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The Evergreen Container Ship; A Block in the Artery of Global Trade

Industry Insights / admin / Evergreen; container, Ship, Suez Canal

The Evergreen container ship that was wedged in the Suez canal has now been refloated. However, its predicament highlights the fragility of global supply routes.

Overview – The Evergreen container ship

The Evergreen container ship hit the front pages of most media news outlets recently. In fact a few days ago, in a sandstorm and high winds, it became wedged across the Suez Canal. If people were not aware of this 120 mile stretch of waterway, they certainly are now. But more than that, they appreciate its importance as a vital artery for global trade.

The Suez Canal is a sea-level waterway that runs North to South, connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. It splits the African and Asian continents. In terms of shipping routes, it is the shortest maritime route between Europe and the East, towards the Indian Ocean and beyond. The canal was first opened back in 1869. At that time it was barely 8 metres deep, 22 metres wide at the bottom, 91 metres at the surface. Over time, there have been a number of upgrades. The latest one was in 2015 when 18 miles were added to its original length. The width is 205 metres in certain stretches. However, the canal is actually a single-lane channel in most parts with only two passing points.

This is only compounded by the amount of traffic and the size of the ships moving through the waterway. A Gold Class Container ship, like the Ever-Given, is approximately 400 metres in length. Pivoted on its bow would be nearly as tall as the Empire State building, 60 metres wide and a height of 32 metres. It can carry just over 20,000 containers in one load. In 2020, more than 50 ships on average passed through the 120 mile long waterway, accounting for approximately 12% of Global Trade.

With the acceleration in the growth of global supply chains over the past 30 years, particularly from Asia, it is perhaps surprising that the Evergreen Container ship is the first instance of a blockage in the Suez Canal.

Implications in the Short Term

The Pandemic had already caused Freight Rates to spike due there being a misalignment between containers/equipment to global demand and shipping. The Ever-Given was beached for 6 days, and even though this appears to be a relatively short period of time, the implications are likely to have reverberated across global supply routes already.

Lloyd’s List estimates that approximately $9 billion worth of goods ($400 million per hour!) passes through the Suez Canal daily. Even with certain carriers already reacting to reroute their vessels around the ‘Cape Route” – a journey around the point of Africa and back up to Europe – delays and congestion at ports are an inevitability. Some experts are pointing to at least 60 days before carriers and containers can become better balanced. Uniserve – a leading UK Logistics provider – have provided a useful list of all the vessels currently impacted (delayed or re-routed) by the incident on their website.

Clearly, there will be a knock-on effect and one should be working with Freight Forwarders to assess what this will mean at Ports (likely congestion for certain locations) and also freight rates, which have already started to rise again as the shock feeds through the market.

Global Supply Chains

On a broader level, the Evergreen Container Ship getting wedged in the Suez Canal has also highlighted an important fact. The movement of goods across oceans and lands is still subject to ‘significant shocks’. And this without mentioning the 1,400 containers a year on average lost at sea. Consumerism takes scant notice of what it takes to get goods around the world and to store but retailers/brands need to be thinking more strategically and ensuring there is resilience built into the supply chain.

One element of resilience is around the location. By diversifying the number of countries that you are sourcing from, you position better to embed agility into your supply-chain. As in this instance, there would be little stopping a European buyer from moving production to a near sourcing market, like Turkey, and shipping goods overland into their Distribution centre.

Sourcing with ET2C

We are working with our clients across a range of different sourcing markets to meet their individual needs. Selecting the right suppliers in the right markets is critical to building partnerships that are a part of your value-chain.

We have local teams on the ground and will be more than happy to discuss your needs with you. For all your sourcing requirements, please contact us at contact@et2cint.com

Cover Photo Credits: DigitalGlobe, Inc. The title and logo have been added to the original image.

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Buy Products from China? 5 Alternative Sourcing Markets to Consider

Industry Insights / admin / Alternative sourcing markets, Buy products from China, China, sourcing

Buy products from China? It is time to consider a more diversified sourcing strategy and consider alternative sourcing markets.

The US-China trade war was first, and then the Covid-19 pandemic followed soon after, both of which have shaken up long-established global supply chains in a relatively short period of time. Over the last year, many companies have established crisis management teams to provide focus across their supply chains. In this delicate moment, they had to assess the impact of disruptions. Moreover, they had to provide direction to employees and customers about the actions needed to mitigate the emerging risks.

Current restrictions for those who buy products from China.

The restrictions currently in place preventing travel and the movement of people have tested supply chains to their limits. Access to sourcing markets, visibility/transparency across production, quality are key components to deal with the uncertainty whilst building resilient supply-chains.

In this context, enhancing sourcing capabilities requires the development of a strategy that models environmental/geopolitical risks into the supply-chain. It needs to consider multi-jurisdictional manufacturing and outsourcing models. And lastly, building redundancy into the supply chain. In other words, diversifying the sourcing strategy to spread the risks of operating in offshore markets.

5 Alternative Sourcing Markets to consider if you buy products from China.

In 2016, Deloitte released the Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index (GMCI). This study demonstrated the ongoing influence manufacturing has on driving global economies.

In particular, the report forecasted the rise of the “Mighty Five” – Malaysia, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. The “MITI-V” were expected to be included in the top 15 nations on manufacturing competitiveness over the following five years. So if you buy products from China, should definitely consider these sourcing markets too.

Let’s take a look at some of the different opportunities and challenges importers might experience in each of these China sourcing alternatives.

1. Malaysia

European and US companies have ranked Malaysia as the second most favourable Southeast Asian country for opportunities to establish or expand their sourcing, selling or operations over the next six to 12 months, according to study commissioned by Standard Chartered.

Malaysia’s economy is the third-largest in Southeast Asia behind India’s and Indonesia’s, despite having a much smaller population. It’s considered an upper-middle-income economy, with its openness towards trade and investment largely credited for its development.

Overall Malaysia posted a $44.2 billion surplus on goods traded during 2020, up 33.3% from $33.2 billion in black ink one year earlier.

Malaysia’s top 10 exports accounted for over four-fifths (81.2%) of the overall value of its global shipments. They include electrical equipment, machinery including computers, rubber articles, optical, technical, medical apparatus, plastic articles, iron, steel, aluminum.

