3 big future trends of Chienese Manufacturing

 

“It’s only a matter of time before Chinese suppliers take over on Amazon. Who needs a middleman”

“China doesn’t need manufacturing any longer. They are going all in on credit cards and shopping malls”

And so it goes. Self-proclaimed experts, trying to predict the future. However, if anyone is qualified to make a prediction of the future state of manufacturing in China, that would be me.

In this article, I explain why, on one hand, China will remain a manufacturing powerhouse – and on the other, why you shouldn’t worry about your supplier stealing your market share.

I’ll also show you why branding and marketing expertise is actually more important than the product itself, in a world where manufacturing is becoming increasingly accessible – even to the smallest business.

1. Production will remain in China, despite increasing costs

Chinese suppliers are facing increased costs: Rising wages and rent hikes all contribute to reduce the already slim, profit margins of the average assembly manufacturer.

In addition, the government is also becoming increasingly efficient in collecting taxes. This is another ‘cost’ that some suppliers must start to add into their pricing.

Some manufacturers have already left, for example, in Vietnam and Cambodia.

So I guess this is it then. Game over. China is rapidly deinstruliaising to focus on the “consumer market” and Chinaimportal.com is destined for eternal obscurity.

Not so fast…

A couple of years ago, the talk was all about how Chinese suppliers would depart from the east coast and head in droves to the inland. That didn’t happen.

Instead, China’s East Coast grew into an even stronger manufacturing base. Shenzhen is the brightest shining star, and has cemented its position as the World’s center for manufacturing.

To me, that was rather expected. Shenzhen has today grown into an ecosystem that cannot be simply transplanted.

This is where you have the logistics companies, the component manufacturers. Increasingly, this is also where you find the manufacturing expertise needed.

So, what’s the conclusion?

China is losing out in some areas, but gaining in others. It’s not a coincidence that China becomes the manufacturing hub it is today, while Indonesia and India didn’t make that transition.

Things will change, though.

The future manufacturer in China is will mostly be ‘staffed’ by low cost production robots.

Inefficient manufacturers will also disappear, and give more room to those that embrace this change. That said, I don’t think that, for example, the Wristwatch or LED industry will ever be dominated by a few large producers. The future doesn’t necessarily favor corporations.

In the medium to long run, China will lose its cost advantage entirely, compared to the US, EU and Japan, due to cheap robotics, AI and 3D printing. But that’s at least two or three decades away.

2. Manufacturing is becoming as accessible to Startups and Small Businesses, as Software development

Manufacturing used to be something that required huge investments. It was certainly nothing for college students considering, until just about a decade and half ago.

Chinese suppliers are OEMs. Essentially, they are ‘Open Source Manufacturers’.

Chinese suppliers don’t care who you are, or what you sort of background you have. All they are interested in is your business. If you ask me, that’s a great thing.

Basically, the Chinese OEM factory made manufacturing accessible. A bit like the PC or Mac back in the 90s.

Until recently, international trade has been stuck in the past. Alibaba and Global Sources took suppliers online, but that didn’t solve every problem facing importers.

That is about to change, though, as supply chains come digitally. An entire ecosystem is coming into place, for companies of all sizes.

Today, a product can get financing on Kickstarter. Then, a B2B provider comes in with a program to secure the transaction with the supplier.

Once ready for shipment, just book a quality control online at Sofeast.com, and get a free shipping quote from Flexport – directly delivered to an Amazon FBA warehouse.

In the last few years, the entire supply chain has moved online, and this is just the beginning.

Product compliance is also becoming a lot more manageable, thanks to new services and devices that are set to drastically cut the cost to ensure compliance with relevant safety standards and labelling requirements.

Just buy a requirements list on ProductIP.com, and test your product for free using your Scio Pocket Molecular Sensor. The latter must be seen to be believed.

Soon, the days when you had to pay 500 dollars to test one fabric in one color belong to the past.

