The parts that we make for commercial beer dispensing systems keep the game flowing! Whether in a stadium, a sports bar or at events, UGS manufactures commercial components and systems that conform to the tightest tolerances and exceed customer expectations. Contact us today to learn how we can help your company deliver great results to your customers with superb quality at a lower cost.

This year, 2019, marked the 74th year of the National Hardware Show®, held May 7th-9th at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This annual show featured products and services from the home improvement marketplace. Over 2700 exhibitors from over 32 countries launched over 1000 brand new products during the 2019 National Hardware Show, with an estimated attendance of 19,000. In years past, the show had its start in New York, following the post-World War II housing boom. It migrated to the Midwest, settling in Chicago during the 1970's and eventually moved farther West to its current location in Las Vegas, NV.

The National Hardware Show has become the gathering place for big buyers to find the latest and greatest products they’d like to see offered at the nation’s leading hardware retailers. The show’s goal is to promote hardware businesses in all sectors worldwide. Additionally, the show provides opportunities for smaller companies to present their inventions to buyers and interested parties they normally wouldn’t have the opportunity with which to connect.

After spending months, if not years, in the concept and design phase of your product’s life cycle, you’ve now found yourself upon the doorstep of the manufacturing stage. Obviously, this part of getting your product made is arguably the most critical and time-intensive. Trying to manage several disparate companies to handle each part of the production process can turn out to be cumbersome and costly. Here’s where turnkey manufacturing can come into play. To get started, let’s define the phrase turnkey manufacturing.

Turnkey manufacturing means having 100% of the manufacturing process handled by one entity. In this scenario, one company manages and streamlines all pieces and parts of the manufacturing process from start to finish. This includes beginning at the initial concept and design and continuing all the way to the packaging and shipping of your final manufactured product. Next, we’ll explore some of the many advantages of working with a unified source for your manufacturing needs.

One major perk of implementing turnkey manufacturing in your organization is the cost-savings it generates. And those cost-savings start immediately, through receiving the most competitive pricing via an established network of factories and suppliers. Costs are especially reduced for smaller companies since with this model, they can avoid the added cost that comes with trial and error. Turnkey manufacturers can also reduce your costs through centralized billing and discounts for services like design, logistics, and so on.

Figuring out how to turn your original idea into an actual product can seem overwhelming. “Where should I begin?” you may be asking yourself. Finding a skilled partner in outsourced manufacturing is an excellent place to start. After you secure that partnership, the outsourcing company can help turn your idea into reality by following these key facets in the outsourced manufacturing process.

Product Concept

It all starts with an idea – an idea that came to you in a dream, a realized need, or through the course of a product life cycle. Whatever the specific situation, you are ready to turn that idea into a realistic conceptualization of your product. At this point in the manufacturing process, your outsourcing partner will use their knowledge of materials and manufacturing techniques to determine the practicality of getting your product made. And as part of the decision to move forward with the commitment to making your product a reality, your business must also decide whether it is marketable and will produce a profit. If the answer is yes, then it is time to move on to the design stage in the manufacturing process.

Between 2015 and 2024, the CNC machining industry is expected to almost double in value from around $53 Billion to over $93 Billion globally. Advantages of using precision machining equipment like CNC machines – computerized machine tools like lathes, mills, routers, and grinders - results in less human error while increasing overall production efficiency. Precision machining is a common term used in various types of manufacturing. It’s defined as a way or process to remove excess material from a product, while keeping the work-in-progress within acceptable tolerances. Next, we examine some innovations in precision machining that continue to drive its adoption.

Using Additive Manufacturing for Prototyping

Traditional CNC machining calls for a block of material to be cut away and precision-machined to meet its proper specifications and tolerances. On the other hand, additive manufacturing a.k.a. 3D printing, combines materials to build a finished project. While precision machining is still the preferred machining choice for mass-manufactured parts, additive manufacturing can be implemented at a lower cost for prototyping and sampling. This is due to the lowering costs of 3D printing and reduction in material waste.

The management of a company’s global logistics can seem daunting at the outset; especially considering the recent changes in tariff increases. Figuring out which HTS codes cover which products can be a time-consuming task. And staying on top of the specific requirements for multiple companies - across a multitude of logistics needs: air; ground; shipping - requires careful coordination of international logistical services. Following are suggestions for utilizing streamlined global logistics and how to optimize their functionality.

1. Harnessing the Power of Consolidation

There are myriad benefits to consolidating your company’s global logistics efforts. For starters, standardized procedures can be implemented to restructure and better organize the paper trail concerning all shipping documents involved in the delivery process. Implementing software analytics can assist carriers in optimizing routes and pickups. As a result, processing payments becomes a simpler process through consolidation, with fewer carriers amounting to fewer payments and a more efficient accounting processing.

1. Centralized Management of Delivery Vendors

According to IDC, by 2021, 50% of the Global 2000 companies will see most of their business depend upon the ability to create digitally enhanced products, services, and experiences. In response to these changes, there are various trends emerging and expanding as we get farther into 2019. These trends include changes in technology as well as the way in which products are manufactured and assembled. Let’s examine some of the tendencies that are evolving in the area of industrial manufacturing.

