China OEM and ODM, built as you meant it
For US, UK and EU companies that have decided to make a product in China or Vietnam through OEM, ODM or white label. A factory builds exactly what the drawing says, so gaps in the drawing become defects in production. We check the drawing with the factory before tooling, inspect the build on the floor and stay accountable through to delivery.
The factory builds what you drew, not what you meant
- 01
Your spec assumes the supplier will speak up
Western drawings are written expecting the supplier to flag a tolerance it can't hold or a material it can't get.
- 02
The factory assumes you know what you want
It reads the drawing as an order and builds to the letter. That includes the wall thick enough to sink and the resin nobody stocks.
- 03
The gap shows up after tooling is paid for
You find it at first samples. A "proven" ODM or white-label product has the same risk, because it was proven against someone else's spec.
- 04
We translate expectations as well as language
Bilingual delivery managers in Ningbo go through your drawings with the factory before any tool is cut, then check on the floor that the agreed part is the one being built.
Choose your route by how much of the product must be yours
Choosing on the lowest quote leads to a race to the bottom. What China does well is supply a complete chain of factories, and that chain is worth trusting once someone coordinates it.
OEM: your design, built to drawing
You supply the CAD and the spec, and the design stays yours. Risk: drawings that look finished but aren't ready for production. Our fix: a DFM review of tolerances, materials and wall sections before tooling.
ODM: a factory design, adapted
You adapt a design the factory already makes, so there is less tooling and it takes less time. Risk: unclear ownership of the base design and your changes. Our fix: ownership agreed in the contract before development starts.
White label: a proven product, your brand
You change the branding, packaging and labelling. It's the fastest route to market. Risk: the seller is a trading company, or its certificates are expired. Our fix: we confirm the real manufacturer and verify its certificates.
You hand over the factory floor. You keep the sign-off.
Need only part of this? See China sourcing agent, Find & vet a manufacturer or Contract & turnkey manufacturing.
We audit factories: staff size, machines, working conditions, worker safety, process control and management structure.
We run the build: DFM review, component sourcing, tooling sign-off, sample approval, in-process and final inspection, assembly and freight.
You keep the specification, the IP and the go/no-go on cost and schedule at every stage.
You have recourse: one accountable contact, and a contract with our legal entity in Sweden, the US or China.
148 components. 72 suppliers. 6 countries. Delivered on time.
A client needed to take a complex, multi-component product from concept to volume, which meant building a full assembly line in Asia from scratch. We selected, vetted and managed every supplier and coordinated tooling, component production, assembly and logistics. The client had one point of contact from start to finish.
148 components · 72 suppliers · 6 countries · full assembly line built from scratch · delivered on time
Another OEM build went from prototype to 5,000 units shipped: 200+ components from 18 suppliers, an assembly line set up, and QC and logistics managed.
Already have a supplier? You may not need to switch.
Many companies come to us with a factory already in place. They have quality drift, depend on a single source, or need more volume than one factory can make. Sometimes the fix is at the factory you already use, and if it is, we'll say so.
If a second source does make sense, we qualify it alongside your running production with the same audit and sample approval, so current shipments aren't put at risk. You compare cost, lead time and quality side by side, then decide how to split volume across China, Vietnam or India.
What buyers ask before their first China OEM order
In China, OEM (original equipment manufacturer) means the factory builds a product to your design and specification, and you sell it under your own brand. You supply the drawings and the factory makes exactly what is drawn. That is why drawings need a manufacturability review before tooling is cut. Sourcing Allies reviews the files, audits the factory and inspects production before goods ship.
With OEM you own and supply the design, and the factory builds it to your drawings. With ODM the factory supplies an existing design that you customise and brand. ODM usually needs less tooling and less development time, while OEM gives you a product that is entirely yours. If you go ODM, agree in writing who owns the base design and your changes.
A Chinese ODM is a factory that designs and makes its own products and sells versions of them to brands. The base design normally stays with the factory. Your changes, moulds and branding belong to you only if the contract says so. Sourcing Allies settles ownership of design and tooling in writing before development starts, and signs an NDA on every project.
With white label from China, you buy a product a factory already makes and sell it under your brand, with your own packaging and labelling. It is the fastest route because there is no new design or tooling. The risks are buying from a trading company instead of the manufacturer, and certificates that are expired or can't be verified. We check both before you order.
Minimum order quantity depends on the product, the process and the tooling. White label usually has the lowest MOQ because the product and moulds already exist. ODM sits in the middle. OEM with new tooling, such as injection moulds or die-casting dies, normally needs the highest volume. We advise on MOQ for your bill of materials when we quote.
Both. Sourcing Allies builds finished products: we source every component, manage sub-assembly and final assembly, run QC and ship. We also supply custom parts made by die casting and forging, metal stamping and fabrication, plastic injection moulding and aluminium extrusion. One project covered 148 components from 72 suppliers in 6 countries, assembled and delivered on time.
Often not. A sourcing partner earns its place when a product needs several suppliers, custom tooling and coordinated assembly. For one simple commodity part bought on price alone, a partner adds cost without adding much. If that describes your project, we'll tell you in the first meeting.
Bring your drawings, your sample or your supplier list
Bring a CAD file, a product you want to rebrand or a line that's already running. We'll tell you which route fits, where the gaps are and what the next step costs before you commit to tooling. We sign the NDA before you share any files.
A drawing, a sketch or a paragraph is enough to start.