shipping marks on cartons

“Shipping marks” designate what is written on the export cartons.   These marks should be given at the same time you place an order to a factory so that the carton boxes can be printed early and the goods can be packed as they roll off the production line.

Usually, the importer specifies what the supplier should write. Of course, the information to be put in the Shipping marks can vary from time to time but generally the key points to remember are :

• Purchaser’s name and/or logo;
• Product reference and/or order number;
• Country of destination (for example, a forwarder might have to distinguish some cartons for Canada and others for the US);
• Other relevant information about the products: season, size, color, or breakdown of the different types of goods inside a particular carton;
• Net weight & gross weight of carton;
• Dimensions of the carton;
• Number of carton (example: 1/230; 2/230; 3/230…);  Individual numbers written in marker

Often, the most important information (SKU and/or barcode) are on the short side of the carton, since it is still visible after the cartons are stacked up. And lesser important information is placed on the long side.

Check out other useful articles here:

• Setting up a Promotional Products Business
• What is an ODM?
• Key Products from ODM
• Changes to Incoterms for 2011
• Promotional Puzzles for Incoterms
• Freight Industry Promos
• Calculating Air Freight Costs by weight or volume?
• Calculating Container Shipping Time
• Shipping Hazardous materials
• Ship tracking by BBC
• Quality Control in China

Promotional Products Supplier

ODM staff just returned from a factory visit in Xiamen and we are glad to say everything is in running to plan on our production lines.

Not only have we conducted a follow up factory audit, but we also fostered better relationships with the factories. This allows ODM to easily communicate the needs and requirements of clients clearly to the factories and to work on new product development. For current orders, potential problems can be averted and resolutions can be implemented quickly on any issues.

During the factory visit to Xiamen, ODM staff thoroughly ensured that all resources are in place for the current orders to be successful.   Having staff on the ground is key for ODM to monitor production lines during production. This is important as it determines the seriousness and efficiency of the factory when processing your order..

Production Process – Customised Folding Bags

Material is died to match the pantone of the logo of our client.  Other items like zips and thread are also orders.  This process of preparing the raw materials is key and takes up quite a long part of the production time.

When fabric arrives in the factory it is stacked in rolls. Such organization shows that the factory follows a certain structure during its operations. Factories should send approval confirmation of the material and its colour to their clients.

Promotional Products Supplier

When the material is approved, the factory is ready to produce at full speed. The shape and construction were confirmed before the order was placed and the materials were dyed.

The material will be cut into smaller sizes and then cut again according to its various shapes and sizes using moulds. Only two people are required to operate at a time in the factory we visited.

Quality Control in China

Use of mould during production

Next the material, cut in the various shapes and sizes, is sent for printing. They are then laid out to dry on long tables like the picture below.  Ceiling fans are turned on and the silk screen print is dried.

Promotional Products Supplier

All printed materials are sent to the production line for sewing. All sewing follows a certain procedure, each staff will be in charge of sewing for one part of the product. Other staff will do sewing for next parts.

QC during manufacturing process

After all the sewing is done the factory QC team will check for defects such as untrimmed threads.  These bags will be reworked.  Finally the bags are packed according to client specifications.

To ensure all goods are good quality, we will send ODM Quality Controllers to do a Final Random Inspection (FRI) as soon as goods are finished.

Need an affordable and independent QC in China? We recommend Quality Command.

Check out some interesting blogs about factories in China:

• China Factory Selection
• Scams in China
• Negotiating Contracts & Penalties with Chinese Factories
• Promotional Scarf Production Process in China

Making an eraser from your company’s logo or from a mascot will be extremely simple and relatively inexpensive in mass manufacture. There are many fun examples for which a custom eraser can be used as a very efficient promotional product. A construction company or an architect could make erasers shaped as tools with the name of their company labelled on the eraser.

Custom Made Erasers.

This kind of promotion is terrific for companies because its cheap and it will be of great use to the customers they aretargeting. Everyone loves receiving a useful promotional product even when it is something as simple as an eraser.