Benefits of sourcing from Malaysia

• Tariffs
Exporters in Malaysia benefit from no value-added tax (VAT) on exports, as compared to a tax of about 13 percent on exports from China. This lowers costs for importers that purchase goods made in Malaysia.
• Geography
Malaysia’s geography also offers significant advantages in terms of shipping goods. In fact, it is located on the Strait of Malacca, an important shipping lane. The country is home to Port Klang and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, the second and third busiest ports in Southeast Asia, respectively.
• Workforce
Malaysia’s workforce is also highly skilled, ranking sixth globally on the World Economic Forum’s ranking of current workforce skills. Companies in Malaysia find it relatively easy to find employees with the skill set needed for their business given Malaysia’s high level of education and vocational training.

2. India

Considering that English is one of the official languages of India, foreigners manufacturing in this country do not face the same barriers of communication that often plague those who source from China.

In addition, not only India has a large and growing workforce, but also the country is entering a new era of skilled manufacturing and production. Investment in smart manufacturing is coming to the fore and should create greater production efficiencies in the future.
For these reasons, an increasing number of companies are exploring alternative markets such as India to diversify their business and minimize risks.

Benefits of Sourcing from India

First, a wide range of raw materials is readily available within India including cotton, silk, jute, marble, metal, wood, bamboo, and others. The country traditionally focused on producing unique and handcrafted products not found in other countries.

There is also greater protection for Intellectual Property with more robust laws in place to implement such protection compared with other developing markets (China’s legal system is beginning to catch up in this regard, albeit there still gaps in protections).

India’s top exported categories overall are raw materials and industrial products. Other goods that you can import from India include handcrafted items made of various materials such as metal, ceramic, wood and textiles; apparel and fabrics; fashion accessories; leather products; and eco-friendly products.

3. Thailand

According to the World Bank, Thailand has a similar infrastructure as China when it comes to arranging international shipments and their timeliness.

Over the last years, the government has worked hard to plan public-private partnership (PPP) projects worth 1.09 trillion baht ($33.39 billion) during 2020-2027. In this general project, it included also the creation of the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC).
The SEC will reportedly focus on four main areas: tourism on the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea, agricultural product industries and ecological and cultural conservation and above all trade with countries in the Indian Ocean.

In particular, the country is trying to link the Gulf of Thailand to the Andaman Sea, making shipping between the Pacific and the Indian Ocean faster and cheaper.

Thailand earned an overall $20.4 billion trade surplus during 2020, up 289.9% from $5.2 billion in black ink one year earlier. The top 10 exports include machinery including computers, electrical, machinery/equipment, vehicles, precious metals, plastics, optical, technical, medical apparatus.

4. Indonesia

Located mostly in Southeast Asia extending to some territories in the Oceania continent across from Australia, the Republic of Indonesia shipped an estimated US$183.5 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2019.
Indonesia is home to Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy and the world’s fourth-largest population.
Surprisingly, the country went from an -$8.5 billion trade deficit in 2018 to generate an estimated $27.1 billion trade surplus for 2019.

Mainly, Indonesia has highly positive net exports in the international trade of coal and crude oil.
The top 10 exports include also electrical machinery/equipment, footwear, iron/steel, vehicles, precious metals, machinery including computers, rubber, clothing/accessories.

Advantages to sourcing from Indonesia

Despite a smaller population than China and India, those looking to source from Indonesia will benefit from the country’s large workforce. Also, the general population is very young with the median age being 28 years old.
In terms of wages, the labor costs are relatively low with the average monthly salary ranging around $182 in the manufacturing industry. Indonesia also offers a much more stable political climate compared to Malaysia and Thailand.

5. Vietnam

Albeit much smaller than China, Vietnam offers a broad manufacturing sector with experience of exporting. Labour rates remain low, there is raw material availability and also a good range of product knowledge. Importantly, the Government has been investing in infrastructure of the past decade to create efficiencies with logistics and shipping. There are also some attractive duty benefits most notably with the recent ascension of the recent EVFTA.

Top industries in Vietnam

Electronics, machinery, and steel are some of the biggest industries in Vietnam.
In terms of quality and high value in production, we must mention furniture, garden products, garments, shoes and kitchenware.

Buy products from China, but not only

It is interesting looking back over the past 5 years since the Deloitte 2016 report was initially published. The report is largely correct with the rise of other manufacturing hubs in different countries. Certainly, this trend has certainly been accelerated by geo-political and natural events. That said, it remains true that China is still an important part of the global sourcing arena, and will continue to be so. Scale and population size (albeit an aging demographic) still count and provide a significant advantage when compared with smaller markets.

Whilst Malaysia, India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam are the most popular, finding the country to source from comes down to your unique business needs. We have offices in a number of Asian manufacturing hubs. Moreover, we are continually looking to identify the best sourcing markets for our clients. We have recently opened an office in Turkey to offer new suppliers to our clients mainly in Europe.

At ET2C, we are constantly looking for the best suppliers for our clients both within China and beyond. For all enquiries, please contact us at contact@et2cint.com.

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Sustainable Packaging: What It Means to the Global Consumer

Industry Insights / admin / Recycling, Sustainability, Sustainable Packaging

Sustainable packaging continues to grow as an area of focus for many retailers and brands. However, understanding what this really means to your market and to your consumer requires a granular approach.

Sustainable Packing – Overview

Sustainable packaging is not only here to stay but is growing in relevance. There is no doubt that consumers are losing their tolerance for products that don’t have an eco-friendly packaging. Sustainability is now mainstream across many sectors. The rise of ESG investment (‘Environmental, Social & Governance’) will ultimately require public companies to address their own long-term impact on society and the environment and this will only enhance the role of companies in changing our behaviour as a consumer.

Initiatives, such as the Prince of Wales’ Terra Carta further underpin this shift in corporate behaviour by setting out a 10 point action plan for business to address our current sustainability needs, which already some 220 global corporates have signed up and committed to. Investments will lead to innovation and one can therefore expect this to feed into how products are packaged.

