From Design to Delivery: How Contract Manufacturing Works

The beauty of capitalism is the supply and demand principle, making it possible to start a business with just an idea. Today, you can easily launch a whole line of interesting goods even though you lack the resources to actually make it. How? The process is simple, you’ll pay someone else to make the product for you and you’ll take care of the rest. Once you have, it’s up to you to distribute it and take care of marketing and all the other parts of your small company. It’s called contract manufacturing and the concept has been implemented by big names in the industry for decades. You’ve probably heard how your phone’s chip is made in Korea, the casket in Japan, and the display in China, while all this is assembled in the US. Sometimes, with the right contract, you can get the whole product ready and finished at your doorstep without the need for enormous facilities to hold such capacities. In the text below, we’ll discuss this and more and delve into the world of contract manufacturing. 

Image Source: Pexels

Initial Concept and Design 

The whole journey starts with the initial idea and design. This part is usually taken care of by you but of course, the manufacturer is more than happy to give some ideas and thoughts on the product. The thoughts will be mostly regarding their ability to make it, the materials, the price, and the expense. This kind of collaboration between engineers and designers makes it possible to create a finished product according to everyone’s wishes while still ensuring that the total cost of making it doesn’t exceed the profit point or overall value. 

You’ll get familiar with the entire manufacturing process, the functionality and aesthetics of the product, and more. Once that’s all finished and done, you can plan the next step. 

Selecting a Manufacturer 

Understandably, not all contractors are the same or offer the same services. Quite a lot of them are specialized in a specific area and often focus primarily on the production of certain goods and products. You’ll have to think about several factors, including the CM’s expertise, capacity, quality standards, and location. Every single one of these factors plays a role, such as the location for example, as it allows you to plan out the logistics and distribution, or their expertise gives you the needed guarantee that the product will be as you wish. For example, if you need to make durable and protective cases, you’ll be looking for a contractor able to make them using a blow molding forming process, which is a standard in the industry and they’ll help you decide on the shapes and sizes and give you a guarantee on their durability and safety. You can also ask to tour their facilities, get a good look at how it’s going to be all made and assembled and they’ll give you a breakdown of the overall costs. 

Production Planning 

Now comes the tricky part, the production planning process means having a layout of the whole plan and everything. All the phases of the production will be detailed and carefully planned ahead of time. You’ll have an overview of everything, from start to finish. You’ll know everything about the tools they’ll use, from molds to dies and specialized equipment needed to finish the product and make it reliable. All these steps are necessary to make the process high-quality and to ensure the safety of the goods as well as their long-lasting nature. 

Assembling

Once you’ve made your choice of the CM and the production plan has been decided, it’s time for the assembly part. This stage involves various processes, such as machining, molding, casting, welding, and assembly, depending on the nature of the product. Of course, your contractor manages these processes, meaning you don’t have to worry about anything. It’s a simple part of the understanding you have and it’s how business is done. They’ll do all this while adhering to high standards of quality and safety. And of course, throughout this phase, continuous monitoring and quality control checks will be put in place to make sure everything is as it should be. 

Image Source: Pexels

Quality Assurance 

As said, while the CM is doing its job, the constant monitoring and quality checks serve the purpose of making sure the goods are adhering to the desired standard and industry requirements. Functional testing, stress testing, and durability testing are all part of the process. You’ve probably seen how on some products it says “200,000 miles able to cross”, or maybe “50 charges” and similar info. It’s based on the quality assurance test these products need to pass to make sure the final result is reliable goods ready for the consumer. 

Packing and Logistics 

We’ve talked about the importance of the client’s location because of delivery and logistics. Of course, when we say logistics, we generally mean packaging, logistics, and delivery. Once everything has been finished and done, your CM will make sure the goods are packed according to your wishes, which means proper labeling and branding. They’ll deliver the goods as per the contract and make sure the transport is safe and the product is unharmed. 

It’s amazing to think how little it sometimes takes to make or start your business. CMs allow you to delve into new business challenges and they also allow you to expand and grow your business without having to worry about the additional manufacturing and labor costs as someone else will do it for you. What’s left is to place the product on shelves and get it to consumers.

Joshua White is a passionate and experienced website article writer with a keen eye for detail and a knack for crafting engaging content. With a background in journalism and digital marketing, Joshua brings a unique perspective to his writing, ensuring that each piece resonates with readers. His dedication to delivering high-quality, informative, and captivating articles has earned him a reputation for excellence in the industry. When he’s not writing, Joshua enjoys exploring new topics and staying up-to-date with the latest trends in content creation.

Author