Company News Archives - Page 6 of 8

Challenges for Sourcing Strategies-Global Sourcing 2.0

Global Sourcing 2.0 will define the response of Procurement and Sourcing Teams to another year of volatility. Inflationary pressure continues to build and the business need for Environmental and Supply Chain Risk management gains momentum, creating huge challenges for Sourcing and Procurement Teams.

Procurement and Sourcing Team leaders who had hoped that economic conditions in 2023 would make their jobs easier than last year are already disappointed. As the new year began, the volatility and inflation of the previous year showed no signs of abating

Many of the dimensions of change impacting business in 2023 are likely to still be with us in some form at the outturn of the year. Procurement and Sourcing functions are responding to these wide-ranging challenges in an equally wide range of structural changes and ways of working adaptations. Sourcing teams are facing the New Challenge of Global Sourcing 2.0

Macroeconomic conditions straining procurement

Understandably, the aggregate effect of these challenges has overwhelmed many procurement functions. Procurement can play a critical role in solving today’s most pressing business problems, but it cannot do so on its own. Winning now requires an entirely new level of resilience improvement and value creation built through a coordinated enterprise-wide effort. Global Sourcing in 2023 requires Procurement teams to sit at the heart of business in an expanded mission.

-Protecting against Corporate margin erosion

-Deliver on Environmental and Social Risk in Supply Chain

-Build Resilience against the next Black Swan event

Accordingly, success in protecting margins, containing cost escalation, and dynamically capturing opportunities requires an expanded mission for the procurement function. CEOs should consider positioning their procurement leaders at the center of the company’s response to the current context, tasked with a clear mandate to protect margins. CPOs can then mobilize executives for cross-functional impact and escalate investments in the talent and systems required to achieve and sustain outperformance.

Visibility-Measurement-Action-Reduction

Procurement leaders can combat volatility, inflation, and shortages and build resilience by taking ten core actions. The first critical element required is to gain transparency over the pressures and change drivers in their supply chain. Only be creating true visibility can they start to identify the key decisions required to deliver high level objectives. This will require

support from all functions across the business and external partners to support Procurement in developing a more agile approach.

Wide ranging Risk Assessment of Supplier Network

· Suppliers. What vulnerabilities—including financial, fulfilment, reputational, and environmental—do suppliers face?

· Supply. How are events affecting the end-to-end value chain? Which categories may be hard to secure in the foreseeable future?

· Cost. How are suppliers’ costs of goods sold (COGS) trending? Can we quantify the inflation or deflation they face? What do the results mean for our company’s P&L?

· Environmental. How are Key Suppliers measuring their Environmental impact and taking active measurable and visible steps to reduce as part of wider range of commitments

· Social, How is the Supply network mapped Globally against potential Social risks and are key suppliers.

Building New Skill Sets to Deliver an Expanded Mission for Procurement

As Procurement leaders wrestle with the new challenges of Global Sourcing 2.0 the need for a new range of additional skills becomes a critical need for delivery.

As Sourcing and Procurement teams play a more central role in business delivering their expanded contribution. The need to rapidly build skills will become a critical enabler to deliver their New Mission.

· Delivering a visible assessment of high level risk, across the entire supply chain

· Identifying Environmental impacts, particularly Emissions generated within Supply base

· Minimising impact on Key suppliers at potential risk of audit fatigue

· Building working Partnerships

Global Sourcing 2.0 represents a shift in priority and ways of working. From the old Procurement model of expecting Suppliers to make and supply to a forecast and at the cheapest possible price.

To one where there is a more collaborative approach to Sourcing Strategy based on visible shared data, shared Environmental and Social

commitments and strong partnership for growth. A shared vision of the future that can inform the future requirements.

We have long argued that an approach based on strong partnerships is a more successful Sourcing model than the focus on Cost and make to Forecast.

Summary

As more companies move to re structure the breadth of the Sourcing team mission within companies core competencies and skill sets need to be created, adopted and utilised.

Sourcing teams will need to rapidly build or bring in the skills required to bring full risk and impact visibility to their supply chain.

