Many companies utilize offshore manufacturing to save on labor costs and raw materials. When it comes to fabricating plastic injection molds, those savings may seem significant; however, offshore manufacturing often comes with many drawbacks such as shipping delays and low product quality. These issues quickly eliminate any cost benefits associated with Chinese injection molds as they often result in the need for reworked parts.
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At The Rodon Group, our injection molds are made in the U.S. using methods that are designed to help beat Chinese prices. This allows you to reap the benefits of lower costs while eliminating the risks associated with offshore manufacturing.
Chinese Molds vs. U.S. Molds
Chinese manufacturers may offer low-cost injection molds and fast construction times, but these so-called benefits are soon outweighed by other factors, especially if your business needs more complex parts.
Drawbacks of Using an Offshore Chinese Supplier
Disadvantages of working with an offshore Chinese supplier include:
Hidden Costs. Chinese manufacturing quotes often leave out costs associated with warehousing, international insurance, translators, and shipping.
Lower Quality. Chinese manufacturers often lack sufficient quality control and use lower-quality materials in an attempt to increase their profit margins. This results in low-quality finished products that could result in safety recalls that could affect your brand's reputation.
Mismatched Design Expectations. Chinese manufacturers often include design features that do not align with your expectations. For example, since labor rates are lower in China, they may find hand de-molding acceptable. However, North American molders often require automatic de-molding since labor costs are higher.
Longer Design Time. Mold designs often need many rounds of revisions, which can be hard to do when working with a manufacturer overseas.
Mold Reworking. Upon arrival and inspection, North American companies often find that Chinese molds need to be reworked to bring them up to spec.
Benefits of Using a North American Moldmaker
While the upfront costs may initially appear higher, comparing the true cost of manufacturing in the U.S. versus China reveals some benefits of using an onshore supplier. These benefits include:
Cheaper Life-Cycle Cost. Manufacturing your molds in the U.S. decreases life-cycle costs by significantly reducing or eliminating costs associated with product reworks, repairs due to inferior materials, and downtime.
Greater # of Job Opportunities and Higher Ethical Standards- Bringing manufacturing operations back to the United States creates job opportunities for Americans, which bolsters both the local and national economies. Additionally, as the safety practices in other countries may not match those of their home country, investing in onshore operations allows them to protect their employees better
Better Environmental Friendliness- Shipping operations generate a significant amount of greenhouse gases. Domestic manufacturing and shipping operations enable companies to cut down on their carbon footprints by reducing the distance between their products and their customers.
Superior Customer Service- Domestic customer service centers prevent customers from perceiving a disconnect between themselves and the customer service representatives. Additionally, they minimize the risk of miscommunication occurring due to language barriers.
Meets Design Expectations. With better manufacturing processes and an understanding of North American design demands, U.S. suppliers deliver molds with automatic de-molding capabilities without the need for design revisions and reworking.
Higher Quality. U.S. mold manufacturers have access to high-quality materials and can meet your safety and quality control standards. This results in higher-quality molds with a significantly decreased risk of recalls.
How Rodon Beats China Pricing
When you're navigating U.S. manufacturing versus China manufacturing, The Rodon Group can compete globally while keeping all manufacturing onshore. Rodon's high volume, U.S. manufacturing is backed by our Cheaper than China® pricing program, which is designed to provide your company with certainty surrounding pricing, delivery, and quality.
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Our zero-defect manufacturing model reduces product quality risks, and all of our materials come from certified resin sources. Injection molds are manufactured in our OSHA-certified state-of-the-art facility and come with a lifetime tooling guarantee. When you partner with The Rodon Group for high-volume mold manufacturing, you can avoid international shipping delays and take advantage of revisions and changes without worrying about time zone or language barriers.
Working with us also eliminates the need for currency exchanges, ensures adherence to non-disclosure agreements and Patent protection, and gives you access to tool financing programs for improved cash flow.