What’s next? Visiting the Global Sources Trade Show from your VR headset?

3. Importers will need to excel at branding and marketing to stay in business

As manufacturing becomes accessible to (almost) everyone, the market is becoming flooded with products.

The core of every business is the product, or service, it sells. However, a product is only as good as the marketing and sales processes that supports it.

The future belongs to those businesses that can not only bring a product to market, but also master the art of product branding, customer service – and online marketing.

In fact, these skills are combined more important than the product itself.

This has been proven, by the failure of Chinese suppliers to break into western markets and cut out the importers.

Many Chinese factory owners arrogantly assumed that they had the upper hand, given their direct access to production. Why not just leave the importers out in the cold and sell directly on Amazon?

They did, and for most it didn’t work out.

What makes a business successful in the OEM manufacturing game is irrelevant when selling on Amazon, and other B2C online channels.

Considering that many suppliers struggle to respond to emails within a week, they are nowhere near having the ability to last more than a month on Amazon.

That said, the younger generation in China has a much better understanding of branding, and the importance of solid customer service.

The question is how much of an advantage they will have in the future, given that they have better access to manufacturers than their American and European competitors.

That advantage is not negligible, but an understanding of the target market has been always more important, than an understanding of the supplier that makes the product. This holds true, regardless of where in the world you do business.

If anything, future competition will come from the ‘forced entrepreneur’ – a byproduct of the large number of people being left behind by automation and AI.

Source :Globalsource.com

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Low-cost Aakash Tablet 3 to have SIM card slot, faster processor and Android & Linux platforms

The next edition of the low-cost Aakash tabletwill have a SIM card slot, a faster processor, higher memory capacity, and will be able to function on both the androidoperating system and Linux.

But IIT Bombay, which is spearheading the effort, would like to ensure that improved offerings don't result in a higher price for the tablet.

The tablet is available for students at subsidised rate of 1,130 while the government purchases it at 2,263. The initial plan is to roll out 50 lakh units of Aakash 3 tablet and a global tender is expected to put out in February. Members of the committee in charge of Aakash 3 indicated that they would like to access mutiple vendors for the tablets instead of tying up such a large order with one or two vendors.

Those associated with the Aakash project said that computer majors were amazed with the device and there is a keen interest among several vendors to participate in this venture. The focus on indigenous component of the tablet comes in the light of the use of the "made in China" tablets for the current Aakash 2 version.

The decision by Datawind, the company, which was to manufacture the Aakash 2 tablets, to source the instrument from China came in for intense criticism as the $35 made in India tablet had been touted as a manufacturing revolution.

However, Deepak B Phatak is not unduly concerned about the use of Chinese hardware. Phatak is a member of the committee in charge of Aakash and professor in Department of Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay.

"Where are Apple's iphones manufactured?" Phatak asked when the question of using Chinese hardware is raised. "Today most of the hardware is made in China. At present, India has manufacturing capacity of about 300 tablets a day, and we are talking about increasing it to 1,000 a day, meanwhile China has manufacturing capacity of 1 lakh tablets a day. Our manufacturing capacities are only beginning to be set up. I see the Aakash as a catalyst for manufacturers," Phatak said.

But Phatak and other committee members stressed that the aim is to ensure that maximum manufacturing for Aakash 3 happens in India.

The IIT- Bombay professor, who is pointsman for Aakash, is clearly excited about the possibilities that the low-cost tablet presents.

"Earlier, the big players refused to participate in the project, now companies like Intel and others all want to be part of this low-cost tablet," Phatak explained.

Another member of the Aakash team explained the lack of interest partly as concerns about the manner in which India's success with the low cost tablet would affect pricing," an IIT professor involved in the project explained, "today after the IIT Bombay-Government of India tablet we can spot changes in the tablet pricing."

Providing a SIM card slot is also on the cards for Aakash 3. "It could also have a SIM card slot so that people can use it as a communication device," Phatak said. Apart from Phatak, Ashok Jhunjhunwala of IIT-Madras and his team and other partners are also involved in making the new Aakash 3.

