Written by: Pro QC Quality Assurance Team

Choosing a new manufacturing location is never easy, especially if you’re used to working with a particular production unit. However, with the US-China Trade War in full swing, many are being forced to look at other options in order to decrease the loss on margins. It doesn’t have to be all negative though; we’re weighing out the pros and cons of two alternative countries, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Before you start though, we think this tip is helpful: remember to assess whether the new location you’re looking at has known expertise in manufacturing your product. And secondly, conducting a factory audit on a potential new supplier can help make sure you’re taking the right step.

Vietnam

Second quarter 2019 figures from the Vietnamese government have indicated the country’s manufacturing figures rose 9.14%, pushing GDP up to 6.71% year on year, as Vietnam indicates it’s been benefitting from the current US-China Trade War climate.

According to the IMF, in 2018 Vietnam’s strong economic growth was led by industrial activity. One of the reasons for this has been the government’s strong support of the private sector, which has helped strengthen the regulatory quality and boost the ease of doing business in the country.

Revamped anti-corruption laws in 2018 have also improved transparency – with a commitment to link databases on taxation, anti-money laundering, customs, and land transaction, on target for the end of 2019.

If you’re producing apparel, shoes, home-textiles or anything furniture-related, Vietnam’s a good bet.

But beyond this, one of the key advantages of Vietnam is its logistics chain – with solid infrastructure: roads, airports, and multiple ports of shipping, getting your goods on their way is much easier than ever before.

But this is also one of the challenges to consider – logistics is still more costly and less integrated in Vietnam than in China.

Further cons in Vietnam are a need to improve the enforcement of contracts and legal interpretation as well as facilitate resolution and bankruptcy proceedings.

Taiwan

The Economist has long hailed Taiwan as being the most technologically advanced computer microchip maker in the world, and with the world’s seventh-largest economy, there’s no need to look at the region’s GDP figures.

A tech-savvy hotspot, Taiwan has built up its reputation as a key player in manufacturing IT goods over the last 20 years. One of the advantages here is a highly skilled labour-force and top-notch R&D centres, which also offer design expertise that is often found lacking in other markets. All these pros inevitably make Taiwan a great option for higher quality – and largely tech – manufacturing needs.

Solid infrastructure and well-established shipping ports and logistics chains back Taiwan’s claims to fame here, but strong IP laws, backed by stable governmental regulation are also important factors in why it is such a hotspot.

This though leads into Taiwan’s biggest challenge: cost. All the stability Taiwan provides also means that you’ll be paying up to 30% more for manufacturing there versus in mainland China.

Remember that supplier identification research or an initial supplier audit can help determine if a location is right for your production needs.

Learn more about Pro QC’s quality assurance, engineering and consulting services at https://proqc.com.

Considered one of the biggest threats to the global economy this year, the ongoing US-China Trade War has caused what can only be described as a mad dash for companies to move their production out of China. But what exactly is going on, and what does it mean for your supply chain solutions?

A very brief review of the politics

Although there is some contention about tensions mounting between the US and China as early as 2016, things ramped up in early 2018 when the US announced a list of 1300+ categories of Chinese imports listed for tariffs. In March 2018, the US government levied import tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium. China responded by placing tariffs on imported US goods and agricultural products, with 25% on a list of 106 products, including soybeans, automobiles, and chemicals.

By May 2018, the US asked China to reduce the trade gap between the two nations by US$200 billion in two years. A brief truce ensued, followed by the US Trade Commission recommending a 25% tariff on approximately US$200 billion worth of goods, including textiles, metal products and machinery in early August of that year. The second round of tariffs was released a few days later on the following list of US$16 billion worth of goods.

In early August 2019, the US government announced it will tax all Chinese goods entering America at 10% tariffs, potentially set to increase in stages to 25% – encompassing items from apparel to smartphones. This will be on top of US tariffs on a total of US$250 billion worth of incoming Chinese goods, while China tariffs have applied to a total of US$110 billion US goods.

With tensions mounting, the recent escalation saw China devaluing their currency in what they stated was part of trade protectionism measures. The currency passed the unofficial peg of seven Chinese Yuan to one US dollar, making China more competitive for those who wish to purchase Chinese goods with international currencies.

So how does this impact my supply chain solutions?

While tariffs may have increased for goods either going to or from the US or China, global trade markets continue to be active despite the uncertainty of future conditions.

For example, China’s automotive import industry continues to boom, and automotive product inspection is still a large business.

But several industries – including large numbers of those in the apparel sector – have been looking to shift their manufacturing from China to other locations in Asia as a precaution to any economic fallout. While those considerations vary for individual businesses, the decision to move production doesn’t necessarily mean things will be easy in a new country: supplier maturity, quality, and logistics are all factors to be taken into account when determining the best spot to be in.

Protecting your brand becomes even more important when you realign your supply chain – so how do you do that?

When looking at ex-China production countries such as Vietnam, India, Thailand, Indonesia, and even Myanmar, it is imperative to have ‘quality boots on the ground’ or enlist a reliable quality control or inspection company in Asia, who understands the region. To ensure quality from the commencement of supplier identification through to postproduction monitoring you may require services such as an initial supplier audit, quality inspection, factory audits or supplier management or development. You also may see quality control companies use terms such as source inspections and third-party inspection services for standard postproduction quality control services.