Technology Enhancements to Equipment

Many companies continue to move their data and processing functions to the cloud in droves; however, this is not always the best solution for every application. For industrial manufacturing, Edge computing is more often used for speed of data collection and analysis. With Edge computing, dedicated on-site resources are used on the shop floor instead of through remote servers. Doing so significantly increases the rate and amount of data manufacturers can process in real-time.

Suddenly, the idea strikes you like a lightning bolt – waking you out of a sound sleep. Perhaps it was a recurring dream about an innovative new product, or just a persistent feeling there is a large need for the product you want to invent and get to market. However the thought came to you, now you’re ready to see it put to paper in a realistic design and 3-dimensional form.

So how do you go about seeing your vision for a new product take form and become a marketable product? You’ve got to get it made as a prototype for starters. And what are the necessary steps that must be taken to get you started in the prototyping process?

The Plastic Injection Molding Market has been continually evolving and expanding in recent years. And according to Global Market Insights, plastic injection molding has become one of the most commonly-used plastic formation techniques utilized across a variety of industrial applications today. Industrial sectors in automotive, consumer goods, electronics, general construction, packaging, medical and more, are all benefiting from the emerging trends in plastic injection molding manufacturing and showing steady growth. In fact, the global injection molded plastics market is expected to reach a whopping $162 billion by 2020.

From alliedmarketresearch.com:

Cut and Sew: Which Factory is Best for Manufacturing your Products?

Maybe you’re a cutting-edge designer, ready to show the world your creative talent. Perhaps you have a great mass merchandising idea that you are ready to produce. Whatever the situation regarding your cut and sew product, when you’re ready to manufacture it, you’ll need to find the best factory for the job. ‘That’s easy’, you might be thinking. ‘I just need to find the lowest-cost manufacturer.’ But in reality, there are myriad other considerations in the production process.

First off, you’ll have to decide what role the factory will take in making your products. Will they be managing the entire process, or will they be just handling a portion of it? Other questions to ask concerning the factory’s role include:

• Will the factory create a sample based on your sketches or designs?
• Will you provide the materials for the item(s) you want made or will that be the responsibility of the factory to source?
• Will the entire item(s) be assembled at the factory or will any pre-processing be performed elsewhere?
• Do your products need to be hand-made or can some or all of the process be automated?
• Where will the items be sent upon completion: a 3PL, a dedicated warehouse or direct to retailers?
• Product labeling considerations for Prop 65

The industrial manufacturing industry spreads far and wide. From automobile parts to sporting goods, this industry is responsible for the fabrication of products intended mostly for industrial use. There are a variety of manufacturing processes in this field. Let’s take a look at some of the most common below.

Most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) choose to outsource their sub-assembly needs to lower production costs, but there are many other reasons to do so. During the sub-assembly process, companies will hire an outside manufacturer to build smaller parts that are used with OEM products. This can save them a significant amount of time and money in the long-run and is a great way to streamline and improve current operations. The main benefits of outsourcing sub-assembly include:

• Cost savings
• Improved quality
• Volume flexibility

Let’s take a closer look at each of these benefits below.

The global market is ever-expanding. More businesses are sourcing overseas for a variety of reasons, competitive pricing, lower manufacturing costs, and proximity to market specific customers. However, with great opportunity comes great risk. Whether you’re a budding startup founder or established CEO, both looking to penetrate a new market, it’s best to know where some of the most devastating stumbling blocks are located before you run into them yourself.

In this post, we share five mistakes business owners make sourcing overseas that they need to avoid. A successful business relies heavily on its ability to establish and continuously optimize its supply chain, resulting in customer satisfaction. If this is not a priority, the business will suffer. Part of this optimization is understanding customers, governments, countries, and more when sourcing globally.

The performance of your business is undeniably linked to the success of your supply chain. As an established CEO expanding into new regions or a startup founder looking to takeover certain markets, the optimization of your supply chain could mean the difference between seven percent and 20 percent profit margins. At United Global Sourcing, we’ve seen some pretty large profit margins due to supply chain optimization, but a growth of even 10 percent can help expand companies exponentially. According to the Logistics Bureau, 79 percent of companies that optimize their supply chains reported above-average overall growth.

In most cases, supply chains are not very efficient. The ever-evolving market and supply chain participants keep the industry in a constant state of chaos that has yet to be tamed. Factors like countries, governments, and customers all affect the supply chain in a way that makes it near impossible to be successful. Supply chain costs tend to sink businesses before they ever see a profit. Nonetheless, a diligent, smart sourcing company can find success.

Do you know if your supply chain is helping or hurting your business goals? If you think it’s the latter, it’s time to review your business goals, your supply chain strategy, and how they fit together. The biggest mistakes any supply chain manager makes is keeping the chain and the businesses goals separate. A supply chain is a catalyst for the results you want to get in your business, so it should be included in the business strategy. With that being said, here are five tips on how you can develop a supply chain strategy.

