India Gaining Popularity over China as a Near-Shoring and Sourcing Destination

Most importers have been affected by supply chain disruption in recent years. Zero-Covid in China, exploding shipping costs, component shortages, the invasion of Ukraine, political tensions between China and the West, and the impacts of Covid on Western economies causing … Continue reading

Design for Reliability Secrets

Our head of New Product Development, Andrew Amirnovin, stops by to explain what DfR is, what an unreliable product looks like so you know what to avoid, the DfR process, and some secrets to implementing design for reliability that are … Continue reading

China's Borders Reopen & Business Visa Applications

Renaud and Adrian from Sofeast share the positive news that China is reopening its borders to all travellers today, March 15th 2023, because they are starting to issue tourist visas now. After 3 years of Covid-driven entry restrictions, we look … Continue reading

Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Volume 22

A foreign buyer has decided to stop working with their OEM supplier located in China because of horrible performance and poor service. But that supplier still has the buyer’s plastic injection molds in their factory. The buyer is wondering how … Continue reading

How ISO 37301 Might Improve Chinese Suppliers' Compliance

Renaud welcomes Clive Greenwood and Sean Li of the BSI onto the podcast. They introduce the ISO 3730 standard for compliance management and discuss how best to implement it along with other relevant standards such as ISO 9001 and those … Continue reading

How To Source Scarce Electronic Components

The microchip shortage the world has been experiencing since the Covid pandemic shows signs of easing now we’re in 2023, but the supply chain for certain components, especially some rare electronic components like certain chips, is still rocky. So, with … Continue reading

Why Assembly and Checking Fixtures provide amazing ROI in the Factory

Our CEO Renaud, senior engineer Paul, and Adrian from the team focus on assembly and checking fixtures. These fixtures improve speed, consistency, and quality in the factory. They also lower costs because you’ll get fewer defects and operators can do … Continue reading

sofeast china raw materials price indices

Here’s the monthly update from Sofeast’s sourcing team who has been tracking the costs of commonly used raw materials from China since January 2021 to help you understand where the market is right now. If you or your supplier are … Continue reading

What to do if you have recurring quality problems from your factory

Renaud and Adrian discuss the unwelcome scenario of recurring quality problems from your outsourced supplier who’s handling your manufacturing in China. They cover your quality standard, 6 tips on how to handle common recurring quality problems, and several reasons WHY … Continue reading

3D Printed Circuit Boards What They Are & How Fast They're Made

Did you know that printed circuit boards (PCBs) may also be created via 3D printing? 3D printing has transformed the production of a vast array of goods, from toys and household goods to medical gadgets and aerospace components, and it’s … Continue reading