Reshoring is Gaining Momentum
In the past, many companies moved their manufacturing operations to foreign countries — a practice also known as “offshoring.” In these foreign countries, U.S.-based companies took advantage of lower wages along with relaxed environmental and tax regulation. Now, companies are looking to bring their manufacturing back to the U.S. in an effort called “supply chain reshoring.” Many companies are in the process of reshoring their injection molding services — and reaping the benefits.
Reshoring is gaining popularity due to a few reasons. Namely, the COVID-19 pandemic, the narrowing labor gap between the U.S. and foreign countries, and increased overseas regulations. Additionally, when businesses focus on reshoring injection molding services, they may benefit from lower logistics costs and a reduced carbon footprint. Here, we’ll go in-depth on the benefits of reshoring and help you determine what’s right for your business.
Main Benefits of Reshoring Injection Molding Services
Skilled Design Assistance
Offshore injection molders are used to providing production services — not engineering services. Relying on an overseas operation can have negative effects on the quality of your product due to this lack of experience. Many companies we work with note that the quality of foreign injection molds is significantly less desirable than their domestic counterparts.
Though the original tooling might cost you less to make overseas, you will potentially have to spend time and money to fix mistakes. In the long run, it’s best to partner with an experienced, domestic injection molding company that can create your tooling correctly, the first time.
Ensure Product Quality
Many U.S.-based operations will follow strict quality standards that ensure your product is the best it can be. Certain accreditations — ISO 9001:2015, for example — specify requirements for quality management systems that keep products up to high standards.
Unless you ask for it specifically in your contract, molds that stay in foreign countries are not built to any specific standard or mold classification, which can result in product quality issues later on.
Experience Lower Costs and Quicker Turnaround Times
Reshoring injection molding services ensures your product is closer to its desired end-location, resulting in quicker turnaround times due to a less complex supply chain. Additionally, you’ll likely lower your transportation and logistics costs.
You may even end up saving money on the overall services as well. Many foreign manufacturing quotes leave out costs associated with warehousing, international insurance, translators, and shipping.
Contribute to the U.S. Economy
Keeping your operations in the U.S. creates manufacturing jobs, which strengthens the workforce, reduces unemployment, and helps balance trade deficits. In many cases, U.S.-based companies find the extra cost to keep operations in the country is so small that the benefits outweigh labor costs, especially after factoring in fees involved with customs and shipping from overseas.
Have More Control Over Your Operations
Working with a U.S.-based injection molding company ensures you have the highest control over your operations. You won’t have to deal with major time differences or language barriers, which increases the likelihood of your satisfaction.
How to Reshore Your Injection Molding Services
If you’re working with an overseas injection molding company, SEA-LECT Plastics can help you reshore your services. Namely, we can help get your tooling back from your existing supplier with our Injection Mold Rescue™ Recovery Service.
Navigating an injection mold rescue can be daunting, especially when you have other pressing business items to take care of. You might not be sure if you own the mold, what condition it’s in, and you may fear the very mention of pulling them will make your supplier hostile. Our American partners have boots on the ground in China, ready to show up at your supplier’s doorstep to get your mold back. Once your mold is in our possession, we’ll evaluate its condition and give you a quote for repairs, cleaning, or modifications necessary and bring them up to the American standards for injection mold tooling and safety.
Interested in learning more about our Injection Mold Rescue™ services? Watch this short video from our VP and General Manager, Matt Poischbeg.
Why Work with SEA-LECT Plastics?
Based in Everett, Washington, SEA-LECT Plastics is dedicated to providing high-quality part development services. In addition to injection molding, we offer design and engineering, 3D printing, heat staking, laser marking, pad printing and hot stamping, tooling and die manufacturing, ultrasonic welding, and assembly services. We are a complete turnkey supplier, with the experience and capability to take your concept from napkin sketch to delivered product. No matter your production run rize, we can help you meet your goals.
In addition to providing these high-quality services, we’re also deeply committed to giving back to our community. We make our team available to the NW Innovation Resource Center and the Edmonds College Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to help guide budding inventors and entrepreneurs in all stages of product development. We volunteer our expertise to solve design challenges, identify flaws, and source materials to get new start-ups ready for the investor stage.
We’re also involved in Leadership Snohomish County, which helps inspire people to become leaders that will strengthen and positively transform the community through informed, inclusive, and connected service. Our staff provides real-world, hands-on manufacturing experience to those who may be creating policy that could affect our industry in the future.
Additionally, we advocate for the development and implementation of youth apprenticeships, to help shape the future of the injection molding industry.
Ready to Reshore Your Injection Molding Services? Work with SEA-LECT Plastics
We’d love to learn more about your reshoring needs and help you devise a plan to move production back to the U.S. Reach out to us here to get started.