Clearly, there is a shift change. We can therefore expect to see government and business collaborating more effectively in the short term. The more complex question is what this means for you as a Brand or retailer. Sustainability is a broad term, and with it comes a myriad of complex issues that need to be addressed. Looking at them all at once can certainly be overwhelming at a product packaging level. This is particularly true if you are selling into multiple markets. There are three key areas that retailers or brands need to be aware of: consumer perception, market relevance and commercialisation.

Consumer Perception

In a recent report published by McKinsey (December 2020) on ‘Sustainability in Packaging’, which is based on findings from a survey conducted on 10,000 people from different countries, the findings clearly identify different global perceptions of what sustainable packaging means at a consumer level.

Eco-friendly packaging consumer perception — Fig 1, Consumer Perception on sustainable packaging by country, McKinsey (Dec 2020)

The graphic clearly shows that there is general alignment on what are the least sustainable options, but not when it comes to the most sustainable options. This consumer perception is critical for packaging design. In fact, it largely dictates the materials that need to be used for a specific market.

However, a little note of caution that perception and behaviour are not always in agreement. In 1965, Sten Gustaf Thulin, a Swedish engineer working for a packaging company, introduced a new type of bag; the ‘plastic’ bag. His bag was more durable and could easily be re-used. He genuinely saw his product as an opportunity to address the waste that was building up with paper bags. It is ironic that some 65 years later his bag is now one of the symbols of global pollution.

Sustainable Packaging – Market Relevance

Even though consumers can have a view on what is more sustainable, the regulatory environment at Government and local Government levels cannot be understated. There is no point in making a fantastic package for a product when there is no capability in market to deal with the end-use of that packaging.

Put simply, you can come up with the best compostable or biodegradable plastic package but if the right conditions are not available (even for home composting) then the effectiveness of the decomposition is hindered. The European Bioplastics Organisation has consequently published a paper earlier this year clarifying the use of claims of biodegradability and compostability on packaging. Similarly, if you use certain types of plastic that are not recyclable in a particular market due to a different steer in Government investment, there will likewise be end-use issues. Aligning to your sales market and being relevant are key considerations.

Commercialisation

Although in certain sectors there is growing evidence that the consumer will pay more for a product if it uses or incorporates some kind of sustainable packaging, price can be prohibitive. It is packaging after all. Given the consumer does not generally need it post-purchase, brands don’t spend much money on it.

There is a delicate balance between the function of the packaging and the product quality. Both the use of alternative materials (such as pulp, bamboo, post-consumer resin [PCR]) and re-engineering the packaging (i.e., removing the amount of material used) need to be considered as part of this balance, which will also ultimately help manage price.

ET2C & Sustainable Packaging

We are working with our clients on many initiatives around sustainable packaging and products from across our sourcing markets. This includes bamboo packaging, the use of PCR in plastic packaging and re-engineering boxes to be made from pulp materials. Understanding your market, consumer and price-points are key aspects of identifying opportunities for you to look at sustainable packaging options.

We have local teams on the ground already working with suppliers in this field. Surely, we will be more than happy to discuss your needs with you. For all your sustainable packaging requirements, please contact us at contact@et2cint.com

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Shoe Suppliers: The Insight Series

Industry Insights / admin / manufacturing, Shoes, sourcing, suppliers

Shoe suppliers across the world make some 24 Billion shoes each year, in what is a more complex and labour-intensive industry than most people would expect.

The Insight Series

We work with our suppliers to develop products across an array of different sectors that rely on varying materials and a range of manufacturing techniques. It is always fascinating to see how each of these products are made, whether it is the number of hands that touch the products as it is manufactured or the machines that are employed as part of the production process.

Consumerism has firmly put our focus on what we want, rather than understanding how the product is actually made. We launched the ‘Insight-Series’ to explain how some of the products we manufacture (across China, Vietnam, India, Turkey) are made. Also, we want to provide you with a little bit more knowledge the next time you buy a product.

Shoe Suppliers

Our first insight is on the shoe industry. This is a traditionally labour-intensive industry, requiring a combination of human labour. It is no surprise that still the vast majority of shoes manufactured are still being produced in China. In fact China, on it’s own, has an output equivalent to all 75% of all other global manufacturing capacity. The ‘shoe dogs’ amongst us will point to a traditional manufacturing process that has not really evolved in decades. However, the industry is gearing up for a shift change in terms of (sustainable) materials and manufacturing methods. For example, additive printing (3D Printing) is being used by some large brands to make customised shoes and soles for an individual’s foot but using a more data led process.

The Manufacturing Process

Shoe suppliers make lots of different styles that require different elements of the traditional manufacturing processes. These elements are largely dependent on the materials, aesthetic and the function of the shoe. To keep it simple, we will focus on one style of shoe that covers the most common elements of shoe production – the ‘Sneaker’.

1. Moulding the Sole

The first part is to get the sole moulded. This involves designing the sole, the shape, the branding and the type of sole you want. Large metal moulds need to be created in accordance with the design and approved. This then allows the rubber (or blend) to be put in the mould and pressed to get the individual soles. The hardness of the rubber will impact the feel and function of the shoe, which can be tested using a durometer.

2. Fabric Uppers

The material needs to be selected. These can be cottons, leathers and a range of other products – we are seeing more and more Ocean Plastic woven fabrics being used from a sustainability perspective. Whichever material that is selected, is put on the die cutting machine for cutting. The ‘Die-Cutting’, involves a metal shape – much like a Cookie cutter for baking – that is sharp and is pressed through multiple layers of fabric at one time to get many fabric uppers. For leather hides being cut, there is more expertise required to make sure that marks on the hides are not part of the uppers so mass cutting is not possible.

3. Upper Stitching

Probably the most labour-intensive process and if you have ever been into a shoe factory, it is where most of the workers will be, sitting at sewing machines making the uppers from the cut fabrics. There can be many elements to this depending on the design, which can involve multiple seams being added to the upper.

4. Cemented (Cup) vs Vulcanised

Sneakers have two main methods of attaching the soles to the uppers. Vulcanised soles are for much larger scale production. In fact, they require a machine to fix the ‘twice-cooked’ rubber sole to the upper. In comparison, the cup sole is traditionally stitched and glued (with heat) to the upper part of the shoe. This allows EVA or TPR to be added into cup sole to provide additional cushioning.