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iWatch: Apple 'secretly developing smart watch with a touch screen'

The Apple iWatch

Apple is said to be secretly developing a smart watch with a touch screen that can be used to text, send emails and link to Facebook.
Dubbed the iWatch, the device is said to have a 1.5in screen that can communicate with other devices such as the tech giant’s iPhone.
Apple manufactures its products in China and sources there said the company was working with a computer chip maker.
If the rumours are true the watch is likely to be the must-have device of 2013 among a range of amazing gadgets.
Google is also set to release its Google Glass, a pair of spectacles that users can talk to in order to take pictures, send a text, use Google maps and make videos.
Another smart watch is also in development.
Called Pebble, the watch can be used by runners and cyclists to track their training while also changing songs. Messages and emails will also pop up on the screen.

Source:Internet

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Entrepreneur launches first Africa-designed smartphone

 

The VMK smartphone. Photo: AFP

A Congolese inventor has unveiled what he says is the first African-designed smartphone.
Verone Mankou, 27, told AFP that the so-called Elikia, which means "hope" in the local language, went on sale the day before in the Republic of Congo. Mankou, head of the company VMK, said
the Android-powered device was on sale in only in Congo for now, but he planned to launch it in other countries. The phone was initially due to go on sale in October but its launch was delayed "because of an explosion in demand," he said.
Though the phone is Congolese by design, it is manufactured in China. It costs about 130 euros ($170) -- a considerable sum in this central African nation.
The phone has a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 512 megabytes of RAM and a 650-Mhz processor. Its camera is five megapixels, and it also comes with GPS and Bluetooth.
Mankou last year designed what was billed as Africa's first tablet computer.

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Android Completely Owns The Chinese Smartphone Market

Android's share of the Chinese smartphone market ended the third quarter at 90 percent.
According to Analysys International, Android's share is up from 83 percent a quarter prior and 58 percent a year ago.
With the Chinese market now accounting for a quarter of global smartphone shipments, Android's dominance there is driving its widening lead in global smartphone platform market share.
In China, Android's gain has mostly come at the expense of Symbian, Nokia's antiquated platform that will eventually disappear as Nokia shifts its product offerings on to Windows Phone.
Interestingly, despite its dominance, Google only offers limited support for Google Play in China and Android apps are usually downloaded in third-party app markets.
Apple, meanwhile, has never really gained traction after a weak market entry on only one of the country's major providers. The iPhone 5 will be available on two carriers, but as of now will not be distributed by the largest carrier, China Mobile. Additionally, while many Chinese consumers may fawn over iPhones, they are simply out of reach financially for a substantial part of the market.    

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-smartphones-in-china-2012-12#ixzz2F8j5ZCAJ

 

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Opening for Chinese Language experts (Language experience not mandatory)

Company: VFS Global Services
Location: International Trade Tower, Nehru Place, Delhi

We require someone with proficiency in Chinese language.

The role description in VFS is as below:-

1- Candidate should be able to speak, write, understand the Chinese language and can be useful of being interpreter to the company.

2- Well-versed to handle Emails in Chinese language.

3- Open to do all the daily operational jobs as Submission, Data Entry, Quality Check etc.

4- Take care of the Chinese Expats related to their official and personal needs.

Salary would not be a constraint for the right candidate.


Regards
Yogesh
09930387592

If interested please do send across your updated resume on globalhumanresources2@gmail.com

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~A Perfect Mistake~

~A Perfect Mistake~

Mother's father worked as a carpenter. On this particular day, he was building some crates for the clothes his church was sending to some orphanage in China. On his way home, he reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone. When he mentally replayed his earlier actions, he realized what happened; the glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and fallen into one of the crates, which he had nailed shut. His brand new glasses were heading for China!

