February 11, 2019
Teeing It Up: How Contract Manufacturers Are Like Caddies
December 12, 2018
RFx Management: Understanding the Difference Between RFI, RFP and RFQ
It's a common mistake among procurement newbies to use the acronyms RFQ and RFP interchangeably. Throw in RFI, and things really start to get hairy. Understanding the nuances that distinguish these different types of requests (for information, proposal and quote) will help you get what you need a little faster and more easily, and that's...
November 14, 2018
Manufacturing Location Considerations: Where to Make My Product?
Have you ever wished for an easy, all-in-one-place guide to the most cost-effective locations for specific manufacturing processes? Maybe you’re thinking, “No, but now that you mention it…” 😊
November 07, 2018
Moving Your Product From Prototype to Production
Just think about it for a second. Every day you interact with hundreds of products that at one point were nothing more than an idea. But have you ever wondered what it looks like to take a product from prototype to production? It's a complex process that combines creativity and procedures. There are stops and starts. The timeline for...
September 12, 2018
10 Things Your Competitors Can Teach You About Contract Manufacturing
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...
August 29, 2018
11 Reasons Your First Production Purchase Order is Late
You made it through the RFQ process. Through the tooling, sampling and PPAP review. Now your world-changing product is
– say it with me
– in production. Oh, how good it feels. But don't be too quick to kick off your boots and celebrate. First production orders are notoriously plagued with unexpected delays (mostly minor!) that could throw a...
August 08, 2018
Submitting an RFQ to a Supplier? How to Avoid Quote Fatigue
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.
July 10, 2018
How to Implement a Successful Global Sourcing Strategy
I have this image of a sourcing manager talking to a supplier with the conversation going something like this, “I don’t have extruded aluminum right now, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let me have the aluminum...
July 03, 2018
3 Keys to Painless Supplier Agreements
Every supplier agreement starts one way: conversation. Two parties — whether they’re individuals or companies — talk about what one wants and the other can provide. Lawyers or legal teams have their place, for sure, but if you can align mutual business priorities, it’s just drawing up paperwork.
June 26, 2018
Setting Up a Basic BOM Spreadsheet
When you work with engineers prepare yourself for a heaping helping of acronym soup! You’ll hear it all: PCB, PCBA, DFM, FMEA, PO, IP and of course the BOM, which stands for Bill of Materials. And while all those other acronyms are highly important to the product development process, it’s the BOM that gets you on your way.