5. Lasting

The lasts (inserts that are the shape of the shoe) are used to make the sneaker and make sure that there is consistency with the shape of the shoe – the fabric/leather does have some flex.

Although a simplified version of the process, imagine that at each stage there are 2-3 workers touching the shoe as it goes along the production line and you begin to get an appreciation as to what kind of labour resource is needed to make just one pair of sneakers. And this does not include any additional embellishments on the uppers and packaging the goods. Think about this next time you buy a pair of shoes!

The shoe industry is a global industry, although the two largest exporters of shoes are China and Vietnam. The latter has developed an expertise over the past decade particularly in trainers for the likes of Nike and Adidas.

Summary

Shoe suppliers are in the most part still using traditional labour-intensive manufacturing techniques. This is likely to change with the evolution of the latest technologies, such as additive printing.

At ET2C, we look to provide our clients with insights across our manufacturing base. For more information please contact us at contact@et2cint.com.

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Sourcing Solutions to Boost your Supply Chain

Company News, Industry Insights, Sourcing Procurement Insight / admin / Quality Control, sourcing, Supply Chain

Sourcing solutions need to be reassessed to meet the demands of the ‘Next Normal’ and ensure you do not lose competitive advantage.

Sourcing solutions will be key to the success of any Retailer, Brand or wholesaler in 2021. The Pandemic has left the world fractured and supply chains have been disrupted. In 2020, most business had to scramble to shift both their internal and external processes to function to some semblance of normality. The challenge that now lies ahead in 2021 is how businesses position themselves to capitalise on a global recovery. Undoubtedly, the effectiveness of their supply chain and sourcing capability will be integral to their success and failure.

Sourcing Solutions – Key Themes

The context of this recovery can be framed in three main themes.

A) The Consumer

Lockdowns have accelerated the transition for many consumers from stores to online. In fact, it has been a forced change in many instances with non-essential shops having to close for extended periods. Consumers and retailers, therefore, had to rely on online interaction and relationships. In 9 of 13 major countries recently surveyed by Mckinsey on Pandemic-induced changes to shopping behaviour, at least two-thirds of consumers say they have tried new kinds of shopping. Moreover, in all 13, 65 percent or more say they intend to continue to do so. There is also a downside in that the consumer became even more fickle and the marketplace that much more competitive.

B) The Products

Notably, in a lot of markets, households have saved money and not an insignificant amount. The Bank of England has recently estimated that British Households have accumulated ‘accidental savings’ of £250 Billion. The consumer is therefore well poised – like a wound coil – to unleash pent-up demand for certain items once markets begin to reopen and lives normalise. Aside from travel and services sectors, the likely destination for this discretionary spend will be the fashion sector. Other sectors that have been resilient during COVID-19 will be impacted to a lesser extent. Companies need to be ready to take advantage of this spend.

C) Supply Chains

Supply chains have had to shift as well. Companies are all too aware now about the over-reliance on a small pool of suppliers or even focusing solely on one market. Building in resilience across your supply chain means greater visibility across all the manufacturers embedded within them but also the need to establish other market substitutes. The current freight rates out of Asia are a good example (up to $14k for a 40ft pre-CNY) and are pointing to other markets as potential opportunities that are not so heavily reliant on long shipping lead times.

Your sourcing solutions, therefore, need to factor in a range of complex, often inter-linked, issues at a time when businesses are primarily focusing on survival.

Sourcing Solutions for the Here and Now

There are many solutions that businesses can look to that address the current challenging environment. Clearly, the travel restrictions in place across regions and countries continue to cause challenges for supply chains where there is no ‘on the ground’ access.

Gaining access to these markets and getting the visibility you need across your supply base is key. Similarly, agility and speed to market will provide a competitive edge when it comes to sourcing new suppliers, identifying new innovations or even accessing new markets.

ET2C’s Solutions

At ET2C, we have a range of sourcing solutions to help you during these difficult times. These give you the access you need, but also build in the agility that is needed to leverage the benefits.

1. Virtual Factory Tours

If you are not able to get to your suppliers, let us bring them to you through our Virtual Factory Tours! These are live or pre-recorded visits on-site via video calls to walk you through the factory and give you the insight you need to make decisions supplier selection. It also gives you the opportunity to view the supplier’s processes and standards in real-time.

2. Buying Office Solution

The best way to get a cost-effective, but scalable solution on the ground across multiple markets. The dedicated team will allow you to develop deep relationships with your suppliers, identify new suppliers but importantly also conduct upstream sample reviews and shorten product development cycles.

3. Sourcing Services

We can give you access to multiple sourcing markets. Also, we can take on the supplier identification, assurance, management and quality aspects of your supply chain. We work as your partner on the ground delivering the products you need for your business.

4. Quality Services

Our quality team has over 20 years of experience of quality assurance and inspections on the ground in Asia. We make sure that we get to the factory to give the visibility you need across product quality and the standards you require.

5. Advisory

We are here to help! Whatever your needs for your sourcing, contact us and we’ll be happy to talk through any issues you may have.

Summary

Creating an agile supply chain in the current global sourcing environment will be essential to driving growth in 2021. There are many obstacles, but with the right sourcing solutions, your supply chain will create a competitive edge.

At ET2C, we are well placed to help manage your Asia Sourcing across multiple markets with teams on the ground as well as work with our clients on their shipping needs. For more information, please contact us at contact@et2cint.com.

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Bamboo Packaging – Strong, Versatile and Sustainable

Industry Insights / admin / Packaging, Sustainability, Sustainable Packaging

Bamboo packaging is a great sustainable option and has become a staple choice in the modern, eco-conscious world.

The Rise of Sustainable Packaging

Sustainable packaging is becoming an important topic for companies all over the world. The primary reason is that it is becoming important to the Consumer. In fact, recently IBM released a study on global consumer trends — revealing that the importance of brand purpose now surpasses cost and convenience for shoppers. This means that Consumers are now prioritizing goods that are sustainable, transparent and aligned with their core values when making these purchase decisions.

