Industrial sourcing in China
Why China is on every serious industrial buyer's map: strong sectors, cost positioning, certifications, logistics and the honest watch-outs.
Overview
China remains the world's largest manufacturing economy: every process, every material, every volume is available somewhere in its industrial clusters. The challenge is selection, audit and IP protection, not capacity.
Strong sectors
- Stamping
- Plastic injection
- CNC at scale
- Castings & forgings
- Electronics
Why source here
- Lowest unit cost on high-volume programmes
- Vertically integrated supply chains (raw to packaged)
- Tooling-friendly: moulds and dies at 50–70% EU cost
- Mature export logistics, FOB/CIF/DAP all standard
What to watch out for
- Sea freight 25–40 days; air freight at 5–10× cost
- IP risk — use NNN agreements, fragment the BOM if critical
- QA dispersion: third-party inspection (SGS/BV/AsiaInspection) is mandatory
Certifications to ask for
- ISO 9001
- IATF 16949
- EN 9100
- RoHS, REACH on demand
Frequently asked questions
Will Chinese tariffs/anti-dumping hit my part?
Check the EU TARIC code: anti-dumping on screws, steel pipes, aluminium wheels and many casts is in force. A licensed forwarder can pre-screen for free.
How do I protect IP on tooling?
Sign an NNN (Non-disclosure / Non-use / Non-circumvention) under Chinese law, register the mould with a numbered asset tag, and consider splitting critical sub-components across two suppliers.
Manufacturing processes covered
Editorial market guide. Supplyria is a marketplace; we don't list private suppliers on this page. Cost ranges and lead times are indicative and based on public industry benchmarks.