above the ground(the map to the left hopefully will help), and see the manufacturers scattered all over the map, each manufacturer is only a tiny dot on it. We then need to make the judgment which region will best suit your needs. So now we zoom in to a region, we then further zoom in to the local, then to a few "star" manufacturers we pick, we eventually pin down one manufacturer. At the same time, we gradually descend from the 20 miles' height to the ground level. We draw on our knowledge and expertise to make the judgment. (We usually say it is like an investment guru picking a stock.)
We really like this process for two reasons. One, it is a good and thorough way to pick the one manufacturer that best suit your CURRENT needs. Two, we are always prepared for your future growth and expansion. When one manufacturer reaches its limit of production capacity, we know where to go, wouldn't you agree?
Wen Yan---"I would like to share with you my insight of the interesting difference in the operating system between the US and China. The US is operating under the premise that you(in general) are trustable until you prove otherwise; while China is operating with the assumption that you are not trustable until you prove you can be trusted. In the US, there are credit ratings for both personal and business; while in China, such things are unheard of. This leads to the development of my proprietary analysis system on Chinese manufacturer due diligence. I called it MQC (Manufacturer Qualification Criteria).
MQC is a product of our 16 years of practice in China's manufacturing and exportation section. The system was originally developed as an operating procedure for our own factory in China, to assess our suppliers and vendors of raw materials, various components and parts. It proved to be very effective and produced satisfactory results in our own procurement. It enabled us to keep consistent quality and stable cost while enjoying the huge success of our product "UBOlite" worldwide. We then expanded MQC into the sourcing services we did for our clients. At the same time, we keep updating and refining our MQC to take into account the latest changes in China's manufacturing landscape, including its ever changing regulations and quotas. We pride ourselves in keeping current with the day to day changes and regulations.
This is the vital step to ensure a risk free manufacturing in China. It all boils down to picking the right manufacturers to work with. Make no mistake, risk free is NOT problem free. In manufacturing, problems surface all the time, big or small. Problem is just a way of life. We may still have manufacturing problems working with right manufacturers. We certainly will have endless problems if we work with risky manufacturers. And I speak from my experience."
We approach all Chinese manufacturers as a manufacturer. We understand the fundamentals of Chinese manufacturing, the supply and demand of raw material, the peer competition, the operation and management, the workers' training and retention, the profit margins, the tax incentive and regulating laws.....most important of all, we understand their concerns, their situations and their expectations, we understand what is on their mind.
Our in-depth understanding of Chinese manufacturing helps us in these areas:
Wen Yan---"It took me many years to realize the best way to deal with problems is to face them." There is simply nowhere to escape. In manufacturing, problem is just a way of life. There will always be problems, product quality problems, machinery problems, employee problems, power shortage problem, environmental concerns, just to name a few. So, if anyway we have to deal with them, let's have fun solving problems. Through problem-solving, we always end up with a lot more knowledge, deeper insights, and best of all, greater products."
Wen Yan--- "I have great interest in observing people, and try to understand why they do what they do. I have perfect understanding of the Chinese mindset, not only the factory owners', but also the factory workers'. In Chinese manufacturing, the quality of automatic machine work is usually consistent, once the machine settings are set. However, if there is any procedure involves human work, it adds to the variable of product quality. My understanding of the Chinese mindset and my factory management experience enable me to foresee any potential weak spot in the production procedures, and address it before it becomes an issue in terms of product quality control.
Another interesting human-related subject is the culture. I have in-depth understanding of the Chinese custom and tradition. The ability to hear the unspoken word, to read between the lines, and to understand the subtext is an important and helpful tool in the business dealings with Chinese manufacturers. It helps a great deal in achieving effective communication.
At the same time, I am learning the American culture here, and seeking to have a good handle of the American mindset."
Our focus on seeking a "tripod balance"
Many people ask: "I want to have my product manufactured in China, can you bid on it?" Our answer is: "No, we don't bid." Why?
Our focus in our work of China manufacturing and sourcing is to seek a "tripod balance" among the three basic benefits we mentioned above, i.e. risk free manufacturing, high quality products and attractive cost savings. To focus on any one single factor alone, say the price, is losing sight of the whole picture. It is not the way we choose to work. We strive to deliver all three benefits. A solution that is a balance of all three factors is for your best and most interest. You wouldn't want a poor quality product no matter how cheap it is, would you? Then, why would you want an investment that there is a possibility of getting good quality products at low cost, but there is also the possibility your investment can be completely wiped out?
As of now, we see four major big pictures in Chinese manufacturing.
In manufacturing, in addition to seeing the big picture, we also need to pay a lot of attention to details. It is the combination of both that produces good results and great products.
We constantly search for new ways and solutions to lower business expenses. "Cost efficiency is deeply rooted in us, thanks to the experience of running our own factory in China. Cost efficiency was the principle my business partner and I firmly and strongly carried out in our day to day factory management." says Wen Yan.
It is vitally important to drive revenue in any business, it is EQUALLY important to seek solutions to lower business expenditures on a consistent basis. Laziness and the reluctance to change sometimes get in the way preventing business owners from getting the best results they can get. Let's not fall into that trap.
As much as we don't want to waste our money, we don't want to waste your money or anybody's money. As we spend less, we save more. A strengthened bottom line add to the health of the business and provide room for future growth and expansion.
Summing it up, our work of China manufacturing and sourcing is an onward and upward evolution of our observations and insights, and our ceaseless exploration of causes behind effects. When the "why's" are grasped, the "how's" come easily and effortlessly, wouldn't you agree?
Some common concerns business owners have on offshore manufacturing in China
We address these common concerns in the FAQs page. We also give answers to the most frequently asked questions. Please Click on this FAQs link for more information.
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The famous Li River
and its mountains in southern China
Red lantern in
the
Old Town of Lijiang
A well-preserved town of 800 years' history
Chinese idiom engraved in a seal:
Wisdom lies in silence.
Our previous product
Lightbulb green
Our previous product
stretchable fun bag
