Outsourced Infrastructure & Supply Chain Management
PassageMaker leverages its China-based infrastructure (China-savvy management, SOP’s, business templates, quality systems, office space & business licensing) to recruit, employ, train & manage a dedicated team of sourcing professionals responsible for coordinating the client’s supply chain.
The following is an overview of the Strategic Sourcing and tactical Supply Chain Management (SCM) functions which may be outsourced to PassageMaker.
Strategic Sourcing
Supplier Identification (for products, tooling and/or services)
- Learn how our industry leading Sourcing Feasibility Study (SFS) can help you find the best ratio of price/quality/lead-time available at a given order size of a given product or service in Asia delivered to a given destination globally.
Supplier Verification
- General due diligence
- Vendor assessment & auditing
- Operational & financial due diligence
“All-in” Cost Modeling & Budgeting
Product Verification
- Lab testing
- Safety compliance
- Environmental impact
Supplier Contract Creation, Review and Negotiation
Intellectual Property Planning & Registration
Note on Tool & Die/ Mold Making
PassageMaker can find and manage the specialized tool makers in China. Typical Projects: Injected Plastics Molding, Metal Stamping Dies, Rubber Molding, Castings (sand castings, die castings, and investment casings in carbon, stainless steel, iron, aluminum, zinc, and brass). Typical Project Phases: Tool Maker Identification & Analysis. Overseeing Tool Trials. Purchase Order Management. Coordination of Shipping and Delivery. Tool Trials are conducted in accordance with client’s desired testing protocol and are often based on a typical Mold Data Sheet as found here.
Supply Chain Management (SCM)
Supply Chain Management orchestrates the day-to-day tasks which ensure targets for price, quality and lead time are achieved. Below is an overview of some of the core functional areas that can be outsourced to PassageMaker.
- Vendor performance monitoring
- Payment processing & facilitation (PassageMaker is available to disperse funds to Chinese suppliers in local currency)
- Legal, social and environmental compliance
- Factory auditing
- Quality assurance
- Quality training
- Product inspection & testing
- Coordination of value added tax (VAT) rebate
- Logistics coordination (door-to-door)
- Warehousing & freight consolidation
- Private labeling & custom packaging
- Black Box Assembly (to protect client’s intellectual property)
- 3rd party QC & sorting
- Clean room assembly & packaging
- Tool & Die Steward (TDS): Storage, management & maintenance
PCB & Firmware Integration
Sensitive phases of production can take place inside a “BlackBox” assembly center to prevent the sub-suppliers from unauthorized cloning of client’s product.
Product Development & Engineering
- DFM (design for manufacture)
- CAD creation
- Packaging design
- Mechanical & electrical engineering
- Compliance testing and certification
Intellectual Property (IP)
- IP registration (trademarks & patents)
- IP monitoring of vendors and marketplaces
- Demand letters/cease & desist
- Litigation
Government Relations
Technical Translation, Interpretation & China Visit Support
Related Content: Click this link to see details on how a typical Vendor Coordination project unfolds.
