Choosing an electronic contract manufacturing company can be a daunting task. Variables and options such as onshore vs. offshore, regional vs. national, and specialist vs. generalist make the selection process somewhat involved.  

For those struggling to make a decision on which electronic contract manufacturing company to partner with, we’d like to offer these factors for consideration:

Proven History

How long has the company been in business, and what projects have they excelled with? Have they worked on and successfully handled a job like yours? Do they have a reputation for excellence? Start with the proven history of potential partners and work your way forward. This is a simple way to eliminate those who aren’t a good fit for your specific project.

Industry Compliance

Does this company comply with industry standards? What certifications do they have? Do they meet your corporate requirements? This is another quick evaluation point to consider. Most reputable companies will have proven certifications that require regular review to maintain. This helps to ensure that there is a baseline for their quality.

Capabilities

Does this company offer siloed services, or do they stretch to offer a more singular one-stop solution? Can they help with pre-production? How streamlined are their operations? When you engage a company, you are engaging their expertise, and minimizing the number of vendors involved in a production cycle ultimately minimizes the potential issues that you will experience.

Quality Assurance

What quality assurance equipment do they have in place? How is their quality assurance process documented? How are their employees incentivized? If the tools are not in place, the resulting quality will not be consistent. If quality is not a focus, it can lead to higher rejection rates, which results in higher production costs and longer lead times. 

Technology

Are they using the latest technology in each department? Have they invested in tools that will increase productivity and ensure consistency? Technical expertise is a minimum requirement when evaluating an electronic contract manufacturing company.

Production Management

Does the company have a documented management process? How has it proven effective and affected their on-time delivery rate? Effective production management is key to everything from supply chain oversight to operational efficiency to price containment. Because any electronic contract manufacturing company can purchase cutting-edge technology and secure compliance, production management is ultimately the truest differentiator. Your partner must have a solid plan for managing the entire process, from planning to sourcing to production to quality.

While it may take some time and effort to identify the right electronic contract manufacturing company, the end result could be the determining factor in the success of your project. We suggest the investment will pay dividends.