Manufacturing In Asia
Web Sites for several Marine / FRP manufactures located in Asia;
http://www.dkcomposites.com/
http://www.grandbanks.com/company/info/index.cfm
http://ctrm.com.my/services.html
http://www.stompcraft.com/index.htm
http://www3.gurit.com/marine/cases_irc.php
http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20060820120101ibinews.html
http://www.neilmarine.com/
http://www.skaugen.com/applications/System/publish/view/showobject.asp?infoobjectid=1001363
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The few facilities I have visited where 1st class by anyone’s standards from the front gate to the finished products.
On picking a plant location;
Historically most businesses never live thru start up. Basically running out of money before management gets enough right to pay for the mistakes. Very few start ups can afford a move making plant location a life or death decision worthy of a best effort.
Picking a survivable manufacturing location requires knowing how to manufacture, sell and get your product to the customer. Even free labor is useless if you can’t get materials into the plant or finished product out in a timely and cost effective manner.
A few Countries, the US may be #1, have refined and packaged corruption into a known and accepted, if not clearly defined, cost of doing business. Much the rest of the World deals with plain old raw in your face corruption as a fact of life. Want that container cleared today? Need a “permit”? Union problems? Knowing when to pay, how much, to who can be a challenge to the temper as well as the business plan.
Put some time in research. Internet’s a wonderful tool. Look for successful businesses building close to your requirements for technology and levels of production. Visit their plants. Ask questions. Qualify answers.
My pick?? Initially set up in Singapore for infrastructure, banking, business presence, intellectual property protection, rule of law and a highly educated population with a western work ethic. Develop the core management team while accomplishing R&D, tooling, refining production processes, QC, job descriptions, sourcing materials, marketing. Start up production and fine tune. If sales warrant significant expansion set up a manufacturing plant in a nearby Malay or Indonesian manufacturing zone.