A successful global supply chain ultimately comes down to two things: quality and communication. Without one or the other, the chain will operate, but not at optimal levels. If the chain is missing both traits, it will eventually crumble underneath impossible to meet deadlines and ever-evolving end-customer needs.

At United Global Sourcing, we do more than connect you with a manufacturer or supplier. We establish a system that communicates with you on a 24-hour cycle, so you always know what’s going on.

In this post, we’re going to discuss the benefits of supply chain collaboration. It may seem counterintuitive in a supply chain to be transparent, but this is the secret the successful experts in the industry aren’t sharing. You may be concerned with fraud, waste, or costly mistakes. At UGS, we understand your concern. However, the only way to mitigate all three of those constants in supply chain management is to create candid communication and quality work within the chain. Transparency is the key to finding ways to tighten up a supply chain, improve processes, and increase profits.

Do you want to improve your supply chain? Would you like to increase your profitability? At United Global Sourcing, our mission is to deliver you the best supply chain participants to grow your business and increase profitability. It’s no wonder why the supply chain industry is growing so fast. According to a report, the supply chain industry was worth about eight-trillion dollars in 2016, and it’s said to surpass $15 trillion in 2023.

The global market is constantly expanding. More businesses are joining the world stage. Surprisingly, it’s not saturating the market; it’s giving it more depth. Supply chains are extending in length, and the expectations of customers are ever-evolving. If you want to stay ahead of your competition, you need to know the 10 secrets to improve your supply chains the experts in the industry aren’t sharing.

The oversight and expertise needed for supply chain management is invaluable. The ability to plan for the worst and solve problems before they occur is a must. Furthermore, those in global supply chain management like United Global Sourcing leverage the available business tools and technologies to get ahead of the fast-paced industry. The success of a supply chain manager frequently relies on not what goes wrong, but how one handles the problems. In many cases, experts in the industry solve issues before they ever become a problem. These experts establish systems to better handle the ever-evolving supply chains they manage on a daily basis. In this post, we will share seven dangerous pitfalls every supply chain manager needs to be aware of, so they can better prepare their solution when things do go wrong–inevitably, they will.

The global market is ever expanding. So is the length and complexity of global supply chains. The effort to meet the needs of the market are putting more stress on supply chains and their managers to perform consistently and efficiently. With so much pressure, the temptation to cut corners is ever increasing. Global supply chain management, however, must hold steadfast and do the right thing. Even though global sourcing predated the internet, as did manufacturing, transporting, and distributing, the industry is still in an ever-evolving state. That’s why it’s imperative, as a supply chain manager, to always be searching for ways to improve or enhance supply chain effectiveness and efficiency. Not only do you want to keep the end-customer satisfied, but you also want to find ways to increase profits.

At United Global Sourcing, we’re expert communicators and value honesty over anything else. We want you to feel comfortable working with us and trust that we will deliver on our promises. With that being said, we’re digging into blockchain, the technology that’s taken the digital world by storm. It started being used with Bitcoin, but its protocol is now being used across various industries. Experts in the field are saying that blockchain is the best innovation since the internet. At UGS, we would have to agree. The technology is a great way to track, record, and confirm transactions at every stage of a supply chain. At the end of the day, blockchain may seem too good to be true. That’s why, in this post, we want to share four barriers the supply chain industry must break down to adopt the technology.

Did you know that some of the best well-known brands and companies send their manufacturing needs overseas? Thousands of companies choose to outsource their manufacturing because it gives them more time to focus on other facets of their business. With China being the primary source of overseas manufacturing, you may be surprised to learn which companies seek a little help overseas.

Blockchain has been the buzzword for the last couple of years and rightfully so. It was originally used for Bitcoin. The technology allows for people to know who owns what and when. It’s an indelible ledger, which makes for complete transparence and 100 percent accountability. What’s more, the blockchain technology protocol isn’t limited to currency, as it was originally intended. The blockchain protocol is being used across various industries in a variety of ways. It’s tightening up systems and building more trust in relationships. The exciting part about blockchain is that it will change global supply chain management.

No longer do participants involved in supply chains have to triple check their system. Blockchain will make the transactions from manufacturer to customer transparent and secure, allowing supply management to spend time optimizing their system instead of following up on a shipment unaccounted for somewhere in their chain.

As the global market expands, the need for effective and efficient supply chains increases. Two of the largest barriers to improving global supply chains are transparency and communication. Transparency allows for supply chain managers to better operate their chains. Communication tightens up supply chain production, shipping, and fulfillment times. These two barriers have always plagued supply chains, but there is a solution.

Blockchain technology was first utilized with Bitcoin. The technology is a success, and more businesses in all industries are making it a focus. They want to understand the technology, leverage it, and evolve their business to include it. This will lead to overall growth which helps improve the global economy.

From a 10,000 foot level, blockchain has huge potential to improve nearly every industry. More specifically, blockchain has the ability to revolutionize global supply chains, making management of said supply chains much easier.