The Great Depression was at its height and Grandpa had six children. He had spent $20 for those glasses that very morning. He was upset by the thought of having to buy another pair. Its not fair, he told God as he drove home in frustration. I've been very faithful in giving of my time and money to your work, and now this.

Several months later, the director of the orphanage was on furlough in the United States. He wanted to visit all the churches that supported him in China, so he came to speak one Sunday at my grandfather's small church in Chicago. The missionary began by thanking the people for their faithfulness in supporting the orphanage. But most of all,he said, I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year. You see, the Communists had just swept through the orphanage, destroying everything, including my glasses. I was desperate. Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses.
Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my coworkers and I were much in prayer about this. Then your crates arrived. When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on top.

The missionary paused long enough to let his words sink in. Then, still gripped with the wonder of it all, he continued, "Folks, when I tried on the glasses, it was as though they had been custom-made just for me! I want to thank you for being a part of that."
The people listened, happy for the miraculous glasses. But the missionary surely must have confused their church with another, they thought. There were no glasses on their list of items to be sent overseas. But sitting quietly in the back, with tears streaming down his face, an ordinary carpenter realized the Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way.

(Cheryl Walterman Stewart from Live)

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Water Therapy

Water is indeed one of the fundamental elements for a healthy body and also for a glowing skin. Each function of the body is very much regulated and dependent on water, which further affirms that water is indeed necessary to carry important vitamins, hormones, chemicals and oxygen to almost all the parts of the body. Water is therefore the most important thing that is consumed to give many beneficial results. Water is the natural solvent for most of the things and gives natural remedies to many of the diseases. Water therapy is an alternative therapy that is used very widely now a day.

If water is not drunk regularly, dehydration might take place. If the dehydration persists and is not corrected naturally with drinking plenty of water it produces symptoms and with time develops the disease.

Water therapy was practiced from ancient time to heal the diseased people. In many antediluvian cultures like ancient Rome, China and Japan, the hydrotherapy and hydrothermal therapy were common practice that have been used for the treatment of the disease. In ancient India even water therapy has been regarded as one of the most sought after therapeutic treatment. Even today water therapy is widely accepted in the area of alternative medicine. When somebody wants to follow a fitness routine or achieve a health goal, drinking proper amount of water is always necessary.

Drinking plenty of water helps in detoxification of the body. As food is injested water contributes in the breakdown, metabolism and absorption of the food and acts as the key element to remove the waste material from the body and is indeed the basic crux of water therapy.

There are many diseases that can be cured by water therapy, e.g. headaches, obesity, kidney stone, joint and back pain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anxiety and depression, fatigue, insomnia, cravings, asthma and allergy, arthritis pain, constipation and solve many skin problems like pimples and the dark circles.

Drinking sufficient amount of water is necessary for proper functioning of body. Water can also play a major role in treating a number of diseases. Chronic fatigue, depression, mental anxiety, gastric disorders, urinary infections, eczema, rheumatism etc. are the diseases that can be resulted from the drinking of less amount of water and can be treated by increasing the intake of water.

The technique of water therapy is very easy. One can have water therapy simply by maintaining following steps. One should take 6 glasses of water or 1.5 kgs of water early in the morning in an empty stomach without taking breakfast or eating any thing. Each glass of water should be taken at a stretch. After drinking the water, urinate 6 times in the first hour of the therapy. One should go to the washroom in every 10 minutes, without any delay. After this one glass of lukewarm water should be taken. If needed few drops of lemon can be added to it to increase the taste. Now one should wait for fifteen minutes before taking the breakfast. Same schedule should be followed at night before going to bed.

There are certain things that should be kept in mind; otherwise the results of water therapy will not be all that satisfactory. The routine cannot be broken for about three months. Someone might feel the sensation of vomiting but this is normal and no need to visit the doctor. During this water therapy, high-cholesterol food cannot be consumed. Along with this therapy at least 8-12 glasses of water should be taken throughout the day. If water therapy is continued in this way, it will definitely gives beneficial results.

Source:Internet

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