http://www.procurasia.com/rss.php?cat=0 China Industrial Sourcing Blog info@procurasia.com info@procurasia.com procurAsia http://www.procurasia.com 60 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=224 Amongst the many ways to start a China Sourcing initiative with all chances to fail, here are my 5 favorite ones: 1- <strong>Recruit! Hire a young and junior Chinese-speaking buyer!</strong> Integrate him or her in the existing ... 2007-03-28 13:38:21 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=205 <img id="image204" title="Electronics factory in DongGuan" alt="Electronics factory in DongGuan" src="http://www.procurasia.com/story/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/electronics-factory-in-dongguan.jpg" ... 2007-03-14 12:21:21 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=346 At an early stage of a China sourcing project, buyers need to estimate logistics costs from China to Europe for the parts or equipment they plan to source in China. Here is the simpliest way to estimate those logistics ... 2007-10-22 17:00:09 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=360 From an initial price of HKD 13.5 to HKD 39.5 in three days on the HK Stock Exchange, no one can claim that Alibaba.com is not a success story.  <p align="left"><img id="image361" title="alibaba" ... 2007-11-12 19:01:11 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=185 Here are some pictures from a perfectly managed factory we have visited several times lately. <img id="image184" title="Best factory 1 picture 3" alt="Best factory 1 picture 3" ... 2007-03-11 20:11:41 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=430 <p align="left">Last weekend, I attended the 10th anniversary celebration of one of our suppliers for material handling equipment.  It was an invaluable opportunity to experience the amazing development of private business in ... 2008-01-25 12:00:08 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=237 Quality Management projects are always interesting, and full of surprises and learning! A few weeks ago, one of our clients from the Middle-East contracted us to do Supplier Management and Pre-shipment Inspection for a racking system to be produced ... 2007-05-18 14:47:09 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=90 Company numbers such as Turn-over, Headcount, Production locations, Sales offices, Last year Production, are normally considered as hard facts, not disputable. As buyers evaluating potential suppliers, we systematically ask for these figures.  But ... 2006-07-01 01:00:07 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=167 by Z. John Zhang and Dongsheng Zhou "A price war is something to be avoided in the West. However, Chinese companies have earned a reputation for starting price wars. Many US companies know too well that the first sight of a Chinese company ... 2007-03-02 20:28:45 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=367 A clever Chinese worker has found a way to avoid traffic jam and get on time at work ! <img id="image366" title="Forklift Driving" alt="Forklift Driving" ... 2007-11-30 20:42:25 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=165 A very good article from BCG explains why China, after consumer goods, will now export more and more industrial goods, and how committed western companies take advantage of this trend: "The next wave of Western industries to move their ... 2007-03-09 20:27:59 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=323 We see many western buyers and entrepreneurs coming to China for the first time to develop their sourcing of parts or equipment. They all have great plans but are poorly prepared or not prepared at all: <strong>Poorly-prepared visit type ... 2007-09-23 15:10:54 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=219 <p>Chinese exports grew by 27% in 2006. A growing share of these exports consists of industrial parts and high-tech products.  In fact, in 2005, China became the biggest exporter of high-tech products in the world. Here are the 2006 trading ... 2007-03-15 15:42:53 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=374 <img id="image380" title="Solar thermal market" alt="Solar thermal market" src="http://www.procurasia.com/story/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/solar-thermal-market-2005-china-vs-europe.jpg" ... 2007-12-14 15:08:11 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=477 <p align="left">Today, most of the world's portable electric power generators ranging from less than 1 to about 10 kVA are manufactured in China.</p> <p align="left">Concentrated in a coastal city of East ... 2008-05-04 09:49:01 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=102 Every person active on the China sourcing scene consults several online supplier databases and websites that focus on matching Chinese suppliers and Western buyers. Some of them have received strong press coverage last year after big acquisitions ... 2006-10-02 00:00:54 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=225 Many Western companies active in designing and manufacturing electromechanical systems, professional electronics, machine tools, or other industrial products, look at China Sourcing as a large opportunity, full of promises: In a business environment ... 