Do you think Blockchain will change the internet? At United Global Sourcing, we think blockchain will do more than change the internet; it will transform global supply chain management entirely, and we’re excited to say that. Here’s why: Blockchain allows businesses to more securely and transparently manage a wide range of transactions. What does this mean for supply chain management? Quite a few experts in the field say that blockchain is the next best invention since the internet, and we at United Global Sourcing believe the technology will evolve supply chains around the globe.

It’s time you outsource your manufacturing and fabrication needs. Not only will you save money, but you will also remove the responsibility of making sure manufacturing is running properly—it will be someone else’s headache. There are a number of benefits, including growth, flexibility, and quality. When it comes to choosing a sourcing company for your products, it can get a little overwhelming. There are hundreds of companies to choose from, so how do you find the best one?

In this post, we’ll share some general advice on how to identify and qualify a sourcing company for your company’s manufacturing needs. Ready to discuss your outsourcing needs? Give United Global Sourcing a call today to get a FREE estimate. Otherwise, continue reading to learn more.

Running a business is challenging. When you decide to outsource manufacturing and/or fabrication, you will encounter new challenges. At United Global Sourcing, we want to help identify the most common challenges and then give you some solutions to better serve your business. Outsourcing can be a daunting decision. The transition, implementation, and follow-through stops business owners in their tracks. We understand! But if you want to grow your business utilizing outsourcing, contact us today!

In this post, we’ll share four challenges businesses have transitioning into outsourcing their manufacturing or fabrication needs. We’ll also share some general solutions to consider to make the transition easier.

When it comes to manufacturing and fabrication, United Global Sourcing strives to find the best for its clients. We offer a list of fully vetted, top-caliber factories for you to leverage to lower costs, increase sales, and improve fulfillment. Our commitment to 24-hour communication, unlike most of the industry, is what sets us apart from our competitors. We understand you’re looking for the best outsourced manufacturing for your automotive parts, sporting goods, or cut and sew products.

In this post, we’ll share the five benefits of outsourcing manufacturing. Are you ready to get started? Contact United Global Sourcing today! Otherwise, continue reading this post to to learn about the benefits.

Are you looking for a way to decrease expenses to free up capital for growth? It can be tough to decide between labor costs or outsourcing costs. On one hand, you can control and manage the labor, and on the other hand, you have to trust the outsourced manufacturing or fabrication is taken care of appropriately. But that’s why you went into business. You want to make an impact on the world and get paid to do it. Decisions like these aren’t something you learn through traditional education. You have to do them on your own, learning as you go.

At United Global Sourcing, we understand if you’re contemplating the idea of outsourcing manufacturing to focus more on your core competency or to simply free up some cash flow to grow your business. Our advice? Outsource. It will save you time and money, offering a peace of mind you’ve not known since you’ve gone into business.

In this post, we share the top pros and cons to outsourcing manufacturing and fabrication. We want you to know exactly what you’re getting into when you decide to outsource. What’s more, United Global Sourcing is here to help you make the most out of outsourcing. We rely on our expert communication to serve you and your company’s needs. Contact us today to learn more. Otherwise, read this post to gain some insight into outsourcing.

The benefits of outsourcing manufacturing heavily outweigh the disadvantages. So why doesn’t every business do it immediately? Fear, cost, quality, and transition issues all cloud the horizon for those looking to outsource internationally. But it doesn’t have to stop your business growth in its tracks. As long as you have brand, production, and quality standards, the world will open up to you and help you grow. All it takes is one phone call to Unite Global Sourcing.

At UGS, we take significant risk away from outsourcing. Our vetted lists and longstanding professional relationships with manufacturing and fabrication factroers all over the make us the premiere sourcing company to do business with. When you choose us, you get more than a connection to a manufacturer. We provide 24-hour communication processes that ensure your product, component, or otherwise is taken care of from start to finish. And it all starts with your expectations as a business owner in a global market.

In this post, we share the top four risk factors you must mitigate when outsourcing to actually be able to take advantage of it. Thankfully, UGS does this for you, so you can keep working on your business instead of in it.

At United Global Sourcing, we’ve got all of your manufacturing needs covered.

If you’re looking to outsource manufacturing in your business, you’ve come to the right place. We’re United Global Sourcing (UGS), and we have what it takes to meet all of your manufacturing needs. Different items require different manufacturing methods, and here at UGS, we do it all. Today, we’re going to be breaking down two very different techniques — forging and casting — that accomplish the same thing, which is molding metal into the necessary shape and size.

You undoubtedly recognize the incredible importance of a high-quality product. It is why you will settle for nothing but the best when it comes to outsourcing your manufacturing. However, at United Global Sourcing, we don’t believe the focus on detail should stop there. We work with our clients to make sure that their product is wrapped in success through the proper packaging.

