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Features
Don’t drop the pilot
– expert help is the
key to safe passage
In an increasingly competitive marketplace,
many businesses are looking for distinctive
promotional products to ensure that their
brands stand out from those of their competitors.
In the current economic climate, where price is
so commonly the first criteria, many distributors
are not only looking for a dependable stockist supplier
but an increasing number are now turning to
the Far East for a solution.
China has never been more accessible than it
is today and proof of this can be seen in the daily
influx of e-mails from Far East companies offering
products at seductively low prices.
Sourcing from the Far East provides an ideal
opportunity to create unique products for clients
whilst trying to maximize gross profit – it all seems
so easy.
So what are the risks
Well, to determine the risk involved perhaps we
should ask the following questions:
■■How much do we actually know about the
contacts we make on the other side of the
world
■■Can we be sure they are financially sound
when we hand over proforma payments
■■Will the product in question, if checked at
the UK ports, actually be allowed into the UK
Does it comply with all the necessary EU standards
and ever-expanding legislation
■■Does the factory comply with the required
CSR standards expected or even required by
the end user
■■How is the factory making these products so
competitively, and who is making them In particular,
can we guarantee no child or under-age
labour is being used in any part of the process
■■Do we really know enough about the general
factory conditions or the safety and compliance
of the materials being used on a day-today
basis
■■Do we know enough about these unknown
suppliers to place large volume, high value
orders with them
■■Last but not least, can we be absolutely sure
By Graham Winter
of PF Concept
that inspection carried out prior to despatch
from the Far East can guarantee that on arrival
in the UK the product will meet your required
quality standards If not, what is the returns
policy
Buying directly from the Far East is both complex
and time-consuming. Increasing legal requirements
for product compliance mean that local
knowledge and expertise, plus ability to control
quality at source, are essential for success.
The CE mark is familiar to us all and has been a
requirement for some considerable time.
However, RoHs, WEEE and REACH are more
recent additions to the ever-lengthening list of EU
legal standards, regulations and directives.
To add to this, more often now we are seeing
major blue chip companies requesting factory audits,
along with comprehensive testing and inspection,
to provide them with the reassurance that
they, their shareholders and their customers insist
upon.
One possible solution to these headaches is to
call on outside expertise.
For example, a company such as PF Asia Direct
(PF Concept’s Far East trading division) can help
pilot your way through these treacherous waters
and provide a “one stop shop” solution to the challenges
of sourcing and logistics from the Far East.
PF Asia Direct has eight offices in the Far East
and Bangladesh, with around 600 staff, providing
services such as on-site factory inspections.
It has a dedicated trading team based in the UK,
as well as a local customer service team you can
talk to in your language and during your business
hours.
The advantages of doing business with this vibrant
part of the world are clear – but it pays to
look before you leap.
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