Sports teams could make erasers from their team mascot, team logo or even an eraser of a star player. Erasers are capable of being molded in any desired shape, color and size, which makes them a great promotional product. The larger the eraser the more branding position is offered to print brand or company names on to it.

Contact ODMasia for any assistance in customizing and manufacturing erasers. Also check out our blogs relating to other office promotions:

• Banner Pen Promotions.
• List of Promo Gifts for Construction Industry.
• Pen manufacture in China.
• Desktop Promos- USB pen holder with notifier.
• Promotional Pen Fans.
• Promoting Differently – Banana Erasers.

ODM Group QR code (try QRreader app)

QR barcodes can be added to product packaging to give potential customers access to a whole range of product information.   QR (Quick Response) can also be called a second generation or 2D code. They were created in 1994 by Denso-wave in Japan and are revolutionising the barcode industry.

QR codes are linked to websites providing important information to consumers. In this information age consumers want to know more and more about the product they want to purchase & this is why their presence has kept growing.

The black and white checkered squares can be scanned using a QR code reader application on smartphones. In an instant all the information stored on the barcode pops up on the users phone providing consumers with instant information about the product right in the consumers hand.   This helps consumers make a better decision during their purchases.

How to scan QR codes

Customers install an application on their smartphone and use the camera to scan the barcode. QR codes are usually linked to websites, but they also can be used to add contacts to a phone’s address book, geo location,  automatically dial a number, send an e-mail and gather product or service information on the spot. The picture to the left shows how a user would scan a QR code. It is very easy and straightforward, once the code is scanned the website with the information will pop up on the phone’s screen.

QR barcode used to promote free gifts!

On the picture on the left you can see the large QR barcode in front of the product being sold – prominently displayed on a Shelf Talker.

In this example consumers can scan the QR barcode and can have the opportunity to win/redeem a promotional prize! This is a great example of how effective QR barcodes can be used by companies to give more information to there consumers. These barcodes are found on all types of products and services.

They are found on a very large amount of various consumer products, advertisements, service brochures, business cards, concert tickets and many more.   There are hundreds of QR code readers for smart phones. Here is a list with a few of them:

• i-Nigma
• NeoReader
• QRReader
• 2D Sense.

Create your own bar code on i-Nigma’s website!

QR barcodes are great tools that should be added to all banners advertizing promotional products, giveaways, GWP campaigns. This will allow your clients to scan the QR code and have access to the website with all the information of the promotion on there phones. This is much more efficient then traditional banner advertising. It will allow your clients to come back to the information of the promotion when they have spare time in  their day. Thus creating longer exposure to your promotional message!

Check out our other blogs relating to smart phones and ways to display promotional campaigns!

• Barcodes & Labels – Great for Branding.
• Developing Product Packaging.
• Adding Value through Packaging – Champagne GWPs.

The small solar panel on the base of the product collects energy and powers the small turbines of the windmill and the turbines create an air ventilation. This product could also be offered as a mobile device charger and fan. The solar charger could have a unit to store energy, a small lithium ion battery.

This would allow your customers to charge their mobile devices such as cell phones, iPhone, and iPads using clean energy. Solar Windmills are a great fun product for the office as it can help keep your employees cooler during the hot summer months. The windmill can also be of great use for outdoor meetings in remote areas where there is no ventilation and no electricity socket.

Solar Windmill Promotional Product

The solar windmill is a great green giveaway product as a corporate gift or even for a GWP campaign. It can be used as an initiation product to environmental friendly products and clean tech energy alternatives. The product can also be used by solar companies to give away as promotional products to showcase on a small scale what there products can achieve.

Don’t forget to customize the solar windmill by printing logos and brand names on the base of the product. Corporate colors can be used to display more brand recognition.

Contact ODMasia for assistance in sourcing and customizing this product. Also check out our other Green Products at www.ODMgreen.com.

• ODMgreen – Special Awareness day for trees.
• ODM Green Website
• Promotional 6 in 1 Solar Toy
• Solar Backpack Manufacture

Here is a perfect example of an ancient Chinese lantern mixed with new technology to create a modern 21st century version of the Chinese Lantern.

