Every time innovators build a new brand; they need help getting a good manufacturer to make their product top-notch. You will agree that creating, designing, and researching are only the beginning of the product development process. Any wonderful product will fail if it cannot be produced in large quantities and reasonably priced.
So, when presenting a new product to market, choosing the right manufacturer is one of the most important decisions. The Manufacturer you select stands as the foundation for the success of your product, so it’s important to take the time to find the right one.
Considering the nature of silicone, you should choose a manufacturer as you would choose a life partner with the same level of care and attention to detail. “The right Manufacturer can build your product and become an invaluable asset to your business.” That being said, this article discusses the factors you should consider when choosing a manufacturer, the risks involved, and the benefits of choosing the right Manufacturer.
8 Factors to consider before choosing a manufacturer
1. Expertise and Experience in the market
Working with a manufacturer with vast Experience in your product type is very important. This equips them to use the right materials and procedures to produce your silicone products. For example, conductive silicone cannot be used to make medical devices, whereas the same type is perfect for electronic devices. Choosing a manufacturer based on expertise is vital. Furthermore, Experience allows the Manufacturer to tackle any issues that may develop during manufacturing. As they say, “Experience is the best teacher” and sometimes determines the product’s quality. Newbie manufacturers cannot be compared to the manufacturers with an understanding of 10 years of crafting with silicone.
2. Communication
Communication is vital in every relationship. Find out how the Manufacturer will communicate with you during the production process and ensure you are okay with the arrangement. For example, communication can be via Zoom meetings twice a week to update you on the progress made or through email reports twice weekly. Ideal manufacturers will build a partnership through strong service and honest communication. They’ll understand your needs and use their Experience and expertise to advise you throughout the production process.
3. Customer Review
Ask for testimonials from other clients and reach out to them to ask about their Experience with the Manufacturer. A good manufacturer will convince you to choose them. However, if this is impossible, you should research online to flag any potential negative reviews or feedback. Also, you can connect with some people related to your industry via LinkedIn and build a relationship with them. You can ask your professional networks about their opinion on the best silicone manufacturers. Some may be officials of your expected brands and become a direct bridge to manufacturers.
4. Sample Products
Request samples of silicone products to ensure they can produce the quality of the product you require. This goes in line with the saying,” Seeing is believing.”
5. Minimum Order Quantity and unit pricing
The minimum order quantity, an MOQ, is the lowest number of items accepted in an order. Before you place an order, find out how many units the minimum order the Manufacturer requires from you and ensure it is within your business budget. For a growing business, the costs for a large production are prohibitive. You should refrain from investing in a large-scale production run. You should opt for a manufacturer that aligns with your specific needs.
6. Pricing Model
Enquire about the Manufacturer’s pricing structure and service offering. Are there minimum order quantities? How is shipping handled? You want to understand the entire financial picture to avoid unforeseen events.
For example, a manufacturer can demand that you pay for tooling ($10,000 – $100,000+) to get the mold made for your parts, plus additional costs for the manufacturing operation and shipping. The complexity of your product (i.e., the number of parts) will impact the overall manufacturing, assembly, and delivery costs.
7. Manufacturing Quality control process
It involves a series of steps and procedures manufacturers take to ensure that silicone products meet quality standards and specifications. Regulatory bodies like the FDA lay these standards. The quality control steps include:
- Inspecting and testing the materials and equipment used in the production process.
- Monitoring the manufacturing process.
- Examining the finished product before it is confirmed ready for shipping.
8. Payment terms
Always ask about the Manufacturer’s payment terms and ensure they align with your business plan. Do you have enough funds for tooling and large production? If you still need to, you will want to negotiate payment terms that align with your needs. Payment term could be half, 30% percent based on your agreement.
You will have more faith in the finished product if you are more explicit with potential manufacturers. Quality products will take longer if the maker needs to communicate effectively and promptly.