ET2C are a leading global sourcing company, with over twenty years’ experience supporting our clients to develop and deliver their sourcing strategies. We have seen a big rise in our clients demands for

-Emissions measurement and management

-Risk identification

-Quality and Compliance. Social & ethical Auditing

As many companies move rapidly towards a future defined by Global Sourcing 2.0. Drop us a line to see how we could support you in your challenges

Email us at Contact@et2cint.com.

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Ethiopia-Sourcing Opportunities for Textile and Garment Industry

Leave a Comment / Company News, Company News (ES), Industry Insights / David Young / business, Industry, manufacturing, sourcing

Textile and Garment Industry Growing Sourcing in Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s sourcing opportunities for companies in the textiles and garments industry have been steadily growing, reaching $171m in exports, but it has taken a major hit from the onset of the pandemic followed by the Tigray civil war in the north. Will it be able to weave its way back to its former glory?

Located in the Horn of Africa, landlocked bordered by five countries and split by the huge Rift Valley. Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest independent country, a founder member of the United Nations and the has the second-largest population (after Nigeria) of over 122m people

Ethiopia is still the fastest growing economy in the region, with 6.3% growth in FY2020/21. Over the past 15 years Ethiopia’s economy has been one of the fastest growing in the World averaging over 9%.

Exports dropped to $140m in the first year of the pandemic alongside the start of fighting in the Tigray region in 2020. However, the biggest blow came from US-imposed sanctions in January 2022. Ending Ethiopia’s preferential market access under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has deprived the industry of its biggest client (80% of textile exports).

Industrialisation and free trade

Few countries in Africa have been bolder and more focused in recent years than Ethiopia. The origins of this orientation towards Industrialisation can be traced to the country’s Agriculture Development-Led Industrialisation (ADLI) strategy, which was developed in the mid-1990s. Its aim was to enable Ethiopia to make initial gains in industrialisation through robust agricultural growth and linkages between the agriculture and industrial sectors.

The Ethiopian government heavily invested in transitioning from an agriculture-based economy to an industrialised one to attract the private sector.

“We initially produced plastic shoes in 1993 but switched to textile in 2008 and expanded to garments in 2012. The plastic industry was saturated, [so] government incentives encouraged investment in horticulture and textile,” Eyob Bekele, Desta Garment’s general manager, tells The Africa Report.

Ethiopia has more than 65 international investment projects under its name. The Ethiopian government has initiated several design incentives to accelerate this sector. It is proving to be a boon for the apparel marketers.

Textile Production in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has a long history of textile production. Nowadays, it is a booming sector for marketers to conduct sourcing activities in Ethiopia. A range of factors contribute to Ethiopias success as a centre for textile production

Various factors made this country a prime apparel sourcing destination. This country has a wide availability of raw materials under its name. This easy access to resources is intriguing modern-day apparel marketers at large.

In the last 6 years, the textile and apparel industry of Ethiopia has shown huge progress. This recent surge in the apparel production made Ethiopia a prime garment exporter to the foreign markets. It is indeed promising for brands, retailers, and suppliers.

Ethiopia is very likely to become a middle-income country by the end of 2025. Delivering on a key objective of the Ethiopian government.

The government of this country is taking every step to make the apparel sector more globally competitive.

The Ethiopian government is addressing the necessary structural reforms to reshape the country’s economy. Their ambition is to create thousands of jobs while attracting foreign currencies at large. The long term goal being to reduce the poverty of the country.

The Growth and Transformation Plan 1 and 2 outline a plan to create 15 export-geared, world-class, and eco-friendly industrial parks. All these parks should have a well-built infrastructure, safety options, and low carbon emissions. Many parks also enjoy Government facilities on site to support Banking, Import and Export licenses and Customs Clearance.

Chinese Investment in Ethiopian Development

China has invested heavily in Ethiopia alongside five other resource-rich countries – Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania. China supports Ethiopia in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs and stands ready to communicate and cooperate with Ethiopia. Support includes building the Addis Ababa-Djibouti electrified railway, also known as the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, the first trans-boundary railway on the African continent.

These deep ties have helped develop Ethiopia’s infrastructure to be able to support economic growth and have seen significant investment by Chinese companies. Currently, there are about 400 Chinese construction and manufacturing projects in Ethiopia, valued at over $4 billion.