Injection Molds from The Rodon Group
When considering Chinese injection mold manufacturing, the hidden costs of offshore sourcing are simply too risky. With Rodon's globally competitive manufacturing model, your final delivered costs will beat China pricing and generate net savings over your entire life-cycle. Stay competitive with Rodon's U.S.-made injection molds. For more information or to get started on your onshore mold solution, contact us today.
Injection molding dies, or injection molds, are the heart of molding process. It's crucial for buyers to source them from reliable, trusted, quality-driven suppliers. They have a big decision to make: to build their molds in China, or closer to home in the USA. Often, this leads to questions about quality versus cost and delivery. This requires closer consideration, as each option has its own features, benefits, and disadvantages. Let's explore insourced vs outsourced injection mold die production.
Advantages of Building Injection Molds in China
There are several benefits to working with China for your mold production needs. It should come as no surprise the biggest reason manufacturers choose China is cost savings. China's lower labor costs and favorable material prices can significantly reduce mold development expenses. Another factor is China's large manufacturing base ' it's no secret that China boasts a large fabrication industry, which includes injection molding. This gives access to a vast network of molding suppliers with rapid production capabilities. Further, many Chinese mold manufacturers can handle high-volume orders and tighter timelines.
Disadvantages of Building Injection Molds in China
The benefits of cost savings and other advantages we discussed do come at a price. One big challenge is the communication barrier, due to language and cultural differences. This barrier could lead to misunderstandings and project delays. Also, concerns still linger about quality and consistency, which could lead to rework and revisions. This all adds up to unwanted delays and cost increases. Also, as with outsourcing anything, there are intellectual property (IP) risks. IP protection in China can be less robust, increasing the risk of unauthorized duplication or use of your designs. Violations also harder to litigate should something go very wrong. Finally, shipping from overseas adds additional time, expense, and the increased risk of logistical disruptions.
Advantages of Building Injection Molds in the USA
There are many reasons to have your molds made in the USA. Quality is the big one. As a rule, US-based mold manufacturers often follow stringent quality control standards and processes, reducing the likelihood of defects, and associated delays. Another considerable advantage is that overall collaboration is easier, despite potential time-zone differences. Domestic production allows for much better communication and collaboration overall with the mold maker, simplifying iterations. As for intellectual property concerns, the USA provides stronger legal frameworks to protect your IP and designs. Another obvious advantage is that domestic suppliers tend to offer quicker lead times with relatively simple logistics when compared to overseas options.
Disadvantages of Building Injection Molds in the USA
Well, you already know the big one: higher total cost. There's no need to elaborate on that one any further. Also, while there are many established and capable mold makers here in the States, some may have less capacity for larger-scale orders, which could affect lead times.
So, Which Is the Right Choice?
The decision depends on your company's priorities, production needs, and project specifics. Ultimately, it all boils down to considering cost vs. quality, complexity, and IP sensitivity. Your goal is to find a good shop that will do the job on time, within (or close to) budget, while fully respecting your IP requirements.
Generally speaking, it is cheaper to produce molds overseas, and quality has come up over the years. Also, you can consider a hybrid approach: have the die made overseas, but use a local die maker for any required modifications or fixes. We encourage you to keep an open mind when evaluating and making the choice.
Regardless of where you decide to have your injection molding dies made, there are a few things we strongly recommend that you always do:
- Communicate your needs and expectations very clearly. it's better to over-explain, than underexplain. Don't leave room for the supplier to make assumptions.
- Obtain and actually check references. It's important to vet your suppliers as well, overseas or domestic. Get references. Follow up on them. Talk to the mold-makers customers. Conduct online research on the brand and its reputation. A little effort here could go a long way at minimizing the risk of working with a new mold maker.
- Show up! For larger jobs or longer term engagements, consider a visit and walkthrough of the manufacturer's facility. Pay attention, and ask questions while you are there.
Injection molds are crucial investments. Be sure to carefully weigh the pros and cons against your specific requirements to help ensure a successful outcome.
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