You have a great product, but local manufacturing costs are skyrocketing. Or you want to meet the rising demand for your product by accelerating time to market. But there’s no way to optimize internal manufacturing processes. 

What do you do?

The answer is usually outsourcing. However, if you’re already running a successful manufacturing plant, you wouldn’t want to outsource the whole process and make all your employees redundant. The better approach is to find a component manufacturer that can help reduce manufacturing costs while accelerating the time to market.

But how do you find the proper component manufacturer? 

MMI has manufactured a wide range of products and components for over 25 years. From our experience, we recommend making a choice with the following considerations in mind:

1. Established Experience

When seeking out a component manufacturer, looking at their track record is vital. In this scenario, you can reach out to businesses they have worked with, look up customer reviews, etc.

If they are working with known brands, that’s highly indicative of their ability and reliability. However, you should still contact them and pay attention to how they answer your questions. 

Consider this scenario: They cannot walk you through the whole process, answer questions about sourcing, or turn around time. In that case, it isn’t a good demonstration of their knowledge and experience (so look out for those red flags!). 

2. Size (Doesn’t Matter)

Large manufacturers have a lot of skilled staff with extensive knowledge and experience. At the same time, smaller manufacturers are more agile and offer greater flexibility. 

Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. It comes down to your needs and a manufacturer’s ability to deliver. This means that they must be able to provide the quantity you need to achieve your objectives.

3. Sourcing

Sometimes, the component manufacturer you are outsourcing to may also outsource some processes to one of their partners. Determining if your outsourcing partner does this and to what degree is crucial. 

If your potential manufacturing partner does this, you must also vet their third-party partners. Make sure that third-party manufacturers are equally reputable and follow best practices.

Regardless of how the job gets done, it’s vital to demand enhanced visibility throughout the product lifecycle.

4. Turnaround Time

In this business, timing is everything.

Ensure your component manufacturing partner is on the same page regarding the production timeline. If their turnaround time fits your manufacturing schedule, you should be ready to go.

However, ask them how they’ll troubleshoot potential delays. It’s crucial as the turnaround time directly impacts production pricing.

5. Payment Terms

Speaking about pricing, explore their payment terms. Sometimes, when you work with a component manufacturer for the first time, they might demand full payment for pre-production. So, discuss the payment terms early and avoid surprises down the road.

6. Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)

It’s also important to consider their minimum order requirements. This is because MOQs vary significantly among component manufacturers (and specific types of products). Before committing, ensuring that their MOQ is within your budget is critical.

At MMI, we have helped leading brands leverage our extensive network and sub-brands to overcome manufacturing and supply chain challenges. Our decades of experience will help you bring products to market on time, domestically and abroad.

Download our Component Manufacturer Checklist below

To determine what makes the most sense for your next manufacturing project, contact one of our in-house experts!

Sales Manager (Northeast) Elliott Reilly 410-200-4804  ereilly@michmfg.com Inside Sales Manager Victoria Killian 410-200-6903 vkillian@michmfg.com