A Challenging Choice for Businesses

The challenge for all businesses is to develop packaging which meets the objective of sustainability, but also performs the tasks for which the packaging is required. So not only should it keep the product safe but also respect the environment. Let’s think about the origin of materials, recyclability of the final product, not to mention ethics and compliance factors. In addition, it should stay within the budgetary reach of manufacturers, distributors and consumers. In a nutshell, it should still be able to meet any company’s market requirements in terms of cost, performance and safety.

Bamboo Packaging

Because of these new market trends, manufacturers around the world are beginning to implement eco-friendly materials in their manufacturing processes. Amongst several options, they increasingly choose bamboo as the material of choice because it has is durable, can be used in different forms and has less environmental impact.

We already explained the reasons why Bamboo is a great material in the Furniture industry. But why is it so popular now also in packaging?

The Great Features of Bamboo

1. Locally available

There are over 1,000 different species of bamboo that grow in many different parts of the world. Consequentially, this allows manufacturers to locally source bamboo for their packaging and reduces our packaging carbon footprint.

2. Low-Cost

Bamboo cultivation itself does not require a lot of land, resources, or time. This means that it’s much more easily accessible for manufacturers.

Also, bamboo is not a tree, but a plant. Growing and cultivating bamboo requires less land and resources than other materials. Since bamboo grows around the world, it’s much easier to access. Alternatively, companies can source bamboo in many countries around the world and they can also recycle the material. This reduces the impact on agriculture whilst reducing production and transportation costs.

In addition, this plant does not require pesticides, irrigation, or replanting to achieve this growth. In fact, in a crop-friendly harvest, it does not have to be replanted afterward. That means lower impact and higher sustainability.

3. Biodegradable and Compostable

Bamboo fiber is a natural cellulose fiber and it can totally biodegrade in the soil in the presence of micro-organisms and sunshine. The decomposition process does not pollute the environment. Depending on the type of composting, the bamboo handle can take from 3 years to 4 months to compost.

4. High Renewability

Bamboo has a rapid growth rate, making it an abundant resource easily.
In fact, bamboo grasses are the fastest growing woody plants in the world. They can grow up to almost 61 cm (24 inches) per day. The bamboo can be harvested after just three to seven days – much faster than hardwood. Therefore, bamboo is highly renewable and an ideal alternative to foams, corrugated board, and molded paper fiber materials.

5. Environmental Friendly

Bamboo plants promote soil health. The deep root systems protect the soil from erosion. In addition, bamboo is naturally pest-resistant and can be grown without any chemical fertilisers or pesticides.
Moreover, bamboo absorbs 2x more carbon dioxide than trees, which is why they are known to act as carbon sinks. It also generates a vast amount of oxygen, totaling up to 30% more than most plants and trees.

6. Durable and Sturdy

Bamboo has a higher compressive strength than wood, brick, and concrete. In addition, many compare it often to steel for its rigid strength. In fact, like steel, bamboo can withstand heavy loads and can be stretched and pulled enormously. This material can also withstand heat up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Importantly, bamboo has an astounding strength and lifespan whilst remaining light and easy to carry around.

7. Anti-bacterial

Bamboo fibres are naturally anti-bacterial without needing any toxic chemical treatments, all thanks to its substance called ‘bamboo kun’.
Bamboo kun is found in bamboo fibre and is an antimicrobial bio-agent which gives bamboo its natural antibacterial properties. This prevents bacteria and microbes from growing on bamboo products making it the perfect plant for naturally hygienic products such as bamboo straws and cutlery, keeping them sterile and fresh.

Advantages of Bamboo Packaging for Companies

Certainly, bamboo is a great material because of it multiple characteristics. But why should a company opt for bamboo packaging and how would it benefit from it?

Versatility & Innovation

Bamboo has quickly become a significant alternative in the sustainable materials market. It’s an eco-friendly replacement for metal, plastic, hardwood, paper, and cotton. This material has made it into nearly every corner of our lives from being used in toothbrushes and fabrics to toilet paper and everything in between. It offers a high level of durability and when used as a material for packaging, it keeps this important feature of with versatility. For this reason, you can use as packaging for many industries, like apparel, food, cosmetics and more. Moreover, designers are truly innovating the packaging sector by experimenting new great design adopting this material.

Sustainability

With the increased awareness and concern over climate change, consumers and companies are constantly searching for environmentally responsible options for their everyday needs. Consumers want to support companies that are prioritizing the earth’s health, and bamboo packaging is a sustainable option.

From a positioning perspective, by incorporating eco-friendly practices into your business operations, you will be able to engage more environmentally conscious customers and this will help you widen your customer base. Sharing the same values as your customer will definitely allow you to strengthen your relationship.

Price

Bamboo is essentially a ‘weed’ and to that extent is abundant across many countries – particularly within Asia. One of the challenges of looking for sustainable alternatives is that for some materials, the costs can be prohibitive, possibly outweighing the benefit should the consumer not want to pay the additional cost.

As sustainable materials go, Bamboo is well priced given the abundant supplies, and is therefore an alternative packaging material that companies are working with.

Eco-friendly packaging solutions from O.Berk Company

Are You Looking for Sustainable Packaging?

At ET2C we care deeply about the environment and are doing what we can to understand more about the broader sustainable packaging market. We are working hard to understand what is best suited to our clients. It is a complex environment that requires specific market, product and even segment knowledge to get both the right option at a consumer level but to also be relevant to the regulatory environment of a specific market. Wasting less and being mindful of the amount of materials used in packaging is a good start.

For all your packaging queries, please contact us at contact@et2cint.com

Cover photo credit: O.Berk Company

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Quality Assurance & The “Consultants”

Industry Insights / admin / Audit, quality assurance, Quality Control

Quality assurance is an integral part of ‘knowing your suppliers’ but it has to be more than just an audit trail.

Quality assurance (QA) is a way of preventing mistakes and defects in manufactured products and implementing processes to avoid further issues. It also encompasses factory audits across a broad range of areas from financial due diligence to manufacturing processes and social compliance audits. Quite rightly, retailers and brands will insist on understanding more about their suppliers to varying degrees and this visibility is an increasingly important aspect of any global supply chain. Making sure that the supplier is who they say they are, has good systems in place and is not abusing their employees is now essential information to any Buyer, and also more and more of interest to the Consumer as well.