Abundant workforce

Ethiopian has a large population and skilled workforce who provide a relatively inexpensive labour force

Strategic location

Ethiopia’s location on the Gulf of Aden allows fast access to Northern European ports. Reducing potential transit from Asia by over 11,000 Km.

Djibouti to Rotterdam 8,577 km

Shanghai to Rotterdam 19,600 km

Infrastructure investment

Ethiopia has invested in road and rail. Particularly the rail link to the neighbouring country Djibouti which provides deep water sea port access to Europe and North America.

Duty free access to the European Union & USA

Ethiopia enjoys duty free market access to both the EU and USA under the terms of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) EU Africa trade

Agricultural development & Access to Raw Material

Ethiopia is a cotton growing Nation with access to large amounts of additional cultivatable land. Climatic conditions are ideal for cotton development and there is good access to Hydro-energy for factories.

Summary

Ethiopia should be a destination on every Sourcing Teams list for review as an apparel or textiles supplier. As a strategically well-placed country, with both a strong agricultural sector, freed trade agreements and good infrastructure links. It should be a country on every

ET2C Is a global sourcing company with over twenty years’ experience working with our clients to deliver their Sourcing Strategies. Our offices in seven countries ensure you always have a team on the ground to be your bridge to your Offshore suppliers.

If you would like to explore sourcing opportunities within Ethiopia or to discuss your future supply chain challenges.

Please contact us at contact@et2cint.com

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Malaysia Sourcing: Asia Manufacturing

Company News, Industry Insights / David Young / Industry, manufacturing, Quality Control, sourcing, Sustainability

Malaysia sourcing is a great alternative for any sourcing strategy, but what are the opportunities?

Overview

Malaysia Sourcing is a unique opportunity. Located between two and seven degrees north of the Equator between the Andaman and South China Sea, Malaysia is formed by 13 states. A population of over 33m people live on the islands that are 60% covered by Rain Forest. Its landmass is similar in size to Germany, Norway or Finland.

Economic development:

Malaysia has the third largest economy in South East Asia .Since gaining independence in 1957, Malaysia has successfully diversified its economy from one that was initially agriculture and commodity-based, to one that now plays host to robust manufacturing and service sectors, which have propelled the country to become a leading exporter of electrical appliances, parts, and components.

Openness to trade and investment has been instrumental in employment creation and Malaysian Income Growth, with about 40% of jobs in Malaysia linked to export activities. Malaysia’s economy has been on an upward trajectory, averaging growth of 5.4% since 2010, and is expected to achieve its transition from an upper middle-income economy to a high-income economy by 2024

Key Export Categories for Malaysia

Electrical equipment
Plastics and Plastic products
Medical apparatus
Forestry products
Pepper

Malaysian advantages as a Market for Strategic Sourcing

Malaysia has several factors that make it a country that should not be overlooked in any sourcing strategy. It offers a dynamic and vibrant business environment with a well-developed infrastructure, a productive workforce and supportive pro-business Government policies.

“The focus will have to be on making it easier — ease of doing business,” he said. “That is one of the key opportunities for Malaysia.” Malaysian Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz

Malaysia has a well-developed infrastructure after investing in Roads, Rail, Ports and Airports to ensure good connectivity. The population has a high level of fluency in English (a legacy of British colonial rule).

The strategically strong position of Malaysia on the Straits of Malacca is on the major trade routes between Europe and China.

Summary

Malaysia has many assets that make it a sourcing country that should be a part of any companies Sourcing Strategy. Whether you are looking to build you first offshore sourcing plans or diversify into a Multi country strategy.

The ease of doing business, high levels of transport connectivity, Pro business government policies and skilled workforce make Malaysia a strong sourcing option.

Malaysia’s economy has been on an upward trajectory, averaging growth of 5.4% since 2010, and is expected to achieve its transition from an upper middle-income economy to a high-income economy by 2024.

ET2C Is a global sourcing company with over twenty years’ experience working with our clients to deliver their sourcing strategies. Our offices in seven countries ensure you always have a team on the ground to be your bridge to your Off Shore suppliers.

If you would like to explore sourcing opportunities within Malaysia for your sourcing strategy or to discuss your future challenges.

