For less than the cost of sending your staff to China, Sinotech can manage every aspect of the sourcing cycle for your company. We can also provide onsite China inspections for projects already in progress. Our bi-lingual, bi-cultural team is always available to help you.
Please Request a Quote if you would like Sinotech to help facilitate your project or provide China inspections.
Below is a list of our consulting and China inspection services in detail.
Project Preparation
When Sinotech receives project drawings, we begin by reviewing them for completeness. This includes dimensional data, material callouts, tolerances, surface finishes, aesthetic requirements, and test requirements. When we prepare the Request for Quotation (RFQ), we make sure to anticipate questions from the Chinese production teams. During this technical review stage, Sinotech also identifies the specific manufacturing processes required to produce the parts. Our systematic project preparation system helps to prevent costly down-stream errors.
Factory Selection
It is critical for the success of your project to match the best factory to the product you are having manufactured. Selecting the wrong factory will waste time and lead to failure. To ensure the success of your project, Sinotech identifies the required processes; selects Chinese candidate factories; audits each factory; and reviews quality certifications. Our team works within your quality system to satisfy your unique documentation needs. We make certain the factory can comply with your requirements.
Price Negotiation
Once Sinotech identifies two or three well-qualified factories, we move on to the price negotiation. We first conduct an analysis to estimate the true cost to the factory based on cost of raw materials, labor, machine time and amortization, etc. By the time price negotiations begin, we already know the lowest or “floor” price. We provide you with all of the factory audits and related documents.
Price negotiation has both an engineering and a cultural component. Our native Chinese engineers communicate with the factories on your behalf within an appropriate cultural context they negotiate in their own language with full understanding of host country’s legal system and the social contract implicit in all transactions. We leverage our influence with the factories to obtain the lowest possible price and best commercial terms on your behalf.
Tooling
Sinotech monitors the tooling process in person. We also provide confirmation of progress via tooling drawings and/or digital photographs of tooling elements. Our engineers ensure that the factories develop the tooling processes concurrently to assure that no process is shortchanged by being placed at the end of the tooling cycle. This includes tooling design, die-making, mold-making, machining jigs, etc. Our Project Managers make sure the factories meet the agreed-upon schedule and minimize “project slippage.”
Inspection Services
Sinotech can provide China inspection of your goods during tooling and production, We inspect exactly as you would and apply whatever quality criteria you prefer. We independently verify factory measurements and claims. When it comes to documentation we make sure each inspection submission is complete and that it truly represents the factory’s quality assurance activities. Our team monitors testing procedures and arranges third-party laboratory testing of samples in the China or the U.S. Onsite China inspections can be performed on consumer goods, industrial parts, and automotive components. Even if you manage your own project Sinotech can perform China inspections as needed.
Production
Sinotech manages production scheduling to assure on-time shipments. During the first production run, our engineers are onsite to provide an independent inspection. If required, Sinotech will arrange for a statistical sampling of the production so you can inspect the first production articles prior to shipping. Our team conducts an audit of production to ensure that work instructions correspond to the Control Plan and that the factory workers are following them.
Packaging
Sinotech carefully considers packaging early in the tooling -> production cycle. We pay strict attention to the specifications for carton-level, palette-level, and container-level packaging. If you need it, we can also assist with packaging-related services such as returnable packaging, package/palette labeling, and bar coding.
Shipping and Logistics
Sinotech can provide shipping and logistics support for the following areas:
Ocean/Air Shipping: Sinotech will arrange for the ocean or air shipping of goods from various China ports to U.S. ports of entry and consolidate shipments wherever possible to minimize shipping costs.
Customs and Entry: Sinotech will assist in accurately determining U.S. Harmonized Tariff Codes for the shipped commodity and will arrange for Customs clearance. If your cargo is delayed by a U.S. Customs examination, Sinotech will provide the information and documentation to assure its earliest release.
Domestic Inland Shipping: Sinotech will supervise shipping from the U.S. port of entry to your loading dock or a warehousing facility via air, truck, or rail. Sinotech can use our own shipping solutions or you can specify.
Warehousing: Sinotech will help you identify warehouse facilities, setup warehousing processes, and track your inventory. We will also work with you to establish minimum and maximum inventory levels and to arrange production deliveries to the warehouse in order to maintain these levels.
JIT Deliveries: Using rolling forward projections, Sinotech will work with you to maintain the inventory levels and to schedule periodic deliveries per your requirements.
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI): Sinotech will provide support for interfacing factory Electronic Data Interchange systems with your systems. This support for EDI may include factory training and technical coordination.
Corrective Actions
Unfortunately, factories occasionally deliver defective parts. When Sinotech receives a corrective action alert through our 24-hour emergency line, we immediately form a Corrective Action Team to take action and notify the factory that we are issuing a corrective action advisory.
First Sinotech arranges for the quarantine of bad parts to keep them off your production line. Then we will help the factory to perform root-cause analysis. Our team will help design, implement, and document the specific corrective actions. Sinotech recognizes that any shutdown of your assembly line is unacceptable. Therefore, we help to prevent this by arranging for product rework, air shipping of emergency replacement parts, or any other step necessary.
Our team periodically monitors the factories that are producing your parts. We note any potentially negative outcomes caused by deterioration in quality systems, changes in management, changes in ownership etc. Sinotech will report these concerns to you. We will also recommend specific actions including increased factory supervision, additional onsite China inspection and/or starting up an alternative source in case the factory fails.
Please Request a Quote if you would like Sinotech to help facilitate your project or provide China inspections.