As we continue to monitor the trade situation, we’ll be highlighting alternative supply countries for those seeking alternatives to China. Follow us for more on the pros and cons of each, and why you shouldn’t eliminate China from your supply chain.

Learn more about Pro QC’s quality assurance, engineering and consulting services at https://proqc.com

(Article written by Pro QC Quality Assurance Team) 

Despite recent threats of tariffs related to current immigration issues in the U.S., Mexico remains a solid contender for global organizations looking to mitigate tariffs in China, or simply diversify their supply chain.

According to Inbound Logistics, “Mexico is becoming an increasingly popular option for any and all manufacturing industries that want to mitigate costs without compromising quality.”

As a result, U.S. imports of Mexican goods rose 5.4% in the quarter from the year-earlier period, while imports of Chinese goods were down nearly 15%, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

Traditionally known for automotive, aerospace and electronics, more recently, manufacturing and assembly of office furniture, stamping and metal mechanics, and textiles (industrial applications) has emerged.

Examples of market movement include:

Companies like China’s Hisense, one of the world’s largest television manufacturers, is bringing more suppliers to Mexico as it aims to switch production of all U.S.-bound flat screen TVs to its largest plant outside of China.

GoPro wants all of its U.S.-bound cameras to be in production in Guadalajara, Mexico, in the second half of the year as it seeks to insulate the firm against possible tariffs.

Cosmetic Colors, a thriving Mexican producer of eyeliners and other cosmetic products, recently got a €7 million ($7.8 million) order from a European cosmetic giant for items that were previously made in China and faced a 25% tariff. The company’s high-end plant in the city of Toluca exports 85% of its products to the U.S. for the world’s top cosmetic brands.

(Source)

The advantages of considering Mexico vs. China include:

• Mexico follows similar Intellectual Protection laws as the U.S. and Canada
• Logistics advantages
• More compatible time zones for U.S. and Canada
• Lower travel costs
• Skilled workforce
• Reasonable labor costs
• Mexico’s exports on average contain about 35% or more U.S. parts, whereas Chinese exports contain far less, at about 4%. (WSJ 6/2/19)

So, why wouldn’t organizations want to manufacture in Mexico?

• Identifying new suppliers can be a slow process. Organizations wanting to quickly hedge tariff implications will likely encounter slower response times in communications.
• In many cases, the costs remain higher than if sourced in China or SE Asia.
• Government regulations, including labor requirements, can be challenging to work through.

Pro QC assists organizations in identifying new suppliers in markets around the world. Within Mexico, Pro QC has an ISO certified testing laboratory in Monterrey and a network of sourcing and quality professionals throughout the country. Contact us for additional information.

Additional Resource:

Why Manufacturing Industries are Nearshoring to Mexico

https://www.manufacturingglobal.com/leadership/why-more-manufacturing-industries-are-nearshoring-mexico

Quality control inspections started out as a relatively primitive process, as a way of catching variance in newly developed production systems. The demand likely evolved as it does with many of Pro QC’s new clients. Someone got product from a supplier that didn’t meet their expectations. And, that meant increased costs, delays, impact on branding, etc. It’s a timeless tale.

Using Statistical Quality Control (SQC) starting in the 30s, the QC inspection introduced a reliable way of evaluating a randomly selected production lot. Inspections were conducted at different stages throughout the production process, with the most common being the pre-shipment inspection.

Historically, inspections were conducted and the result would be a go/no-go on the shipment. Sorting and rework were often the default way of handling issues, and the buyer felt assured of the quality and could rest easy knowing that the risk and cost were reduced for that particular order.

But, quality control has evolved into something bigger, more impactful than a singular check of product at a moment in time. For many companies, it has developed into a program of supplier development.

When Pro QC started, fax machines were the primary way of communicating inspection results and other details. There weren’t any online reports, videos, or digital photos. Imagine that.

Fast forward a few decades, and we now leverage our own supply chain management system that offers an in-depth look at the performance of suppliers using the data we capture while on-site.

What data do our clients find useful?

A product defectives analysis can include various details:

* Appearance attributes
* Functional attributes
* Labels and artwork
* Packaging and labeling
* Manufacturing
* Location
* Suppliers
* Product categories
* 80/20 – Top defects

In addition, product conformance analytics can be evaluated in a number of ways:

* Suppliers
* Location
* Product categories
* Quantity check
* Master packing
* Specifications
* Tests & measurements
* Workmanship
* 80/20 – Top non-conformance issues

As Deming reminds us, “In God we Trust, all others bring data.”

So, what’s the big picture?

Many clients meet regularly (often quarterly) with Pro QC and their suppliers to review performance. It’s an ideal time to discuss improvements, opportunities for cost reduction, etc.

A few actions resulting from this type of data analysis includes:

* Ability to identify when an issue is persistent and requires root cause investigation and corrective actions

* Data to indicate a new supplier or additional suppliers needs to be identified

* Additional support to use during negotiations with suppliers

Contact us for additional information, or to see a demonstration of our system that’s changing the way quality is integrated into business.

(This article originally appeared in the Pro QC International quarterly newsletter, March 2019)