Please contact us at contact@et2cint.com

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Mexico Trade boom: Near Shoring US supply chains

Leave a Comment / Company News, Industry Insights / admin

Mexico’s Export growth driven by Near Shoring opportunities

Mexico: Second largest economy in South America

With a population of almost 130 million, a rich cultural history and diversity, and abundant natural resources. The World Bank assess Mexico as among the 15 largest economies in the world and the second largest economy in Latin America. The country has strong macroeconomic institutions, and it is open to trade.

Bloomberg in their recent post regarding Mexico’s export growth identifies the key elements driving Mexico’s export growth. Its openness to trade, geography and sophisticated manufacturing base.

US demand for industrial goods from Mexico has been strong as trade between Mexico and its biggest trading partner (80% of exports) has continued to grow. Hitting a record in September $52b.

Increased Government focus on Near Shoring Support

Mexico’s government is actively looking to build policy interventions to attract investment. Strengthening the country’s ability to become a more attractive option for American companies looking to develop Near Shoring or Friendly Shoring elements in their Supply chains. A business response to recent supply chain shocks such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and China’s dynamic COVID containment policy.

The immediate attraction of the geographical position of Mexico to its Northerly neighbour allows rapid and quick movement of goods North South. Removing all the risk associated with long seaborne transport from Asia.

In addition, wages in Mexico whilst growing quickly are highly competitive with China.

Source: Supply Chain Quarterly

Mexico’s attractiveness as a jurisdiction for Near-Shoring or Friendly-Shoring elements of your Supply chain is further enhanced by the availability of a large labour force. Mexico has about 59 million people in the labour force, and about 7 million people who are available and not yet actively participating.

Summary

Nearshoring has huge potential for growth with an estimated 40% of all goods traded in the world pass through China at some stage. As companies look to build additional Markets into their sourcing strategies. The China + sourcing strategy.

Mexico is well placed to continue its growth trajectory as a highly attractive jurisdiction for Sourcing strategies to focus on.

Proximity and Trade agreements with USA and Canada
Sophisticated manufacturing network already in place
Large labour force and young average population age
Average wages highly competitive V China
Shipping risks removed with simple road freight links

Critical factors in Unlocking the Value potential of Mexico

The same with opening any new jurisdiction as part of a wider sourcing strategy several steps are crucial to ensure the positive results you require.

Clarity of brief on product requirements
Build a factory shortlist to make final partnership selection
Audit factory selections with independent auditors
Align environmental commitments with potential partners
Build in digitised QC for full transparency

Work with a Sourcing Partner who has a team on the ground to be your eyes and ears. Identifying the right factory partner short list for your sourcing needs

ET2C Global Sourcing Company

ET2C Is a global sourcing company with over twenty years’ experience working with our clients on their sourcing strategies. Our offices in seven countries including Mexico ensure you always have a team on the ground.

If you would like to explore opportunities within Mexico for your sourcing strategy or to discuss your future challenges.Please contact us at contact@et2cint.com

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Sourcing chronicles: ET2C – 20 years and counting!

Company News / admin / Buying Office, et2c, procurement, Quality Control, sourcing

Sourcing Chronicles ET2C International procurement quality control

Sourcing has evolved significantly over the past 20 years. We have seen China’s accension to the WTO, outsource manufacturing move mainstream with lower barriers to entry, trade tariffs as part of political posturing, the expectations of the consumer have developed to put greater emphasis on information flow (sustainability, supply chain transparency etc) and, last year, the Pandemic and the PPE ‘grab’.

There is no doubt that some of these events have presented opportunities whilst others have been significantly more challenging. Throughout these ups and downs, a consistent throughout this period has been ET2C, who celebrates 20 years on the 8th May 2021. Our DNA remains the same, and we are still working to deliver the best products and services to our clients. It’s what gets us out of bed in the morning!

