East West Manufacturing Blog

When you’re here and your product is over there — wherever “over there” might be — you need supply chain visibility (SCV). An Aberdeen Group report defined SCV as “the awareness of, and control over, specific information related to product orders and physical shipments, including transport and logistics activities and the statuses of events and...

Rather than chalking your competition up as your arch nemesis (or, even worse, to "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" status), you can actually learn some useful lessons from them, courtesy of their successes, failures and habits alike. Whether you learn what to do better – or what to avoid at all costs – taking interest in what your competitors are...

 When considering the value of engineering support as you go through the process of product development, there’s a great saying to keep in mind:

Experience is a great teacher, especially someone else’s experience.

TED Talks have been a driving force of inspiration, information and innovation since their inception in 2006. Born out of the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference, the talks have become a global, viral sensation over the past decade. Below we've compiled seven of the best TED Talks to inspire engineers and manufacturers. How will...

You want to build a robot. But not some cute little walking robot.

If you have been involved in global contract manufacturing (CM) for more than a few months  you will inevitably hear the phrase, “Quote Fatigue.” Quote Fatigue occurs when a prospect submits an RFQ (Request for Quote) to a manufacturer for pricing — then another, then another, then another, without the manufacturer securing any new business.

Few things help a project — any project — more than objectivity. It's a great ability to view a task, whether editing a paragraph or designing a product completely free of emotion, but few people have that skill when it comes to their own work. That's why most companies use a project manager to guide the new product development process along. 

Whether you are brand new to international shipping or just need a refresher on the ins and outs of Incoterms, we have you covered. International freight a complex business, so it's important to understand the industry lingo, associated risks and costs, and how it all affects you.