Contract Manufacturer Sourcing
Selecting a contract manufacturer (CM or EMS provider) and managing the process of outsourcing requires a great deal of strategic thinking and preparation. Size, location, domain expertise, process capability, and financial health are only a few of the critical criteria that you need to assess before you even send a request-for-proposal (RFP). Your CM relationship is one of the most important supply relationships in your company, and your dependence on this partnership can have a profound impact on your financial performance. The traditional “quote and go” approach does not work well with CMs, and significant due diligence needs to be deployed to select the right manufacturing partner.
Examples of services we can provide:
- Develop strategies to determine the right type of contract manufacturer for your business (size, cost, capabilities, organizational style, etc.)
- Conduct preliminary screening and qualification of various CMs
- Create and submit an RFP/RFQ package using our proprietary tools and approach
- Conduct on-site audits of contract manufacturers using our templates that cover 14 major audit areas
- Negotiate pricing and contract terms using our templates and tools
- Facilitate transition with detailed plans and deliverables
- Establish critical business processes between the OEM and their chosen CM, including process flows and progressive metrics
- Manage NPI programs and launch at the CM
“The quality and timely delivery of our products was one of our top priority items when we engaged with Symphony. This added significantly to our total cost of ownership, which was a key focus and went beyond just the purchase price. Thanks to our collaboration with the Symphony team, we partnered with the right contract manufacturer and within a few months, have mitigated most of the supply chain challenges that impacted our business. Their ability to integrate into our organization and work seamlessly with our team was a key differentiator in comparison to other consulting firms.”
– Kai Wundke, CEO, Sun Radon, Inc.
“The process of outsourcing would have been nearly impossible for us to complete without Symphony’s assistance. As we bring the project to a close, we will be meeting or exceeding all of our original operational and financial targets. They proved to be an invaluable partner in this process, bringing the necessary technical and business background plus the negotiation and interpersonal skills to work closely with our team and close on all of the major points of the agreement with our chosen EMS partner. Without a doubt I will recommend Symphony Consulting to anyone considering this type of project.”
– Jose Sendra, VP of Operations, Nuance Communications, Inc. (formerly Equitrac Corporation)
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