“What a fantastic achievement! Never could I have imagined, on that first day when I opened the office on Beijing Dong Lu, that 20 years later we would have over 200 staff across more than 10 countries and over 100 regular clients. Of course there have been tough times, but it has been the staff and our clients that have helped us truly grow and flourish. A great ride, here is to the next twenty!” Richard Archer-Perkins, CEO, 7th May 2021

ET2C’s History

It all started at the Javits Center in January 2001, when Richard (CEO) visited New York at the Pure Exhibition. Having seen the emergence of a mass manufacturing base in China, which was in the early stages of taking the mantle from Taiwan, he walked the show going to every booth asking whether there was anyone interested in working with China. There was a lot of interest, but there was only one company that came to the table; a body jewellery company called Silver Moon Concepts who operated in Florida, USA. He managed to find a supplier (who traditionally worked with watches), who had the machinery and material to make surgical grade stainless steel (316L) and importantly create the necessary shapes. He then went about finding staff to create a mini-production line to put the product together and pack them. The office then opened on the 8th May 2001.

ET2C office

The evolution of the business

As a result of delivering significant cost savings and driving margin growth for our clients, ET2C quickly took on more clients who wanted access to suppliers in China. Even back then, in 2002 and 2003, broad access to China was much more limited as it would usually be today (outside of the Pandemic). As the business grew, we established our own merchant team, a quality team and established operations in different markets to best align with our clients’ needs. Today, we have in excess of 100 regular clients and are constantly looking to give them sourcing solutions that drive their bottom-line growth.

Areas such as sustainability and personalisation have become key parts of any retailers’ supply chains – at the very least they should be analysed and considered in line with the consumer – and we are therefore actively engaging in these fields to continue to provide relevant solutions to our clients.

ET2C video — Watch our Company Video to know more!

Sourcing in Uncertain Times

The Pandemic continues to stunt global trade, with certain markets still reeling from lockdowns whereas others are beginning to relax restrictions. Sourcing markets are similarly impacted; India has plunged into a lockdown whereas China by comparison is largely Covid free. Market diversification is essential to spread risk across regional hubs. We continue to see this trend with South East Asia (Vietnam and India) becoming increasingly popular as sourcing locations. Diversification can also include, particularly for European businesses, near sourcing options such as Turkey where freight rates (and at today’s high pricing) can be mitigated as well as speed to market.

That is not to say that China will lose importance even as its relative market share is gradually eroded. On the contrary, we think that China will still be an essential part of any sourcing matrix given the infrastructure and networks in place.

ET2C’ Services

We realise that every client will have their own unique requirements. We, therefore, look to tailor our solutions to best fit each client’s needs, whether this be resource, expertise, cost structure we have the solution for you.

Sourcing Solutions

Our merchandise teams work across multiple categories, but primarily these can be defined into two divisions, Consumer Goods (Garden, Fashion, Pet, Toys, Furniture, Homewares and Health & Beauty) and Industrial goods. We currently source from India, China, Vietnam and Turkey (opened December 2020). Countries being assessed at present include Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan.

Buying Office

Our Buying Office solution has always been the backbone of the company and helped the business to grow. We still believe that ability to have a dedicated team on the ground, in market, is essential to driving visibility at source. This allows clients to fully control their suppliers across quality, delivery and production management. Our model is the most cost effective, transparent and simplest available and second to none.

Quality Team

We have teams on the ground who spend a considerable amount of their time traveling to suppliers to verify and check the quality of our clients’ products pre-shipment. There is no doubt that having visibility pre-shipment of your products is an essential part of the supply chain function. Our teams also evaluate factories to make sure that you know they are the right partner for you before committing to any funds. We have recently launched our Virtual Factory Tours initiative to help clients who are stuck out of their sourcing markets connect with their suppliers, or even identify potential new partners.

ET2C - Virtual Factory Tours — Watch the video to know more about ET2C Virtual Factory Tours

With 20 years of experience, ET2C is well-positioned to help you with all your sourcing needs, whatever they may be. We look forward to designing new solutions to make your business more successful. Please contact us at contact@et2cint.com.

Sourcing chronicles: ET2C – 20 years and counting! Read More »

Sourcing Solutions to Boost your Supply Chain

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

Sourcing Solutions Et2C int. procurement business quality control audit buying office

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.

Et2C International sourcing globe procurement

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.

Buying Office ET2C International procurement sourcing

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.

Sourcing services ET2C International procurement

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.

Quality Control ET2C International procurment inspection audit

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.

Sourcing Solutions to Boost your Supply Chain Read More »

Face Masks and Smiles for an Anti-Covid Competition

Company News / admin / Contest, Covid19, Face Masks

Face Masks Smiles ET2C International

Face Masks can be fun if you wear it together with a smile!

