Foundations in China Manufacturing

The Foundations in China Manufacturing eBook is a "how-to" guide intended to provide an affordable way for people to get a concise, detailed explanation of some of the key principles when working with Chinese manufacturers, and to arm them with some tools to get them there faster. This eBook is NOT intended to be an exhaustive guide to manufacturing in China, nor is my intention to lead you to trust me as your sourcing partner in making your products. I don't have a sourcing or consulting company, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I just want to provide you with you the basic building blocks and tools you need as you explore producing your own product overseas. This eBook is not intended to be an exhaustive guide to everything you might ever encounter in China, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. My intent is to share my experiences and provide you with you the basic building blocks and tools you need as you explore producing your own product overseas.

Are you interested in doing business in China? Would you like to learn how to negotiate with China suppliers or source products from China? Foundations in China Manufacturing is the place to learn about these topics and many others. The Foundations in China Manufacturing eBook covers essential principles for doing business in China, including topics such as China's culture, products, manufacturers, and economic situation. We discuss the common steps for manufacturing products in China and general insights on how to outsource your product. We delve into the details for sourcing products and identifying potential factories, negotiating with China suppliers, and successfully navigating the launch of your product. If you are looking for a little guidance in any of the following areas: • How to do business in China • How to negotiate with China suppliers • How to outsource the production of your product to China • How to source products from China • How to improve the quality of products manufactured in China • How to understand China business culture The Foundations in China Manufacturing eBook is a "how-to" guide intended to provide an affordable way for people to get a concise, detailed explanation of some of the key principles when working with Chinese manufacturers, and to arm them with some tools to get them there faster. We cover a wide range of topics, including: • Is China the Right Choice for My Product? • Finding Potential Factories • Qualifying Potential Factories • Selecting a Factory Partner • Meeting the Factory Face to Face • The Factory Tour • Quality Control and Inspections • Product Development and Design • Samples, Tooling, and Certifications • Production, Shipping, and Logistics Each chapter in the Foundations in China Manufacturing eBook covers in detail one particular aspect of manufacturing in China. As part of my eBook offering, I also include sourcing tools and templates that I use when working with Chinese factories. These tools will put you on the quick path to making your product in China, and include the following resources: 1. Marketing Brief - An outline of a typical marketing brief for a new production project. 2. Competitive Landscape - A comparison worksheet for keeping track of your competitors. 3. Product Requirement Doc (PRD) - Full specifications and requirements template for a new product. 4. China Sourcing Map - Resource map of sourcing locations in China. 5. Factory Workbench - Template for tracking information about each factory in correlation to your product line. 6. Company Intro Letter - Quick introduction into your company and why the factory should want to do business with you 7. Factory Pre-Qualification Sheet - Essential information to know whether a factory merits your continued efforts 8. Example RFQ - Standardized format for obtaining quotations from potential factories 9. Example NDA - One example of key items of confidentiality to nail down with a potential factory 10. Factory Comparison Worksheet - Quickly organize and compare the quotes obtained from your RFQ 11. Basic Terms Agreement - An example agreement of key terms that must be negotiated with the factory from the beginning of your partnership 12. Sample Factory Tour Checklist- A list of key questions to ask as you tour the factory facilities 13. Sample Factory Audit Report - A summary of the key areas that are covered in a factory audit 14. Incoterms Explained - A summary chart of common shipping terms, and who pays for what part of the product transit This eBook is not intended to be an exhaustive guide to everything you might ever encounter in China, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. My intent is to share my experiences and provide you with you the basic building blocks and tools you need as you explore producing your own product overseas.

My name is Dan Hill. I am a China enthusiast. I have spent my career working with China manufacturers, making great products for great companies. I lived in China for several years, spending time at trade shows and at large corporate offices. But mostly I was working in factories. My job was to make sure that my companies’ products were being produced the right way, at the right quality levels, and being shipped at the right time. Upon returning to the United States, I have spent my career leading manufacturing, operations, and product development for small to medium U.S. businesses. I helped these companies remain lean and efficient in the face of huge market and financial crises. I was part of a founding group of people who started a consumer electronics brand, became one of the fastest growing companies in a hyper-competitive space, and sold the company a few years later to a multi-million dollar corporation. I have built and led teams of people in China. Because I speak their language, I have had to opportunity to know them on a personal and genuine level. I have tremendous respect for the Chinese in general, and for the working class in particular. My eBook, Foundations in China Manufacturing, is a culmination of all the lessons, mistakes, and successes that I've been blessed to experience over the past 20 years. My sincere hope is that in some way it will prove helpful to you as you begin your adventure making your products in China.