2007-05-09 11:24:38 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=75 A few weeks ago, I attended a key exhibition in Europe together with a client. I used the exhibition directory to look up all the Chinese suppliers and I took the opportunity to pay a visit to each one on their booth. This was an interesting ... 2006-06-01 21:24:44 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=240 It's a common view that manufacturing companies should have a Quality certificate (ISO or equivalent). The ISO certificate doesn't only help the companies to maintain effective operations and produce goods with consistent quality, but also to gain ... 2007-04-25 11:12:24 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=89 <p align="left">In the early days, China was the reserved turf of large multinationals with strong financial muscles attracted by the 1.2 billion-people market dream. In the '80s and early '90s, China's regulations were very ... 2006-07-01 01:07:26 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=457 Like everyone else in the world, Chinese Suppliers use a website and brochures to promote themselves and their products. An impressive website, and brochure with beautiful offices and factory pictures give you the general impression of a ... 2008-04-24 09:03:36 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=254 Want to see how to save money by not cleaning your factory and not maintaining your machines ?  Check out below:   <p align="center"><a class="imagelink" title="No Maitenance" ... 2007-06-03 12:00:15 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=333 <p align="left"><img id="image445" title="Factory" alt="Factory" src="http://www.procurasia.com/story/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/fctry_1.JPG" align="right" />Several months ago, ... 2008-03-28 12:00:25 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=216 <span />Today, more than 250 million containers move around the world each year. The world merchandise trade grew at a pace of around 15% p.a. in the last years and freight rates rose by nearly 30% from 2001 to 2005. This has triggered a ... 2007-03-15 13:07:29 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=259 <p align="left"><img id="image255" title="New Assembly Hall" alt="New Assembly Hall" src="http://www.procurasia.com/story/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/cimg2324.JPG" align="right" ... 2007-06-10 14:05:31 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=393 China offers enormous opportunities and substantial savings to companies willing to outsource the assembly and test of their control cabinets: Purchasing the empty cabinets and all electrical and electronic components, cabling and testing them is a ... 2008-01-03 16:54:57 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=101 One of the most often asked question to potential supplier is a list of their references.  Reference projects or reference clients allow evaluating the strength of a supplier as well as its experience with the type of business a new buyer wants to ... 2006-12-10 00:00:01 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=315 <p align="left"><img id="image316" title="Industrial Zones in Yangtze River Delta" alt="Industrial Zones in Yangtze River Delta" ... 2007-09-07 12:00:28 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=85 Only people who stayed for the last five years on an island without an internet connection are not aware of the risks related to product and service quality when dealing with Chinese suppliers.  This reality is also understood by Chinese suppliers, ... 2006-09-01 01:00:09 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=95 <p>Last summer, we visited a Material Handling factory that looked well organized, with a neat shop floor, a good manufacturing process in place and products that looked consistently good. <br /> Two months later, as part of a second ... 2007-02-20 02:40:06 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=321 The most impressive Industrial Zone I visited lately is LinGang, 75 km South East of Shanghai city, on the China Sea. Eastward, LinGang is prolonged by the 32 km long DongHai bridge that reaches the YangShan deep water port. The size is stunning: ... 2007-09-15 12:00:49 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=100 We always say that identifying potential suppliers for a particular product or equipment is difficult and is a project by itself.  But we also could say that <strong>finding them PHYSICALLY is a real challenge</strong> sometimes. It ... 2007-01-10 01:00:17 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=226 <p align="left">One of the key industrial sectors where we work is Material Handling.  In the course of a project late 2006, one of our sourcing consultant identified a promissing company in the sector.  Their website displayed a ... 2007-03-28 22:30:17 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=437 Still too many companies, faced with all the other challenges of doing business in China, abandon some of their standard practices and operate far below optimal level.  A very good article in the latest McKinsey Quarterly explains why ... 