Large swathes of people across the Globe are moving into secondary lockdowns and this is not just impacting our way of life, but our outlook on our existence.

This Pandemic has been headline news the world over since March of this year. Seven months have gone by and Governments have remained vexed as to the way forward. Even where there are signs of light, there is always the spectre of additional outbreaks hanging ominously overhead. Our daily life has been disrupted, or rather ripped up and thrown away. Social gatherings – an innate part of our humanity – are in most parts of the world restricted, socially distanced and in some instances shut down. We have even lost the ability to engage with each other and read the instinctive facial reactions as these are commonly cloaked behind a mask.

The result is that there are now genuine concerns around the impact on peoples’ well-being. The 24 hours news cycles are constantly regurgitating the ‘doom and gloom’ of Covid and the impact it is having. Statistics have taken lives of their own and are now free of the shackles of context. At some point, we all need to take a step back, take a deep breath and remember our humanity, our existence as social beings and remember past interactions that have impacted our lives.

#SmileWithYourEyes Face Masks contest ET2C

Positivity Starts with a Smile

At ET2C, to counter all this negativity, we want to encourage people to smile and let a little positivity into their lives during all this hardship. Given the majority of us are having to wear masks, we thought that we would launch a contest that would make us smile whilst giving out some free cloth masks to keep everyone safe.
We already sent out some cloth masks to our clients and partners as part of this initiative. Importantly, we are focusing on cloth masks, which can be reused, to reduce the amount of PPE waste being put into the environment. We then asked them all to provide some photos to us with them smiling with their masks on. We have had some really positive feedback and now wanted to spread some more positivity through this contest.

SmileWithYourEyes People Face Masks Cloth ET2C

The Face Masks Contest – Smile with your eyes

To enter it’s simple! All you need to do is:

1. Choose either Facebook or LinkedIn
2. Follow ET2C’s account
3. Take a picture of you smiling, whilst wearing a cloth mask
4. Share it on your chosen social media channel, using the hashtag #smilewithyoureyes, and mention ET2Cs account and two friends
5. We will pick the top 5 posts (most fun/most shared) and send them their own pack of 10 cloth masks.

It is important to take time out of your day for a little positivity during these trying times. It does not take long and we hope that it will make people feel better about themselves and of course, we hope it is a little bit of fun.

SmileWithYourEyes contest
Keep smiling!
#smilewithyoureyes

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The Rise of Green Consumerism

Company News, Hot Updates, Industry Insights, Sourcing Procurement Insight / admin / Green Consumerism, Packaging, Sustainability

The Rise of Green Consumerism Sustainable packaging

Green Consumerism has increased the demand for goods and services based on environmentally friendly manufacturing principals.

…

The Rise of Green ConsumerismRead More »

The Rise of Green Consumerism Read More »

A Sourcing Company in High Definition. Welcome to the new ET2C.com!

Company News / admin / business, et2c, sourcing

Sourcing Company ET2C

The 20-year sourcing company ET2C International takes on a new online guise to better explain how we can meet your sourcing needs. Now, with a renovated interface, navigating the ET2C website has never been easier.

What’s new at ET2C.com

1. Clear Design & Structure

The updated structure and style will allow visitors to better identify the service or product they are looking for, whether it be sourcing and procurement assistance, buying office information, quality assurance, or relevant information and articles on current affairs impacting the world of sourcing.

Buying Office Sourcing Company ET2C

2. How We Work

We have many different ‘touch points’ that allows us to provide tailored solutions to our clients. Certainly, ‘How we work’ is something that we have looked to address with this update to ensure visitors understand how we can add value to their supply chains. We therefore added supplementary material on each of our services that gives you a visual methodology of how we work. The Sourcing, Buying Office and Quality Assurance pages include graphic schemes of the general processes. Also, we added some useful tips for our clients in order to help us quickly align to your needs.

Sourcing Process ET2C

3. What We Do

Established in 2001, for almost 20 years ET2C has been building a strong network of suppliers while offering multi-industry services to many clients.