Did you know that more than half of all purchase decisions are made in-store? That means that the look, feel, and branding of your packaging has an incredibly large influence upon the final consumer purchase behavior. The right packaging can lead to success and the wrong packaging can spell disaster. Read on to learn more about the importance of packaging and find out how we can help you succeed in this area of production.

When it comes to operating a supply chain, there are a myriad of moving pieces and a large number of hiccups that can occur. Your goal is to ensure that your manufacturing process implements smoothly into the rest of your business operations. In order to make the best of outsourcing your manufacturing, it is important to take the time to conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) assessment. This can help you to minimize waste and maximize profits, all while ensuring quality in your products.

If you are considering outsourcing your manufacturing and need help conducting an assessment of your supply chain strategy, please reach out to our team. We have the industry experience and the proven relationships needed to help you find the perfect global outsourcing solution for your unique needs. Read on to learn more about our use of SWOT assessments for the clients we work with.

When it comes to your manufacturing process, your goal is undoubtedly to cut costs, improve your timeline, and retain quality. For many companies, the thought of outsourcing their manufacturing is pushed aside due to a variety of myths surrounding this version of manufacturing. However, if you want to achieve all these goals, outsourcing your manufacturing could actually be the key you are looking for. Before you write off outsourced manufacturing and stick to in-house work, consider these myth-busting facts.

If at any point in the process you want to learn more about the specifics of outsourcing your manufacturing process, please reach out to us at United Global Sourcing. We are proud to provide high-quality manufacturing solutions for our clients. We will take the time to ensure you are comfortable with the choice and that you never fall prey to the following issues.

When it comes to outsourcing your manufacturing, the benefits are plentiful. However, you might also be faced with concerns about how you will ensure the quality you need from your outsourced manufacturing. There are a myriad of ways we help our clients with quality control and one of the methods we employ is sampling.

Sampling is an important aspect of the manufacturing process and will help safeguard your business from any unpleasant surprises when your products arrive. You want your final product to meet your exact specifications, which is why sampling is a critical component of proper manufacturing processes.

The following are the reasons we opt for the implementation of sampling with our clients.

If you have an invention for a product, the process from idea to production can be extremely complicated and complex. In addition to finding the best factory to manufacture your product, you’ll need to spend some time researching and planning the design of your invention. One of the biggest challenges of product manufacturing is finding the perfect factory to bring your idea to life. You’ll need to do some digging to find one that fits your unique needs and budget, and in this article, we’re going to guide you through the process of finding a manufacturer to work with.

At United Global Sourcing, we’re proud to offer our small and large business customers turn key solutions for their manufacturing and fabrication needs. Whether you need help finding an industrial manufacturing company that offers precision casting, or you’re looking for a factory that can help you create a prototype of your idea, we can help. When you work with our team of professionals, you can always rest assured that we put communication and quality first. Unlike other companies who offer to connect you to a manufacturer and then suddenly disappear, we offer our customers a 24-hour communication cycle to catch any issues quickly and efficiently. If you’re interested in learning more about our services, contact our team or get a free quote online.

When a manufacturing company begins the production of a new product, they have a choice as to what kind of manufacturing process they’d like to use. Oftentimes, the process that is chosen will depend on the facility, staff, and the various information systems that are available. Converting raw materials into marketable and saleable products is the backbone of our industrialized nation, so it’s important to understand the differences between the various manufacturing processes that are available. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the casting process, and the various forms that are available.

If you’re looking for an industrial manufacturer to assist you with with creating a consumer product or idea, United Global Sourcing can help. Unlike most companies who will simply connect you with a manufacturer, only to disappear down the line, we maintain constant and frequent communication with all of our clients. When you work with our team, we’ll maintain a 24-hour communication cycle with you, that allows us to quickly and efficiently identify issues early on in the assembly process. We can help you find the best industrial manufacturing company for your needs and budget. Contact our team today or get a free quote online.

Whether your company produces sporting goods, household products, or automotive accessories, determining how and where to complete manufacturing operations is critical to the success of your business. If you haven’t considered outsourcing already, we strongly advise you to do so. When you outsource your manufacturing and fabrication needs, you’ll likely end up with a reduce in labor costs, among other benefits.

At United Global Sourcing, we’re proud to provide turnkey solutions for your manufacturing and fabrication needs. We understand how challenging it can be to bring an idea or product to life, which is why we also specialize in various areas of supply chain management. We can help you find the best overseas manufacturing company for your needs and budget, and we always keep communication at the forefront of our relationships. Unlike other companies who will simply connect you with a manufacturer and leave you out to dry, we take pride in providing our customers with a 24-hour communication cycle. This helps us to quickly and efficiently identify any issues in the early assembly and production process. From product concept to design and production, we can help you navigate the murky waters of manufacturing. Call us today or get a free quote online!

When you have a clever or unique idea for an invention, it’s important to process a patent application as soon as possible. In 2015, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office processed more than 629,000 patent applications! On average, only 55% of the applications submitted received a patent. A great way to improve your odds of getting a patent granted is to build a prototype of your idea or product. While the patent and trademark office does not require applicants to submit their prototype with their application, it can serve as a serious demonstration that your invention has been well thought out, which can merit your idea’s consideration.