2008-02-15 11:49:34 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=456 <p align="center"><strong>NEWS RELEASE</strong></p> <p align="left">Shanghai, 21st of April 2008.</p> <p align="left">Today, <strong>procurAsia</strong> and ... 2008-04-21 09:00:35 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=308 This company in the vicinity of Shanghai produces conveyors and control systems.  It is a poor workshop and the packing hall illustrates almost everything that can go wrong in packing: messy layout; products and tools scatered on the floor; loose ... 2007-07-28 12:00:36 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=273 In today's industrial China, the working conditions in the workshops vary widely, from the best, in well organized plants with all aspects of safety and lean manufacturing taken into account, to the worst. On this battle front of working conditions ... 2007-06-29 00:00:36 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=426 China counts a large number of manufacturers of portable diesel generator sets for emergency or back-up power generation. Ranging from 30 kVA to 2000 kVA, the best gensets use CUMMINS, PERKINS or DEUTZ generators, and LEROY SOMER or STAMFORD ... 2008-01-17 11:33:10 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=465 On April 22, Etienne Charlier participated to a seminar organized by the Agency for Foreign Trade and Investment of Wallonia (AWEX) and described how sourcing from China can improve the overall position of a company and its overall business. He ... 2008-04-23 09:00:55 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=151 procurAsia profile (April 2007) <a href="http://www.procurasia.com/new_web/story/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/procurasia-profile-v161.pdf" target="_blank"><img id="image152" height="36" ... 2007-01-01 00:00:39 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=244 <p align="left">On May 8, Etienne Charlier participated to a sourcing seminar organized by the <a class="linktext" title="FCCC Home Page" href="http://www.flanders-china.be" ... 2007-05-08 16:00:39 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=334 In the Chinese booming economy, a broad network of suppliers producing quality and competitive industrial parts and equipments is rising. Sourcing in China is the opportunity for Western industrial companies to increase margins, create or maintain a ... 2007-10-11 13:05:03 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=135 An article by Etienne Charlier about the benefits of China Sourcing for those with a good strategy and a flawless execution: "Sourcing in China require knowledge, persistence and commitment, but it is worth the effort to do it ... 2007-03-04 12:26:29 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=232 One of our clients came to procurAsia after a bad experience with Quality inspections for one of his large supply contracts for fasteners: The buying company selected a Chinese supplier in JiangSu province for the production of a large ... 2007-04-06 17:42:28 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=176 Here are three pictures of one of the worst factories visited in TianJin: <table> <tr> <td style="width: 200px"><img id="image179" title="Worst factory in Tianjin picture 1 " alt="Worst ... 2007-03-11 19:15:50 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=287 <p align="left">The Chinese government is revising the VAT rebates percentage for almost all categories of products.</p> <p align="left"><strong>The VAT rebate system</strong>: Unlike in many ... 2007-06-26 16:14:09 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=187 <p>And the winner of the safety hazard trophy goes to.... The use of forklift to access an overhead crane for repair!</p> <p> <img id="image201" title="Misuse of forklift" alt="Misuse of forklift" ... 2007-03-11 21:56:22 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=199 <p>And the winner for the second worst safety hazard goes to.... this heavy weight lifting set-up and slings!</p> <p><img id="image196" title="special award: slings picture 1" alt="special award: ... 2007-03-12 10:03:44 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=337 <img id="image341" title="A selection of pictures of Wind Turbines manufacturers" alt="A selection of pictures of Wind Turbines manufacturers" ... 2007-11-21 12:41:12 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=242 <p align="left">On May the 8th 2007, Etienne Charlier participated to a sourcing seminar organized by the <a class="linktext" title="FCCC Home Page" href="http://www.flanders-china.be" ... 2007-05-08 16:00:33 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=83 A recent experience reminded me why we normally never deal with State Owned Enterprises (SOE) when we are looking for suppliers in China. Although some SOEs are excellent, the vast majority of them are not managed in a manner that is compatible with ... 2006-06-16 00:00:00 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=413 A very good article from the <a href="http://www.sunwindenergy.com">Sun & Wind Energy magazine</a> explains why, although opportunities to source solar thermal equipment from China are huge and quality standards are ... 