You’ve designed a product and you’re ready to take your design to a manufacturer. But just how do you choose the right manufacturer? There are many companies out there to choose from. This guide can help you to narrow down the right one for your product.
Find a manufacturer that caters to your type of product
Different manufacturers specialise in different products. Some specialise in manufacturing toys. Others specialise in manufacturing clothes. Finding one catered to your product is the first important step. You should then consider the complexity of your product. Some companies offer basic white label services. Others use technologies like CNC machining that are capable of creating intricate and completely unique products. It’s important to understand which service is right for you.
Think about your order size and deadline
Some manufacturers are very busy and may have queues of orders lined up. The size of your order and the deadline could affect whether they are able to work with you. Seeking out manufacturers early before setting any launch dates or promising orders to suppliers is recommended. That said, if you’ve left it to the last minute, there are manufactures out there that can carry out quick orders. Just be wary that you may have to spend extra to get your product manufactured more quickly and that more complex products may not be possible to manufacture quickly.
Consider outsourcing a foreign manufacturer to save money
Many companies find that they can reduce manufacturing costs by more than 50% by outsourcing manufacturing to countries like China and India. This is something to consider if you’re on a tight budget. Just make sure to consider the cost of transporting your product to your customers – if all your customers are in the UK, you’ll have to pay to ship all your products from China or India. If you’re using local material/ingredient suppliers, shipping abroad is particularly not advised as you’ll have to pay extra to ship these supplies to the factories.
Pick a local manufacturer to reduce emissions
Using a local manufacturer can sometimes be a greener option when selling to a local market. Because products don’t have to be shipped as far after manufacture, you can reduce carbon emissions – which could be something to consider if you want your business to be environmentally friendly. Some foreign manufacturers may also use less environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes due to more relaxed laws. On top of this, you may want to consider other elements of social responsibility such as fair working conditions – which may not be guaranteed when choosing some foreign manufacturers.
Check for industry-specific standards
When narrowing down a manufacturer, it’s worth investigating whether they are familiar with any standards or references specific to your industry. For example, if you are working with mechanical components, having access to resources like a bearing cross reference can make it easier to ensure compatibility across different brands and suppliers. This can help reduce costly mistakes and delays, while also giving you confidence that your product will meet the necessary quality and performance requirements.
Take your time to compare reviews and quotes
Online customer reviews can give you an idea of how reliable and how high quality a manufacturer is. Make sure that you take the time to read any reviews before placing an order. On top of this, it could be worth collecting a few quotes to find the cheapest price. Some manufacturers will charge less than others. Just be sure that this isn’t to make up for a poor reputation.