If you’re unfamiliar with the prototyping process, there’s no need to worry. In this blog post, we’re going to discuss everything you need to know about prototyping, as well as some tips you should consider moving forward with your idea or invention.

If you have a unique idea for a product and you’re ready to bring that vision to reality, contact United Global Sourcing today. We offer a variety of supply chain management services and we can help you find the best manufacturing or fabrication company for your needs, timeline, and budget. We’ll walk you through everything from the product concept to design and packaging, so you can feel confident about the product you’re bringing to life. If you’re interested in learning more about our services or you have questions regarding the best manufacturing company to work with, contact our friendly staff today.

While it may be hard to believe, every product on the market today has started out as some kind of idea. From the latest and greatest mobile app to your new kitchen blender, most products you purchase came to life through the process of invention. If the light bulb above your head is glowing with a brilliant idea, you may be thinking about bringing your invention to life. While the road from the product concept to the finished product can be long and daunting, there are certain things you can do to help the invention process go smoothly.

At United Global Sourcing, we’re passionate about offering turnkey solutions for your manufacturing and fabrication needs. Whether you have an idea for a new automotive accessory or sporting good, we can help you find the best manufacturer for your application. From the initial product design to prototyping and packaging, we can help you turn your brilliant idea into a reality. If you’re interested in learning more about our supply chain management services, contact our friendly staff today.

The U.S. manufacturing industry continues to be a key part of America’s economy as it supports millions of jobs across the country. Each and every day, people head off to work in factories, sell products made by manufacturers, or develop Internet protocols that can be used to support and improve the manufacturing process. While this may sound all fine and dandy, there are many challenges that American manufacturers face in today’s economy. Unfortunately, these challenges can make succeeding in the manufacturing industry very difficult. If you’re thinking about manufacturing your industrial or consumer products in the U.S., our experts advise you to be wary.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the top three manufacturing challenges in the U.S., so you can make an educated decision when it comes time to decide whether or not to outsource your product. At United Global Sourcing, we’re passionate about connecting business owners with the best Asian manufacturers available. Unlike some companies that simply connect you with a manufacturer and disappear, we put communication and quality first. By offering our clients a 24-hour communication cycle, it allows our professionals to quickly identify and address issues early on to ensure your product is delivered properly and on time. To learn more about our business or to get a free quote, contact us today!

When a company has an effective supply chain management in place, they have an immediate competitive advantage over competitors in their industry. This allows businesses to decrease their inherent risks when it comes to buying raw materials and selling products or services. By implementing supply chain management systems, businesses are able to reduce waste and overhead costs. There are many benefits to supply chain management, and in this blog, we’ll discuss a few of them.

United Global Sourcing is proud to offer turnkey solutions for small to large businesses when it comes to their manufacturing and fabrication needs. We specialize in all of your global sourcing needs, including industrial manufacturing and consumer products like sporting goods and household products. We also offer product concept, design, and prototyping services if you have a unique idea for a product. If you’re interested in learning more about our services, contact our friendly staff today!

United Global Sourcing is proud to offer turnkey solutions for your manufacturing and fabrication needs. Many new clients come to us inquiring about our industrial manufacturing services, who want to know more about CNC machining and how it can help them create the quality product they’re looking for. If you’re new to this term, don’t worry! We’re going to cover everything you need to know about this manufacturing process below.

If you work in the industrial manufacturing industry, you’ve probably heard of injection molding before. Injection molding is a unique manufacturing process for producing plastic injection molds from both thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials. During this procedure, materials are fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a mold cavity. When the mold cools and hardens to the configuration of the mold cavity. Once the part has been designed, often by an industrial engineer, the molds are then manufactured by an injection mold company, where it is then assigned to a mold maker or toolmaker.

More often than not, injection molds are constructed using either steel or aluminum materials. With the recent advances in modern technology, these molds are precision-machined to form the features of the desired parts. This type of molding process is used for a variety of parts in the manufacturing industry, from the smallest metal component to the entire side panel of automobiles, you can find injection molding everywhere.

Outsource manufacturing is the process of hiring people outside of your company to assemble parts of, or to build an entire product. The main reason why companies across the globe choose to outsource their manufacturing needs is due to the cut in labor costs. When a business outsources a part of their production line to a third-party manufacturing company in a different location, they often see a significant decrease in production costs. At the end of the day, it tends to be more affordable to outsource production processes to companies that have a comparative advantage to produce them internally. More often than not, one of the best advantages of outsourcing is to utilize assets that are already in place without having to make an investment in fixed costs.

If you’ve invented a new product, outsourcing the production may be the best use of your time and money. Since you will not have to invest heavily in developing your own internal infrastructure, your market research and business plan should give you an idea of your potential sales volume and selling price.