We wanted to therefore give the right space to our Key Industries: Industrial Components (explaining in detail our proven methodology and expertise with both Metal and Plastic components) and Consumer Goods (with a focus on our main categories: Fashion, Indoor, Outdoor and Medical).
Furthermore, we thought to provide you with concrete examples of our work. For this reason, we added some Case studies that will drive you along the multi-industry services offered over the years to medium-large retailers and wholesalers and to young growth companies as well.

Industrial Components ET2C Sourcing

4. The Team at ET2C

As a Sourcing Company, we are ultimately a people business, and for that reason we wanted to provide you with some of the faces and roles of our key staff. We have some 200 staff across all our offices and so have not been able to provide everyone that is working hard behind the scenes to make our customers lives easier! Have a look at the ‘About Us’page.

5. Contact

Contacting us has never been easier. The contact page has been improved to reflect our international presence more accurately. We have updated our contacts and the landing pages for Vietnam, and Mexico have been enhanced with detailed contact forms. You have just a quick question? Send us a message thought the chat box on the bottom right corner of any page.

Why We’re Upgrading

With this redesign, the message from our website about our market knowledge and product expertise has never been clearer. The new style aims to show what we at ET2C are all about; low-risk profitable solutions that enhance your supply chain.
Also, we have increased the content available on the website, including supplementary material on each of our services as well as our general processes and case studies.

Stay updated with our latest news

Moreover, we will frequently be updating the Resources section. We will provide you with the latest news on sourcing and procurement from our knowledgeable experts. Furthermore, you can check out our latest posts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. You will find many articles relating to global sourcing, international trends, innovative technologies, sustainability, and much more. And do not forget to subscribe to our ET2C Newsletter to receive our monthly updates for free! We are also planning a series of Webinars that cover some current topics – be sure not to miss these!

ET2C news

Next Steps

The new website plays a critical role in displaying our services as we continue to build our sourcing company to make sure we are always providing relevant and add value services. We also understand that in order to be at the forefront of sourcing, we must be able to adapt and respond to the needs of our clients. If you have any queries regarding our new website or simply a few questions relating to our services, please feel free to contact us.

A huge thanks to the team of Key Element that made this project possible and successful!

A Sourcing Company in High Definition. Welcome to the new ET2C.com! Read More »

The Sourcing Quiz!

Company News / admin / Quiz, sourcing

Sourcing Quiz ET2C

The past couple of months have been nothing less than extraordinary. With half the world on lockdown – to differing degrees – people have had to adapt to a new way of existing. Retail has generally been ‘on pause’, restaurants and bars have been shuttered to abide by social distancing requirements and sporting events have all but disappeared from screens, newsreels and social chatter. The newsrooms have been churning out feeds that endlessly cover statistics such as fatality rate, confirmed cases, ‘R’ and the latest subject of many news outlets, personal protective equipment (“PPE”). Economies are hurt, stock markets are down and earnings reports during Q2 do not look particularly promising.

Sourcing covid19 covid virus coronavirus

It is all rather bleak…So, to cheer everyone up, we thought we would provide you with something a little different and do a quiz to provide a little bit of respite from the ‘Corona’ news cycle. This will be split into four sections covering Geography, Sourcing, ET2C International and General Knowledge. For the top scores, we will be picking three lucky winners, who will receive a prize to help during these lockdowns. All you need to do is 1) like the article, 2) share it and then 3) email your answers to the following email; sourcingquiz@et2cint.com. We will let you know the answers by return. Good luck!

Geography

1) Tokyo is the largest city in Asia by Population, but which city takes the number two spot in the rankings?
a. Shanghai
b. Delhi
c. Ho Chi Minh City

2) Shanghai is also known as:
a. City of Lights
b. Pearl of the Orient
c. Fragrant Harbour

3) China’s coastline stretches from the Russian Border in the North, to the Gulf of Tonkin in the South, but how long is it in Kms?
a. 10,000 Kms
b. 12,500 Kms
c. 14,500 Kms

4) Excluding Hong Kong island itself, there are how many islands of over 500 m2 that make up the territory (to the nearest 50)?
a. 50
b. 150
c. 250

5) The ‘Silk Road’ was the first main trade route between continents and stretched from Xian through central Asia into Europe between the 2nd Century BC to the first century AD. How long was it?
a. 5,000 Kms
b. 7,000 Kms
c. 9,000 Kms