Ensure you know how to make the specific components of many modern products. This often requires sophisticated technology and advanced skills. Manufacturers need to hire subcontractors who specialize in certain areas because of a new paradigm. You’ll most likely get components from around the world, no matter what Manufacturer you choose.
Risks You Should Consider When Choosing A Manufacturer?
As a small business, finding a manufacturer of your brand can be daunting. What’s more tragic is falling into the wrong hands. Plus your knowledge of choosing the right manufacturer, you need to know the risk involved in reaching out to a manufacturer. Below are some of the potential risks you are liable when entering into a manufacturing agreement.
Bad labor Practices
If your company prioritize that its employees welfare, you should ensure that this value is applicable to your manufacturing partners. Failure to do so creates a PR risk, even if there are no other issues. When choosing a manufacturer for your silicone product ensure your values allign and find out about their values and whether they comply with existing regulations.
Prevent Fraud
You might need to seek your manufacturers abroad. You need to do your homework to ensure the company is actually real. You should ask questions till your curiosity is satisfied. Vet your partners to see if they are acting in good faith.
Intellectual-Property Theft
You should jealously guard your company’s intellectual property (IP). Your company’s intellectual property makes your product unique and differentiates you from your competitors. Unfortunately, there are manufacturers that misuse corporate intellectual property. To avoid this, you can use multiple manufacturers to source your materials. Also, trust only manufacturers you already have a relationship with, and make sure legal protections like contracts, patents, and trademarks are well documented.
Benefits of Contracting To A Manufacturer
Contracting to a manufacturer gives you the advantage to use their knowledge, skills, Experience and expertise of an external manufacturer for your silicone product is an effective way to reduce the total costs associated with getting your product to market. Also, not only you, companies large and small outsource specific elements of their production to specialists who can deliver high-quality parts at affordable prices. Here are some reasons why?
To reduce your overhead costs
Investing in your own manufacturing equipment enable you to keep your production process within your reach, however, this investment can make it difficult to become cost-competitive. This starts from the initial purchase and maintenance of the machinery to the budget needed to train and employ qualified workers. All these make the overhead expenses of production to be high. A parts manufacturer specializes in crafting different products. For one, they would have this machinery and they don’t need to market and distribute the product, they would probably charge you for expertise.
To gain valuable expertise
You may have an expertise in the design and mechanics of your product but how knowledgeable are you in making the complex parts? Outsourcing your parts production to a manufacturer means enlisting their advanced technical knowledge and skills to manufacture your parts. These specialists may have access to cutting-edge technologies and be well-versed in the latest techniques that can help create a reliable product that will meet or exceed industry standards.
To enhance flexibility and agility
As your company grows, your needs and requirements may change. This means implies you potentially have to upgrade and augment your own production operation. When you trust your parts manufacturing to an experienced manufacturer, you gain a lot from their flexibility to maintain your continued growth, To the ability to enlarge capacity as needed to meet increase in demand, and the agility to adjust to new requirements to keep production on schedule ensures your business process is not interrupted.
To add another level of support
Since your company is set up, you already have a team of dedicated and committed employees supporting your vision — why not bolster that support by investing in partnership with a production facility? A parts manufacturer can offer you more than high-quality silicone products. Building a long-term relationship with a manufacturing company can lead to rewarding benefits that bring success to both parties.
To focus on your business
Whether you’re in the process of expanding your business or prototyping a new product in the development stage, you likely have enough responsibilities to juggle. Managing a successful production process doesn’t need to be one of them. For manufacturer, this is their core competency, it’s what they do and they can do it with ease. With your parts manufacturing off of your plate, you can focus on vital parts of your company like revenue and profit, marketing and sales, customer support etc.
Conclusion
Silicone is a flexible product that requires a high level of expertise to mold and craft it into any design. Partnering with a trustworthy parts manufacturer is undoubtedly a prudent choice that can yield significant benefits for your business. However, you should consider the factors before finalizing your decision and committing to a particular manufacturer. Selecting a parts manufacturer is pivotal in establishing the foundation for good product.