The North American Free Trade Agreement, also known as NAFTA, is a piece of regulation that was implemented on January 1, 1994. This comprehensive trade agreement sets the rules of trade and investment between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. As the world’s largest free trade agreement, NAFTA’s main purpose is to encourage economic activity between the three major economic powers of North America. When this agreement came into play, numerous tariffs were phased out on a gradual basis.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the basics of NAFTA and the various institutions that support it. If you’re looking for a supply chain management company to help your business with industrial manufacturing or consumer products, contact United Global Sourcing today.

Engineering companies and companies that highly depend on engineering teams are under a lot of pressure coming from both investors and customer expectations. Back office operations handled by engineers are complex and dynamic and they can easily spread the engineering department thin. This can result in serious consequences related to the quality of their work and various development costs, thus making the future of the company hang in the balance. In order to reduce the development costs and ensure high quality of work, companies can do any of the following.

President Trump has brought several issues to center stage. One of them is American manufacturing. In his pledge to "Make America Great Again", he encourages folks to Buy American and Hire American. He also hopes to further revive American manufacturing through fairer trade deals.

So, what does all this mean for us? Well, that's completely up to us as individuals. Is American patriotism important to you? Do you want to know that the manufacturing and processing of your household and personal items created an American job or two? If so, let's talk "Made in the USA". This is a prominent label displayed on countless products, from textiles, to food, to furniture, to cars.

But, does it really mean what we think it means?

What Does Made in the USA Really Mean?

Let's get straight to it. Made in the USA means the product must contain parts that are "all or virtually all" made in the US. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is in charge of protecting this standard. In the end, a product can't just be assembled in the US. It must also be made from parts that were created in the US.

Using an overseas sourcing company can help businesses to a get a return of up to 25 percent. Plus, it contributes to the reduction of the overall costs of running your businesses and improves your profit margins. These savings can be extended to consumers as the products become more affordable to them. In turn, your customers will spend more money to buy your products. Over time, this helps to make the economy of a country healthier. So, when thinking of working with a sourcing company overseas, you can make the most out of your relationship with them by finding the right one. In this post, we are going to help you understand how to do just that.

Read on to learn more.

1. Referrals Are Powerful

Do you know any business that uses overseas suppliers to restock their inventory?

You can simply approach them for consultations and recommendations. Social media networks are also powerful tools for connecting with potential suppliers. If you choose to use social media, you can just create an ad. With the ad, you can opt to target suppliers in your country of interest. For example, China is one of the most popular destinations for many American manufacturers and retailers to source parts and goods. So, it offers a good starting point for your search. Talk to suppliers about your needs, and if they're not the right fit, you can simply ask they them to refer you to other companies they know.

The Benefits of Using Sourcing Companies Overseas

Outsourcing has gotten a bad rap lately. Recent political disputes have got Americans wondering whether too many products are being sourced overseas.

In reality, however, using overseas sourcing companies is a great way to reduce costs. These savings can then make consumer products more affordable.

When consumers can afford more, they spend more money. This helps lead to a healthier economy.

Not to mention, reducing your manufacturing costs will help your company increase its profit margins. You can then reinvest this revenue back into your business, and continue expanding.

Let's take a closer look at the ways sourcing companies can help your business, and how you can start manufacturing overseas.

Benefits of Outsourcing

You've probably heard that outsourcing can save your company money. This is certainly true, but it's not the only benefit to outsourcing. Let's take a closer look.

Why In-House Manufacturing Isn't Always Best

Injection mold tooling can challenge even experienced plastics manufacturers. Your goal is to optimize the mold for the type of plastic, part geometry and finish, desired cycle time, production volume and, of course, cost effectiveness. But where and how do you begin with so many variables? Even after you’ve selected the ideal plastic for the project, a finished part is only as good as the mold used to make it.

In our experience, it’ll be worth your effort to consider the following before beginning your project.

1. Which Metal Is Best?

Injection molds are made from many types of metal: Tool steel (e.g., P-20 or S-7 hardened steel), copper alloys (e.g., copper beryllium), aluminum and other metals can be used alone or in combination. Choosing the right material comes down to balancing thermal conductivity with hardness.

• Metal in the mold transfers heat away from the injected plastic material, which cools and solidifies it into the final part. Faster heat transfer means faster cooling and higher cycle time.
• Hardness, as measured on the Rockwell C scale, affects the mold’s durability. Harder metals have less corrosion, rust, pitting and general wear and tear, so they’re good for high-volume production. Care must be taken in the design of the tooling, making certain areas of the tooling too hard can leave surfaces brittle, leading to early tool failure (especially on shutoff [parting line] and mating surfaces).

Where do manufacturing industry leaders and engineers go to meet, collaborate and learn? HANNOVER MESSE, billed as the world’s leading industrial technology trade fair, is the place to see and be seen. The show last month tallied a record 225,000 attendees from more than 70 countries, including 3,000 from the United States, and United Global Sourcing was there.