“Guanxi” has always been a word that reverberates around discussions on China – the use of personal connections for some personal, commercial or economic gain. There is no doubt that relationships are always important in any walk of life, and this is no different in China. That said, the South China Morning Post wrote an interesting piece recently on the quality assurance industry in China and the shadowy world of ‘consultants’ who were helping factories pass factory audits through deceit and fraudulent claims.

The Consultants

The article investigates the work of independent consultants – often ex-employees of large testing houses – suggesting that there are many incidents of these intermediaries effectively forging documents and bribing inspectors to get lower end factories across the line when it comes to passing the relevant standards. Once the audit has been completed, and the factory has attained the level required, then the orders start rolling in.

Often, with yearly audit cycles, one can argue that the system is open to abuse. Also, the fact that the suppliers often must pay for the inspections themselves and they are not unannounced in the main does not help with maintaining consistent standards over an extended period – audit today, gone tomorrow (and for a further 364 days).

The Industry

It is likely that there are incidents of such behaviour. And it is clearly wrong. The intention of any retailer or large organisation buying from China would certainly not be to fund this industry or to rely on sub-standard factories. Using these factories could lead to poor quality products, which can be very costly, or Brand reputational damage should use of such a factory enter the public domain. Quality assurance is an important part of understanding the supply chain but perhaps its application and implementation is where the real issue lies.

In a world in which retail is having to work harder and harder to engage with the Consumer and persuade them to buy products, different functions within large organisations are often competing for their own self-interests. Clearly, cost is commonly the weapon of choice in any negotiation when it comes to the Buyers. Driving the best commercial (low price) is still how most buying departments are judged and even rewarded. Whereas quality departments (and all the names in between) will be looking to ensure that the standards are up to their requirements. The result is an awkward marriage between commercialisation and quality assurance, which can often drive the wrong outcomes.

For example, the quality department will rightly say that workers must limit their working hours to 40 per week. At the same time, the buyers/merchandisers may point out that if the shipment that was placed late does not go out next week, then the factory will be charged 1% per day of the total order for each day late. At some point, there has to be a straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Conversely, if the retailers paid a little more and did not squeeze so much out of the price of a product, would they end up with sub-standard factories in the first place?

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance remains important and done correctly (regardless of some of the innate challenges mentioned above) there is no reason why there should even be this cottage industry of consultants at all. Here are some of our thoughts on how to make sure QA is working for your business:

1. ‘Own’ the Audits

This is not, and should be not, a ‘tick the box’ exercise where the inspections are outsourced accepted as presented. It requires a deep understanding of your suppliers, what makes them tick, and where the possible risks apply. The certification or standard is just the first stage, which then requires follow-up.

2. On the Ground

Having a team on the ground in any market will allow greater relationships to be developed and an understanding of the factories you partner with. This means more frequent visits to make sure they are meeting the standards (and indeed any corrective action plans as well).

3. Unannounced Visits

Always good to make sure Suppliers know auditors may turn up any time. It is always the best time to inspect a factory when they are ‘unprepared’ as it should not alter the standards in place.

4. Pay Audit Fees

When doing an external audit, to remove any leverage, it always makes sense for you to be the contracting party with the third-party auditor. Of course, if the factory agrees to pay this as part of your agreement, this can be deducted from future orders.

5. Prioritisation

Vendor identification and selection must be aligned to all functions (buying and quality). Understanding what the priority is will allow better factory selection through internal alignment.

Summary

Quality Assurance is a key part of any supply chain, wherever in the World. Make sure that you understand what the factory standards mean for your business and your consumer. The quality and buying functions are not mutually exclusive but it is important that there is alignment to drive the correct outcome.

At ET2C, we have our own inspectors on the ground, and have been helping our clients with quality assurance for the past 20 years. For more on Quality Assurance, or anything other information, please contact us at contact@et2cint.com.

Quality Assurance & The “Consultants” Read More »

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Find Wholesale Suppliers in China: Useful Tips

Industry Insights / admin / sourcing, suppliers, Wholesale

Find Wholesale Suppliers in China with these useful tips.

The internet has enabled much greater access to overseas markets and their supplier bases. At the touch of a button, one can access lists of suppliers and what products that they manufacture. But this is only one part of the sourcing process. Companies need to know how best to identify the right partners and what this really entails to truly benefit from offshore manufacturing.

The biggest and most obvious advantage of purchasing in bulk is paying a lower price for your products. Companies that buy direct from China know this very well and leverage the benefits of larger volumes. However, there are also several challenges for those who want to buy ‘wholesale’ volumes that people need to be aware.

In the past, we already mentioned the importance of building up strong and trusting relationships with suppliers. But first of all, how to find the right wholesale supplier in China for you?

We already released a guide to “find the perfect match” between buyers and suppliers and mentioned the importance of these 5 key factors to consider:

Location
Communication
Quality control
Delivery
Culture.

How to find wholesale suppliers in China?

There are a number of different options to search and find wholesale suppliers in China, and we set out the main ones below:

Online research

The first, instinctive way to look for wholesale suppliers in China is through online searches. Unfortunately, just googling something like “best suppliers in China” can lead to a dead end. Let’s admit it, finding product suppliers for your business through an online research can be difficult and time-consuming.

In most cases, you are better placed to look for online wholesale supplier directories, which usually list thousands of suppliers. While some of these directories are completely free to use, others require merchants to pay a fee in order to gain access. It goes without saying that the list of the “best suppliers” are those you have to pay for.

Bonus tip.

Be aware that you will need to qualify any supplier that you think sounds right for your business. There are often instances where companies may not be quite what they say they are. So be careful and always investigate the suppliers.

Chinese Marketplaces

As many know, there are two highly popular Chinese marketplaces: Alibaba and AliExpress. In particular, Alibaba.com is one of the largest B2B marketplaces of manufacturers, importers, and wholesale distributors.

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This platform was founded in 1999 and today presents millions of products spanning 40 different categories. Given its breadth of wholesale products, Alibaba is not an easy platform to work with if you are a beginner. Certainly there are suppliers on these platforms that warrant skepticism and may present pitfalls when it comes to product quality. If you’re planning to deal with an Alibaba supplier, there are a couple of issues you need to keep in mind.

