January 2009
In developing a product from an invention (see the April 2008 post) you need to find an affordable, efficient, reliable manufacturer. Mr. Ron Read ( Global Consulting Partners, Inc. ) shared with us his decades of experience in helping U.S. inventors find and work with manufacturers and suppliers located in China. He also connects inventors with those located in India, Turkey, and Indonesia. Consider manufacturing in China if labor accounts for at least 20% of your manufacturing costs. The quality can be as good as you’ll find anywhere. The more you order, the better your price. For low cost items, plan on ordering at least 5,000 items/month; for items that cost $30 to manufacture, plan on at least 1,000/month. Items that cost at least $150 to manufacture can be ordered in less quantity. Savings can be considerable, with manufacturing costs often 10% of costs in the U.S. Before approaching a manufacturer, have an engineering firm prepare precise drawings of your invention, and c