Office Furniture - Importing

By Mark R Green

Mostly everyone would agree that the quality of imported furniture is good, provided that the factory is properly monitored, assuring a good quality furniture. It is also true that the pricing is much lower than for domestic goods. Equally its true that, the selection is large and availability is plenty. Generally this is great for the economy, by enabling a very large portion of our population, to purchase new furniture. The same holds true for any other industry as well.

These being the facts, production of manufactured goods in the USA, has mostly vanished.
Companies who had previously produced their goods locally, were forced to import from foreign countries.

Is this trend in the long run really beneficial? Even if we were to assume that all the displaced workers can find other forms of employment. Assuming that by the grace of the All-Mighty, the ever lurking terrorists will not take advantage of the so many containers arriving at these shores, from all over the globe.

However we are increasingly placing ourselves, at the mercy of foreign governments. Suppose that the United States and China were to have a dispute, which is prone to happen. What if China decides, that if the USA does not relent, they will not allow any shipments to leave. (Let us not forget that China is not a Democracy.) Or they were to decide that a large tax be applied. We wont be able to fall back on production over here, because most production plants have been dismantled. We will G-d forbid be stuck. Think a minute, and look around you. Basically everything comes from China.

Where will we buy computers, telephones, furniture, tools, cars, screws and nails etc.? Where will we the parts to fix the equipment? How many items operate on batteries, that are imported? It can create a very dangerous situation, worse than a blackout. Even food and food products are being brought in from China.

I think that the time has come for us geniuses, to create our own Chinaman. Instead of us teaching them, and thereby shooting ourselves in the foot. With our technical knowledge, the focus of this beloved nation should be to produce machinery, that can greatly reduce the manual workforce. By pursuing this approach, we will bring back this nation to its former glory.
Merchandise produced in USA will be the best at low cost. Our ports will not be cluttered with arriving containers, that may contain dangerous substance. They will however be loading merchandise from this country, shipping elsewhere. Most importantly we will not be held hostage by another government.

Comfort in furniture is a top priority and a must for every office. At Ace Office Furniture, our goal is to offer the best quality for the lowest price possible. Visit us at http://www.aceofficesystems.com to shop, find and buy high quality office furniture and enjoy our long lasting customer relationships.

Your Guide to Importing From China

By Arthur Stoller

If you have an established source of sales that you are already selling into the market, and have a large volume, you might be thinking of trying to outsource your product.

China offers a vast array of products and to track something down that is suitable, you are going to need someone who knows the country well.He or she can advise you very quickly if you are likely to find a company where you could place your order and thereby increase your margins.

Here are some of the things that you will need to establish before working with an import agent:

1. Full product details with drawings / graphics

2. Packing & presentation details

3. Branding requirements

4. Certifications & Safety standards required

5. Date product is required

6. Quantities (min order quantities apply in most cases)
Considering the requirements, qualified suppliers will be selected by your agent and details sent to those who look the best prospect. From the resulting replies three are invited to quote.

A good agent will discuss quotes with the manufacturers, confirm their experience in UK / European markets and check their production capabilities.Your personal visit to China could be carried out to inspect the factory personnel, the manufacturing process and quality control systems. This process is often backed up by a team in Shanghai who should cover the whole operation.

1. Prepare a detailed report on all visits.

2. Quotations include manufacturing costs, branding, artwork and presentation of your product, method and cost of shipment, all duty and port dues plus haulage from port to your warehouse
3. Orders are normally quoted c.i.f. destination port. Estimated time of delivery is also given at this time and confirmed as more information becomes available about your consignment.

Choosing the right manufacturer, ensuring quality and providing an on-time delivery are all crucial business processes.Controlling production quality is achieved through scheduled inspections of all factory processes with final quality inspection and packing checks completed under the direction of your agent, before products leave the factory. Personal visits to factories are recommended in order for you to become more familiar with the overall process.
Appropriate packaging will have been agreed between all parties to ensure protection of goods with the details now being submitted to the shipping agents.

Shipping options will have been confirmed with you with all appropriate documents being completed. Customs clearance is completed and Duty plus port dues are often paid by your agent

* Work with a wide network of suppliers from numerous market sectors in China, and provide products that meet your requirements and monitor progress to ensure on-time delivery.

Sourcing your product in ChinaWhen you contact a few agents you will find sourcing requests are responded to fairly quickly. Normally an agent will have an extensive network of manufacturers, and can either source an existing product or customize to your specification, including bespoke items. They will often have a Chinese speaking team, both in the UK and in China to check requirements with potential suppliers and provide the information required to obtain costs.

You should expect a detailed written quote submitted for your approval with all costs, delivered to your warehouse. Where significant design work is involved, you can negotiate a separate fee.
Arthur Stoller operates his import agency from China to the UK and further details of his operation of importing from china can be viewed here