Obviously, since most suppliers on the platform are Chinese companies, you’ll experience a noticeable language barrier. In addition, there is a large number of middlemen on Alibaba who try to pose as manufacturers, reselling goods from legitimate manufacturers while marking up prices. Again, do you research to ensure you are working direct with the supplier, or with who you want to partner with.

Trade shows

Over the years, trade shows have been an important tool for sourcing and introducing thousands of new products. Used as a starting point for buyers to build a solid network of vendors and select the right suppliers with whom to do business.

As well as preparatory work (creating contacts and meetings in advance), buyers have the advantage of being able to visit booths and touch and look at product opportunities – something that has been missed this past 12 months!. In a lot of cases, buyers can visit the shows and actually place orders in person based on pricing given at the booth.

Find Wholesale Suppliers China Trade show sourcing ET2C — photo credit: Shinsuke Ikegame

On the other hand attending a huge trade show in China, like the Canton Fair for example, could be exhausting. Beside the trip to China, be prepared to walk several kilometers in a daedalus of aisles and stands, in a crowd of 200,000 people (not joking).

However, with the current travel restrictions in place, many trade shows have been cancelled. The biggest ones like the Canton Fair, have survived thanks to a conversion to the digital format. Obviously, without any chances to meet in person the vendors.

Sourcing Company

Certainly, if you are planning to outsource manufacturing to low-cost countries all by yourself, you might need additional assistance.  Should you need to identify new factories, then it is important to look to a local partner who you can collaborate with to visit the sites, engage with the owners and undertake the pre-screening work that you are not able to currently do. This will provide greater visibility and allow you to still go through an objective onboarding process.

Whether you have just started searching or are looking to enhance your vendor penetration and supplier management capability, sourcing companies present opportunities that a direct sourcing model may struggle to find.

Qualified sourcing companies in China, or Asia in general, introduce expertise capable of saving time and money along every step of the process. From identifying cost-effective sourcing materials to conducting audit-level quality control checks, professional sourcing agents/companies devote care to managing their clients’ sourcing needs.

Moreover, they can arrange quality assurance checks along every step of the process to ensure early identification of any issues and present viable solutions.

Do you need help?

Certainly, the best option is partnering with a product sourcing company which has a presence on the ground in the sourcing market, product knowledge and can add value when it comes to managing the supplier from development through to shipment.

At ET2C, we provide our clients with the transparency needed to best manage their suppliers across Asia and help with any risk mitigation strategy. For more information on how we can help you, please contact us at contact@et2cint.com.

Find Wholesale Suppliers in China: Useful Tips Read More »

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Sourcing Trends for 2021

Industry Insights / admin / Industry, sourcing, Sourcing Trends, Trends 2021

Sourcing Trends for the upcoming year are mired in economic uncertainty but there are definitely opportunities to watch out for.

Sourcing Trends 2020

It is true that our 2020 sourcing trends predictions failed to foresee the impending Pandemic. But, in our defense, there are not many that predicted Covid-19 and its consequences. The Pandemic had a significant impact on global sourcing. Certainly, it has highlighted the need for companies to build in greater resilience and spread risk more widely. It has been an extraordinary year for so many reasons and one which highlighted the necessity to understand the local market when sourcing from Asia both from a quality and regulatory perspective.

The global political landscape has continued to fracture, at a time when harmony rather than discourse would be a much more effective weapon against the spread of this virus. With protectionism unleashed, disputes and tariffs are on the rise. Australia and America are n revisiting their trading status with China for a range of different reasons.

So, what does this mean for 2021? What will be the legacy of Covid-19 on sourcing markets? What technological trends will come to the fore? Which markets will have additional tariffs added? We have again been sitting around our crystal ball to see what sourcing trends will be evident in 2021. (Obviously, we will again be pointing to our disclaimer that no one can, clearly, predict the future.)

Sourcing Trends 2021 – Our Predictions

The End of Covid-19.

A bold statement. With mass vaccination programs starting to roll out, markets should begin normalising by the end of Q2/beginning of Q3.

Prediction. We, therefore, expect categories that have been hit particularly hard due to lockdowns (such as fashion/shoes) to pick up dramatically in the second half of the year. Probably, people will start to enjoy their freedoms once more and to spend time going out and having fun. Categories that have done well during the pandemic such as DIY, homewares, kitchenware will be flat as people inevitably spend time out of the house.

Travel.

Although we expect the Pandemic to die down, it is likely that due to the differences between Governments’ approach to vaccinations, policies in place and State affordability, access to different countries will continue to be restricted. The rise of ‘vaccination diplomacy’ will lead to Governments rejecting certain vaccinations as legitimate based on political relationships.

Prediction. Expect to not be able to visit your sourcing markets until the autumn (Q3) at the earliest. Make sure you have sufficient resource in place to therefore manage your suppliers.

Ex-China Sourcing.

The Pandemic, as a supply chain shock, highlighted the need for companies to de-risk their sourcing markets. Tariffs likely to stay in play for China/US although a de-escalation is likely between China/Australia. Both will mean spreading risk where possible across multiple markets.

Prediction. Companies will continue to embed greater resilience within their supply chains. Certainly, they will look to remove dependency on any one market where it makes sense to do so. Make sure you have the capability and reach to manage suppliers in different markets.

Blockchain.

One for all you ‘Crypto-gurus! Although on a small scale, we anticipate that the technology will begin to be implemented within complex supply chains that require greater transparency and security from a ‘track and trace’ perspective.

Prediction. Blockchain will be deployed in large corporates as key component of supply chain visibility and integrity.

Radical Supply Chain Transparency.

A key element of a sustainable supply chain and providing the consumer with complete transparency of factories, raw material origins, ethics and even carbon footprint will continue to be sourcing trends that should not be ignored. It is becoming an increasing component of any buying decision.

Prediction. There will be increased focus on visualisation of supply chains and the ability to collate information on every aspect of the supplier network. Look for this to become more prevalent to give consumers more of a choice when it comes to buying decisions (think Arket by H&M).

Sustainable Materials.

This will be an area that will continue to develop. Particularly the use of sustainable materials as substitutes for known ‘problem materials’. The Consumer will expect this.