6) ET2C’s Shanghai Office is located at 175 East Yan An Road. Which landmark is the closest from this location:
a. The Bund
b. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower
c. Yu Garden

Sourcing Shanghai ET2C

Sourcing

1) ‘AQL’ as part of the internationally recognised inspection methodology stands for?
a. Acceptable Quality Level
b. Adverse Quality Level
c. Advertised Quality Level

2) Over half the world’s shoes are currently manufactured in:
a. China
b. Vietnam
c. Indonesia

3) How many cubic metres are there in a 20 Ft container, to the nearest cubic metres?
a. 28
b. 30
c. 32

4) If your sales are 100 and your costs are 80, what is your mark-up?
a. 15%
b. 20%
c. 25%

5) Manufacturing wage gains are often fastest in low-cost countries. Which country had the highest manufacturing wage gains in 2018/2019:
a. China
b. Indonesia
c. Cambodia

6) The value of orders cancelled or put on hold for Bangladesh suppliers (approx. 80% of their manufacturing industry) due to Covid-19 lockdowns across the West and US is estimated at:
a. $500 Million
b. $1.5 Billion
c. $3 Billion

ET2C International

1) When was our Vietnam office first opened?
a. 2006
b. 2008
c. 2010

2) The company’s original name was?
a. E-Trade
b. ET phone home
c. E-trade2china

3) Which category of product does ET2C not supply?
a. Shoes
b. PPE
c. Space Rockets

4) ET2C’s first client was a:
a. A metal working company
b. A supermarket chain
c. A body jewellery company

5) ET2C has a broad range of solutions, which was the first solution the company offered back in early 2001?
a. Quality Services
b. Buying Office solution
c. Sourcing

6) Which country did ET2C predict would win the now postponed Euro 2020 Championship this coming summer:
a. Italy
b. England
c. Germany

General Knowledge

1) A collective noun for a group of Owls is:
a. Flock
b. Parliament
c. Hoot

2) How many players are there in a volleyball team?
a. 6
b. 8
c. 10

3) The national flower of France is:
a. Rose
b. Lily
c. Iris

French Girl flowers

4) The British Monarch owns every one of these across the United Kingdom
a. Oak Tree
b. Swan
c. Beach

5) What constellation can be seen on the Australian flag?
a. The big dipper
b. The Southern Cross
c. None – just a collection of stars

6) Usain Bolt ran the 100 metres in 9.85 seconds to set a new world record. How many seconds would a cheetah be able to knock off that record at full speed?
a. 2 seconds
b. 3 seconds
c. 4 seconds

Did you have fun?

We hope that you enjoyed our quiz and it gave you some respite from all the doom and gloom. Please do remember to like and share our article and send your answers to sourcingquiz@et2cint.com for your chance to win a prize in our draw (or perhaps to challenge one of the answers!). We will be making the draw on the 10th May 2020.

At ET2C International, we are well placed to help manage your Asia Sourcing across multiple markets. We can help you through this difficult period at a time of heightened risk. Should have any queries on Asia sourcing, or more specifically China sourcing, Vietnam sourcing and India sourcing, please contact us at contact@et2cint.com.

The Sourcing Quiz! Read More »

ET2C’s History

The evolution of the business

Sourcing in Uncertain Times

ET2C’ Services

Sourcing Solutions

Buying Office

Quality Team

Sourcing Solutions – Key Themes

A) The Consumer

B) The Products

C) Supply Chains

Sourcing Solutions for the Here and Now

ET2C’s Solutions

1. Virtual Factory Tours

2. Buying Office Solution

3. Sourcing Services

4. Quality Services

5. Advisory

Summary

Positivity Starts with a Smile

The Face Masks Contest – Smile with your eyes

Green Consumerism has increased the demand for goods and services based on environmentally friendly manufacturing principals.

What’s new at ET2C.com

1. Clear Design & Structure

2. How We Work

3. What We Do

4. The Team at ET2C

5. Contact

Why We’re Upgrading

Stay updated with our latest news

Next Steps

Geography

Sourcing

ET2C International

General Knowledge

Did you have fun?

Get In Touch

Case Studies

Our Thinking

Explore

Recent News

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