Just three decades ago Shenzhen, China was just a small village outside Hong Kong. However, a 1979 designation by Deng Xiaoping made Shenzhen China’s newest Special Economic Zone (SEZ), opening it up to foreign investment and capitalism. Since then, the city has turned from a fishing village into the world’s major hardware electronics manufacturing center.
There can be drawbacks to made in China products, especially if those products are manufactured under less than ideal conditions, or by a factory that does not have the experience and expertise suited to that particular product. Companies may also automatically assume their product must be manufactured in a particular area of China, because that’s where some other company said their product was manufactured. Frequently, a product can be successfully manufactured at a lower cost with excellent reliability by factories located outside a particular SEZ.
How does a company know for sure where the right factories are? How do they know they are getting the best price and value? How can they know if the factory they are considering can manufacture their product with consistent quality time after time? One way is to fly over to China and spend weeks touring a limited number of factories, or going to a manufacturing fair and hoping for the best. Another way – a way that has proven itself many times for over 40 years – is to contact ITI Manufacturing.
ITI Manufacturing is a US-based firm that knows how to source the right factories to ensure US-based companies’ products are manufactured in China under top-quality facility conditions. The factories may very well be located in Shenzhen, or another Chinese SEZ. However, the choice depends upon the unique characteristics of the product, the materials needed, the proximity of needed sub-contractors, the quantity, and the expertise and experience of the factory being considered.
Below are two facts about Shenzhen that help make it the electronics manufacturing capital of made in China.
Shenzhen is home to many Electronic Component Suppliers
It is estimated that almost 90% of the world’s electronic devices are manufactured in Shenzhen. Many electronic component suppliers are also located there, making it an ideal location for electronic products.
It’s the Silicon Valley of China
Because of the wide availability of parts, shipping, manufacturers, and labor, the city of Shenzhen is THE hub for electronics made in China. So much so, it’s catching the eye of U.S. Silicon Valley’s tech accelerators. Hardware startups are utilizing Shenzhen’s vast network of factories and parts suppliers to make their products less expensively and faster. However, that does not mean every product with an electronic element would be best suited for manufacturing in Shenzhen.
With help from ITI Manufacturing, U.S. businesses can leverage the opportunities provided by Chinese manufacturers while retaining control of manufacturing processes and the supply chain.
Whatever you currently have, or need to have made in China, ITI Manufacturing can ensure that it’s made right, in the right zone, and at the right factory! Call us at (281) 242-7030 and speak with one our experts.
