Production relocation to China, managed on the factory floor
Moving a product to China is an industrial project, not a purchasing decision. B-L-D runs it end to end — feasibility, site and supplier selection, tooling, first production, quality — and stays until the line runs at rate.
What a relocation really involves
A relocation fails for reasons that have nothing to do with the price per piece: a process that was never re-engineered for Chinese equipment, a die that was ordered before the drawing was frozen, a supplier that quotes well and delivers on the third shipment instead of the first.
We start from the part. Material, tolerances, cycle time, scrap rate and the machines available in the target cluster determine whether the move is realistic — and what it will cost delivered to your door, not ex-works.
- Product and drawing analysis: what must change to be made in China
- Feasibility model: landed cost with material, process, scrap, packaging, freight and duty
- Site and cluster selection: province, industrial park, supplier base
- Tooling: dies, fixtures and machines specified, ordered and proven
- Start-up, sampling and lot validation
- Recurring quality control and supplier escalation
How a relocation runs
Six steps, one owner from the first call to the first shipment at rate.
Feasibility and landed cost
Before any proposal we work out whether the move makes sense and what your part costs delivered.
Site selection
The province, industrial park and supplier cluster that fit your product and your volumes.
Company setup
If you need a legal entity: WFOE, representative office or joint venture, with accounting and compliance.
Supplier audit
Plants, products and processes checked against ISO 9001 and IATF 16949, with third-party verification by TTR Institute.
Tooling
Dies, fixtures and machines specified, ordered and proven before production starts.
Production management
We stay on the factory floor until your line runs at rate, with inspections and non-conformity management.
What the decision actually costs
A relocation is justified by the delivered cost, not by the quotation. Our feasibility model puts side by side the current cost in Europe and the projected cost in China: material, labour, tooling amortisation, scrap, packaging, freight, duty and inventory.
It also shows the break-even volume. Below that number the move does not pay back, and we say so before you spend money on dies.
Where relocation usually starts
Forged and cast brass
CW617N and CW724R brass parts, forged and machined on hydraulic presses, with the dies proven before series production.
Sectors we coverMachined steel and stainless
CNC turning and milling, including AISI 316 parts for liquid cooling and process equipment.
AI data centre coolingInjection moulding
PE, PP and PPR technical parts, with mould specification, sampling and dimensional reports.
Quality inspectionsQuestions about relocation
How long does a relocation take?
A single part with existing drawings usually takes four to seven months from feasibility to series production: six to ten weeks for supplier selection and samples, four to eight weeks for tooling, then validation lots. Complex assemblies with several suppliers take longer.
Do we need to open a company in China to produce there?
No. Most of our clients produce through an existing Chinese supplier while keeping their European entity. A WFOE, representative office or joint venture becomes useful when you need invoicing in RMB, local staff or a warehouse.
What happens if the first samples do not match the drawing?
They are rejected and the supplier corrects the process — at their cost, because the drawing and the acceptance criteria are agreed before the order. If a supplier cannot hold tolerance after two rounds, we change supplier rather than accept a concession.
Can you move only part of the production?
Yes, and it is often the sensible first step: start with the highest-volume or most labour-intensive code, keep the rest in Europe, and compare real costs before moving the family.
Who owns the tooling?
You do. Dies, moulds and fixtures are invoiced to you or amortised in the piece price with ownership stated in the contract, and they are returned or transferred if you change supplier.
Related services
Tell us what you make.
Describe your product, your volumes and where you produce today. We reply within 24 hours.
Request a free feasibility review+86 1881 5299 660
宁波贝琳达进出口有限公司
Room 426, Building 3, No. 2 XinJian Road, Beilun District, Ningbo, Zhejiang