2008-01-14 14:21:26 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=144 Here is an example of a successful case of supplier development with a plastic extrusion company near Shanghai with whom I worked on a project of plastic extrusion parts for the automobile industry. This was a large series production for export ... 2007-03-05 13:14:14 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=206 Manufacturing companies in China, ranging from small cooperative factories to large foreign invested companies, are usually very dynamic, with a strong drive to sell their products. Many are equipped with professional marketing material, quality ... 2007-05-09 15:16:29 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=91 Last summer, I visited a company in ShanXi province. This company had a good reputation on the market, a solid track record of projects and client references and was considered by many in the industry as a key player. Before going there I had a few ... 2007-02-20 02:28:14 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=440 <p align="left"><img id="image441" title="World Bank" alt="World Bank" src="http://www.procurasia.com/story/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/world-bank_small.gif" align="right" />The ... 2008-02-21 08:34:14 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=250 China still counts a very large number of state owned enterprises (SOE), legacy of the planned economy days when any industrial organization was controlled by a heavy governmental structure.  Over the last 20 years, the ever increasing number of ... 2007-05-25 12:00:21 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=444 <p align="left">I attended a very good lecture organized by the <a href="http://www.europeanchamber.com.cn/" target="_blank">European Chamber of Commerce in China</a>, on the topic of how a US ... 2008-03-06 11:55:17 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=292 <table class="table_block_pitch" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" border="0"> <tr> <td style="height: ... 2007-06-26 16:26:22 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=138 Although most companies in China are ISO certified, some basic principles of manufacturing and production management are not yet understood and applied everywhere:  Here is an example of two extremes (both can be easily found in Chinese factories) ... 2007-03-05 11:03:22 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=210 <p>When visiting any factory in China, I always insist reviewing the warehouse(s)</p> <p>My special award goes to this control cabinet manufacturer, which maintains a sort of junk in a corner of their workshop, in which cabling ... 2007-03-14 14:44:42 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=134 <p>procurAsia has launched its revamped website in order to provide you with more relevant information and data about industrial sourcing in China.</p> <p>Beside the description of what procurAsia can do to assist you in your ... 2007-04-23 19:00:32 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=305 A large majority of industrial Racking manufacturers in China still uses manual welding processes: the quality of the racks produced depends on the skills and the experience of the operator(s) and the process speed can not be increased easily. ... 2007-07-16 11:11:45 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=139 <p align="left"><strong>Chinese suppliers understand how company brochures and product catalogues can attract buyers and open new opportunities. Unfortunately creating an eye-catching catalogue or brochure is now an exercise on ... 2007-03-05 14:29:06 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=297 <p align="left"><img id="image300" title="SMT" alt="SMT" src="http://www.procurasia.com/story/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/cimg1233.JPG" align="right" />You are a professional ... 2007-07-09 12:00:40 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=208 <img id="image207" title="Lack of space in the workshop" alt="Lack of space in the workshop" src="http://www.procurasia.com/story/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/work-environment-lack-of-space-in-workshop.jpg" ... 2007-03-14 13:57:12 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=203 <p>I couldn't believe my eyes when we saw this welder standing two meters high on the box he was welding!  He deserves our special award for welder acrobat !</p> <p><img id="image202" title="Working conditions ... 2007-03-13 22:28:06 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=223 Low production costs, large amount of free capacity, and a strong appetite for new business: The opportunities for industrial sourcing in China are large, but not that easy to get: Many hurdles still exist that prevent many small and medium ... 2007-04-20 17:42:25 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=291 <em>June 26, 2007.</em> Today, Etienne Charlier gave a presentation to a group of business people participating to the Belgian Economic Mission to the PRC and let by His Royal Highness Prince Philippe. Several speakers addressed the ... 2007-06-26 15:35:50 http://www.procurasia.com/?sty=264 <p align="left"><strong>Which OEM supplier would you trust your product to?</strong></p> <table> <tr> <td><img id="image267" title="Company 1" alt="Company 1" ... 2007-06-18 12:00:39