Prediction. Alternative sustainable materials to start moving into the mainstream. A result of innovation as well as scale allowing for a reduction in costs that were previously prohibitive for some product categories.

The Sourcing Function.

For many companies, the Sourcing function came to the fore during the pandemic and showed agility to deliver strategic benefits to organisations during a tough trading period (if only for the survival of the company in some cases!).

Prediction. The Sourcing Function will move from a cost leadership focus (intake margin) to contributing to the overall strategy and competitiveness of an organisation. In a short time, it will include innovation, agility and resilience as key value drivers.

England to win Euro 2021.

It was not to be in 2020, and unfortunately, it is unlikely to be in 2021 with the expected cancellation of the tournament, and if not, they are not good enough anyway! Belgium, France or Italy to be the likely victors!

HAPPY NEW YEAR of the Ox.

We finished last year’s article suggesting that ‘An Air of Predictability would help manage any sourcing trends in 2020’. An ‘air of predictability’ we certainly do not have as we stare down 2021. But what we do know is that companies need to be bold, look to invest in technology and make sure the learnings of 2020 have been acted upon.

At ET2C, we are always looking to the future to ensure that we are providing our clients with the most relevant services and products. Please contact us at contact@et2cint.com.

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Brexit Impact on Global Sourcing for UK Companies

Industry Insights / admin / Brexit, sourcing, UK

“Brexit impact” will change how the UK ultimately purchases products from overseas but what are the immediate implications on Trade.

It has been a journey, or rather a long drawn out political fanfare with bluster and bravado on both sides but ultimately an agreement was reached on Christmas Eve 2020. From the referendum on the 23 June 2016, it took 1,645 days to reach an agreement (“The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020”) and then with only 7 days before there would have been a hard Brexit. Political drama it has been, but what does it now ultimately mean for UK companies buying products from overseas outside of Europe?

A “Global Britain”

One of the overriding central ideas of Brexit, particularly from the perspective of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “Global Britain”, is that Britain will be better placed to do trade deals as a sovereign entity. History will ultimately be the judge and jury of this assertion although it is true that in the lead up to Brexit (aside from the EU withdrawal agreement) there have been a flurry of trade deals agreed with the likes of the Faroe islands, Japan Moldova, Georgia, Kenya, Turkey and Vietnam making up some of the 60 agreements reached.

Essentially, what this means is that where there are no ‘bridging’ agreements or actual agreements agreed and ratified, then the United Kingdom will move to World Trade Organisation (“WTO”) rules, tariffs (or taxes). Essentially, this means that the WTO provides the mechanism to what the duty rates are on imported goods into the UK. This is similar to the type of arrangement that Australia currently has with the EU, although they have been eager to agree a free trade deal of sorts with the EU for almost three years (since May 2018).

Therefore, UK companies that have been buying from outside of Europe may now find themselves in a situation where prior import tariffs are likely to change, whether that is up or down will be dependent on the country of origin and the product using the Harmonized System (HS) Codes. So what does this mean for our UK clients currently looking at China, India, Turkey and Vietnam as sourcing opportunities?

ET2C Sourcing Markets

Aside from UK companies buying products from the likes of the Faroe Islands or North Macedonia, we will focus on our own markets; being China, India, Turkey and Vietnam.

1. China Sourcing

Has Brexit opened up an opportunity with regards to new relationship with China on trade? Notably the EU has just reached an agreement in principle on Investment with China on the 30th December 2020, which should lay the foundations for a future comprehensive trade deal. As a smaller trading partner, it remains to be seen if the UK can carve out its own trade deal, particularly in the current backdrop of the global political landscape. Of course, we will now be under a new regime (WTO) in the absence of an agreement, which may mean the base tariffs and duties vary from before.

However, there may also be opportunities where anti-dumping tariffs (ADD) – like those that the US imposed back in 2019 – will now drop off. For example, back in 2018 there were anti-dumping duties added on e-bikes originating in China of up to 83.6%. It’s always a bit political, and in this example, although Britain had confirmed that these duties would be removed, they were reinstated just prior to Brexit as a result of UK representations being made.

2. India Sourcing

Similar to China, there has been no trade deal agreed with India either pre or post Brexit. In fact the EU has been attempting to negotiate a free trade deal since as far back as 2007. The UK will now revert to WTO trade tariffs even though India had been targeted as an opportunity to clinch an early post Brexit trade deal with one of the World’s largest economies. There was a visit planned early this year to India, but Boris Johnson has had to cancel this visit due to the latest Corona Virus surge in the UK.

3. Turkey Sourcing

Having just opened our latest sourcing office in Turkey, it is pleasing to see that the UK has already agreed a Trade Deal with Turkey that continues some of the aspects included in the EU – Turkey Customs union. This includes provisions on preferential tariffs, tariff rate quotas, rules of origin, customs and trade facilitation, intellectual property, competition and dispute settlement. There are some differences between the EU agreement and the current Britain-Turkey agreement so make sure that a further review is undertaken if you were already buying from Turkey pre-31st December 2020.

4. Vietnam Sourcing

In a last dash trip, the Trade Minister, Elisabeth Truss, visited both Singapore and Vietnam pre the year end to sign trade deals. With Vietnam, the UK has been able to largely extend the comprehensive Free Trade Agreement that was finalized in August 2020 (EVFTA). This is significant and will help Vietnam to continue selling products to Vietnam at preferential (if not zero) rates, which will be all removed over the next seven years.

Summary

At least now Brexit is a topic that can be consigned to the past. UK companies are still finding their feet whether it be new documentation for EU originated goods or new tariffs from countries outside the EU. In the main, there should not be too many differences at this stage for UK companies buying from China, India, Turkey or Vietnam but we would anticipate this to change going forward as and when new trade deals are agreed (or not). There will certainly be a period of bedding in but with some insight it will be possible to take opportunities as they arise as well as avoid potential pitfalls with a broad sourcing strategy.

At ET2C, we are well placed to help manage your sourcing needs across multiple markets with teams on the ground. For more information on how we can help you with all your sourcing needs and insight into the impact of Brexit, please contact us at contact@et2cint.com.

Photo credits:
Cover Image: Dunk
Factory in Vietnam: Eric Wolfe

Brexit Impact on Global Sourcing for UK Companies Read More »

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