Archive of Category: Quality Assurance

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Quality Management of the Production Process: Part One

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CPG’s approach to quality control is one of PREVENTION. Quality management begins with avoiding problems. Our motto is “Prevention is better than a cure.” Quality management in the pre-production process Dr. Deming, the father of quality management, once said, “Quality is not tested, but produced.” Only in each link of...

Buying From China and the Importance of Contracts

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We’ve all heard the saying, “The greater the risk; the greater the reward.” Although the risk/reward concept makes sense in most cases, let us not exaggerate. Sourcing and procurement is a risky and complex process in and of itself. If you want to reap rewards from buying directly from China,...

The Seven Deadly Sins of Importing From China

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Importing from China never comes easy, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Despite difficulties, there are a number of ways importers can make their sourcing supply chain run more smoothly. At the same time, there are a number of ways to make China sourcing seem impossible. One good way...

How Clear Quality Specifications Can Help When Sourcing from China

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“Oh my gosh! These are not what I ordered! This is terrible!”  Such things are often heard when some importers who buy direct from China receive their goods in their warehouses. How do such things happen? It is likely because they did not have clear quality specifications in place. A...

Sourcing from China: How to Perform a SWOT Analysis

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If you’re sourcing from China, you understand the importance of management and you are probably already evaluating your systems and processes on a regular basis to ensure that they are running optimally and according to your plans and your vision. (If you’re not, you really should.) SWOT stands for “Strengths,...

China Sourcing Alternatives: Is it time to move?

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Given the current climate surrounding China, various factors have caused importers to ask if sourcing from China is still the right choice for their supply chain. Uncertainty due to tariffs/Trade war, rising labor costs and COVID-19 have sparked a lot of concerns. Is it time to search for China sourcing...

In Search of Experience

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Experience: “Knowledge and skill gained while doing something” (MacMillan).  Experience is a fun topic. In politics, those who have a lot of it worry they are too old, and those who don’t have enough argue it is not important. Kissinger is 100 years old, is his experience valuable? You decide. ...

China Sourcing: Hiring Teams vs. Individuals

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One common dilemma importers often face is the decision of whether to hire a China sourcing agent or a China sourcing agency. You hire people to get results.  But hiring is a big investment of time and resources.  To get a good return on that investment, you need to find...

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