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March 25,2019,Philippines—As much as there are disadvantages, working with a global manufacturing partner has plenty more benefits which include having experts do the job which is why more and more companies have been seeking to outsource manufacturing services. However, contracting a manufacturing partner is a long-time commitment which requires making careful choices and meticulous decision-making. Also, with how competitive global manufacturing has become in recent years, choosing a fitting manufacturing partner for your business has also become challenging.

To prevent problems from coming up in the future, as well as to ensure only the best manufacturing services for your products and company, here is a 7-step checklist for choosing the right manufacturing partner.

Review their capabilities

Upon looking up outsource manufacturing companies on the Internet, one of the first information you will get from them is their lists of capabilities, and it is important that you review them each. Often times, their lists of capabilities are also the lists of their services.

There are manufacturing companies that offer a wide range of capabilities; covering the whole process from design, to assembly and manufacturing, to testing, to new product introduction, and lastly to distribution. Sometimes, the markets they serve—industrial, automotive, aerospace, and more—can also give a clue about their capabilities. However, there are also smaller companies that only specialize in one or two manufacturing capabilities, so make sure to see if the manufacturing company has your needed service covered before contacting them.

Check their capacity

One way to check the capacity of a manufacturing company is knowing the current limits of their production by their largest and smallest client, and compare to them the complexity of your project. However, due to the competitive nature of global manufacturing, some companies can withhold the information and identities of their clients from other clients.

Considering that, a better way to check a manufacturing company’s capacity is looking at the size of their facility as well as the number of their employees. If you think your project requires a longer production time, it is best to contract a manufacturing company with a bigger facility and plenty enough manpower.

Look for one with the latest equipment and technology

The global manufacturing industry heavily relies on the latest equipment and technology in order to manufacture products that will surely have high quality. Additionally, having the latest equipment and technology used on your products can give your company a push to be ahead of your competitors.

If possible, ask for a tour around their facility to see their equipment and have them explain to you the technologies they are currently using.

Ask about their process

Not all manufacturing companies follow the same workflow or process, and it is more possible that there are little differences in their manufacturing processes. For example, most manufacturing companies will have a quality test only by the end of the production cycle, while some companies may conduct it several times in the middle of manufacturing.

Checking this step off the checklist can help you assess how organized and efficient the manufacturing company is, and if their procedures are aligned with your company beliefs.

Evaluate their personnel

It is unlikely that you can evaluate the manufacturing company personnel during their work because of confidentiality, but you can still get a glimpse of their performance based on how the company trained them. So, if possible, ask your contact person about the company’s training program.

However, you do not have to evaluate the actual laborers. Instead, you may simply base your judgment on their key contact people which includes the project manager, project engineer, manufacturing leader, and representatives of different departments since they essentially represent the company and will be the ones who will lead their workers.

Consider location

Many global manufacturing companies have multiple locations within the country and even abroad. When looking for an outsource manufacturing partner, it is best to choose one with a local location near your company so that you can easily visit them to see the production firsthand and have face-to-face meetings with your project manager.

Research their background

Last but definitely not the least, do not forget to check their background. Do a research on their achievements, look for their financial reports, and read their articles. If they are a big manufacturing company, you may also see news about them. Gather as many data as you can, and thoroughly judge if they are perfect for your business.

Choosing and contracting a manufacturing partner is just the beginning of a long journey, but starting on the right foot is extremely beneficial. The checklist above is just generally the most important things you need to be aware of when looking for a manufacturing partner, but if you have more concerns, do not hesitate to add them on your own checklist.