This year’s theme was “integrated industry – creating value,” which fair organizers said, “put a major spotlight on the benefits of Industrie 4.0 and the role of humans in tomorrow’s integrated factories.” Visitors to the fair’s 22 buildings witnessed the latest developments in collaborative robots (aka cobots), energy storage technology and Industry 4.0 with the emergence of “smart” factories. We’d like to share our main observations.

Making Connections, Discovering Needs

Brian Ishmael and the UGS team welcomed visitors to the UGS exhibit booth and fielded questions on topics ranging from general supply chain management to ensuring the highest quality in precision-forged parts. As one of the few U.S.-based companies supporting forging and casting products at this year’s fair, UGS had a tremendous opportunity to connect with manufacturers and potential clients. And there were a lot of connections to be made; the show encompassed 22 buildings covering approximately three square miles.

In the aftermath of the recent presidential election, the only thing for certain about manufacturing in Asia is that nobody knows anything for sure. Yes, the dollar soared and both the Chinese RMB (Yuan) and Vietnamese Dong tumbled. That’s usually good news: a strong dollar drastically lowers the cost of manufacturing in Asia. But at the same time, news headlines were churning a lot of questions about the future. Trade wars? Huge tariffs? What about the higher labor and material costs and the still slow economy in China? Should we be looking at the super-hot manufacturing environment in Vietnam?

This kind of uncertainty is nothing new to UGS. We’ve worked in Asia for three decades. We know how quickly manufacturing environments change — and how to take advantage of those changes to provide the best manufacturing solutions for our customers. We always study the pros and cons of manufacturing in different countries, and — for now — still draw the same conclusions.

For precision and high-tech manufacturing with uncompromised quality, all key manufacturing considerations point to China. The country has an extensive manufacturing base, advanced infrastructure, and an enormous, well-trained workforce. Even with gradually rising prices, manufacturing costs are still lower in China than in the U.S.

Consider this hypothetical scenario: You’ve designed a new part that needs to be produced, and the first thing on your list is to find someone who can make it. You could start by going through your list of manufacturers, vetting their capabilities and getting competitive quotes. But when you’re forced to look outside your own country, the time and costs associated with this effort can quickly add up. The other option is to work through a broker or direct supplier. But how do you know if you’re selecting the best option?

Using a Broker

• Broker
  • Finds a manufacturer with the capabilities to produce your part.
  • Often selects a manufacturer with whom they already have a relationship.
  • Manufacturer fulfills the contract to produce the part.
  • Broker’s duties are complete.
• Project Manager (Internal)
  • Manages the design process through to final production release.
  • Manages the logistic chain through loading the finished product on a ship, properly staging it in a warehouse, and most importantly, maintaining quality assurance throughout the process.
  • Often performs these duties from the disadvantage of a 12-hour time zone difference from the manufacturer.
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Value-Added Value Engineering (VAVE): It’s a process designed to cut costs or add value by re-evaluating the design and manufacturing process of your product. If you don’t know it, you should. VAVE is something we often help clients implement at any point in the life of their program. Our team is ready to support any customer’s efforts to find opportunities that reduce costs and add value to their product.

If you’re currently manufacturing extruded parts, you could be in a good position to utilize VAVE opportunities through a switch to forging, resulting in a considerable savings during the machining process. It can produce a near-net finished shape, which means forged parts require significantly less machining than extruded ones. There are a few factors, however, that you’ll need to be aware of when considering forging as an alternative.

1. Part profile. Some part designs are better suited for forging than others. Does your part have openings or asymmetrical shapes/edges that require machining after the extrusion process? If your answer is yes, then forging may offer you a cost savings. These elements can be formed during the forging process, rather than cut out later. You also won’t have to remove as much excess material during the finishing process.
2. Quantity of parts. Programs that can see the most cost savings from a switch to forging are ones that have significant production volume, which can offset some of the upfront costs associated with this manufacturing process. This isn’t to say that smaller run programs can’t benefit from forging, but it is a factor to consider.
3. Tooling costs. An extrusion die is only about ⅓ of the cost of a forging die. While this means forging can require more upfront investment in tooling, it can provide significant savings in scrap and machining costs over the lifetime of the program.

Precision machining is a process where material is removed to make a component or part that has a very high tolerance. The tolerance held depends on the machine but more precision CNC machines will not have a problem holding a tight tolerance of 0.0002” or 0.005mm. Precision machining can be classed as milling turning, or jig boring but also includes other types of processes such as laser and water cutters.

Precision machined items are around in everyday items such as car engines, electric motors, or even clocks. Nations such as Switzerland or Germany have a reputation for their capabilities of precision machining with high standards and precision engineering and are still known for this today. Other nations also have lesser of this reputation and of course are able to supply precision made component parts.

Precision machines use a cutter and can be solid cutters such as tungsten carbide, cobalt or High Speed Steel. Watercutters which are very accurate and use extremely high pressure water. Laser cutters use a beam to erode the surface but these units are still very expensive and are not often seen in workshops. Ultrasonic machining centers are used for brittle materials such as ceramics, vibrating the surface and removing small particles. Ceramic materials are often used in inspection equipment for measuring hold tolerances.