There are more than 112 million results on Google when looking for a contract assembly or contract manufacturing partner. When in the market for a new partner, numbers like this can be overwhelming.

Some of this work is cut and dry. Materials arrive and get put together. Anyone can do that but, what makes a great contract assembly or manufacturing partner?

They Bring A Sense Of Urgency

Partners should not add to delays, especially in contract assembly or manufacturing process. Inquiring about their speed and agility at the forefront is just as important as understanding how quickly they respond to your questions, make decisions, and set-up operations.

Those with a strong sense of urgency will be able to get started with a product quickly. At Lotus, we have done numerous times to a point where other bottlenecks are uncovered like obstacles in the customer’s supply chain.

In a recent project with electric bicycles, aka e-bikes, Lotus brought in the materials and set-up processes so quickly that the inbound materials – that was out of our control – severely lagged behind the assembly operations. Discovering this bottleneck helped our customer improve logistics processes with other vendors.

The Right Infrastructure And Ability To Scale

Contract assembly and contract manufacturing partners should have thoughtful and clear answers on their infrastructure ability to scale should a customer need it.

Handling large volumes, especially during peak times of business, is paramount. And, if a partner will be working with electronics, cleanrooms and the proper electrostatic discharges (ESD) protection is a necessity.

A world-class contract manufacturer is there to help its customers increase production, reduce costs, and strengthen the overall quality. Without the right partner with the experience, discipline and facilities none of this is possible.

A Meaningful Track Record

Companies can have all the awards that they want, but do they have happy customers that have been with them for years? Ask.

A good contract assembly and contract manufacturing partner will be able to provide a list of companies that they have worked with, quotes to read, and references to actually call. This follow up is important.

You may hear things like:

  • “When it comes to manufacturing products, they don’t mess around”
  • “They took the time to get to the root of any problems and correct them once and for all”
  • “They continually adapt to our business needs… allowing us to focus on our core strengths in other business areas”

Clients have used these exact words about the work Lotus performs. While there are hundreds of other questions to ask, urgency, scalability and a long-term track record provide all of the insight needed to make a quick decision.

Still not sure how to find the right contract assembly and contract manufacturing partner? Request a call here.