The small solar panel on the top of the lantern is exposed to the sun light all day when placed outdoors. The energy created is stored in the device and is released when a small switch is activated to turn the light bulb on. There are no electric cables with this lantern, all the energy comes from the sun’s UV rays. The lantern is easy to attach anywhere outdoors because it is free of cables and thus can be placed anywhere the customers decided to place it! This modern version of the Chinese Lantern is absolutely perfect for a summer dinner or an outdoor party, not only do they serve as a light source they also are great for decoration.

Nowadays lanterns are found in various shapes and designs. The very basic round lantern is very common but more complex shaped lanterns have been spotted, for example some are shaped as animals. This product can be customized in the shape and can include printing of your company’s brand name or logo on the lantern so that the lamp will illuminate the print..

Contact ODMasia for any request on the vast array of Solar lights available – also check out these last blogs about other fun green promotional items, and dont miss our web site dedicated to green products:  www.odmgreen.com

• Solar LED keychain Promos.
• Green Toy Promotions – Solar Powered Car.
• ODMgreen – Special Awareness day for trees.
• Solar Backpack Manufacture.
• Brainstorming on Green Promotional Products.

All plastics are made with synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacturing process of the majority of industrial products. The two most basic raw materials used to make plastics are petroleum and natural gas.

When your company is developing a product, sourcing the wrong type of material for manufacturing could lead to hazardous results. Chemical composition and flexibility are important when the plastics are to be combined with other materials. Certain glues work best with some plastics for example.  Some plastics are rigid and others are flexible.

All plastics fall into two categories either thermoplastics or thermosetting polymers.

• Thermoplastics are plastics that never undergo chemical transformation in their composition when they are heated. These types of plastics can be molded over and over again, thus they are recyclable.
• Thermosetting polymers are plastics that are chemically altered during the curing process. Once they are molded they stay solid and can not be altered by any way possible. This is very important factor to know if you want to source your product using recyclable materials Thermosetting polymers are very difficult and costly to recycle. They cause more harm to the environment then thermoplastics.

A perfect example of thermoplastic recyclable processes is used by Patagonia when they take old plastic water bottles and transform them into fibers to be used in fleece sweaters. This increases the life cycle for the material and causes less harm to the environment.

Thermosetting polymers are hard to decompose thus they are hard to dispose of and emit higher levels of pollution.

Here is a list of the different types of plastics and some examples of  products they are used for:

Thermoplastics:

• Polyethylene (plastic bags and bottles).
• Polystyrene (PS) (plastic tableware, plates, cups, food containers, CD and cassette boxes).
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) (pipes, gutter, flooring, window frames).
• Polyethylene terphthalate (Plastic jars, Microwavable packaging, Cans).
• Polyester (used in textile and fibers). (mostly a thermoplastic but can also be a thermosetting polymer).
• Low density polyethylene (LDPE) (furniture, floor tiles, shower curtains).
• High density polyethylene (thicker type of plastic bottles).
• Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) (food packaging).
• Polypropylene (PP) (Straws, bottle caps, car bumpers, all types of appliances).
• High impact Polystyrene (HIPS) ( Refrigerator liners).
• Polyamides (PA) ( Fibers, toothbrush bristles, car engine moulding).
• Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) ( Electronic cases, monitor cases, printer cases etc)
• Polycarbonate (PC) ( Eyeglasses, riot shields, security windows, lenses).
• Polycarbonate / Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC/ABS) (mix blend of PC and ABS plastics, creates a very strong density plastic. Used for mobile phone parts, car parts exterior and interior).
• Many more plastics…

Thermosetting polymers:

• Polyurethane (PU) (Cushioning foam, used for thermal insulation, surface coating, one of the most used plastics on the market). (Can also be a thermoplastic).
• Polyimide (PI) (Used to make plane parts and circuit boards).
• Duroplast (Used to make car parts).
• Polyester Fiberglass.
• Many more plastics…

Contact ODM for any help sourcing your product and for more information about what kind of plastics to use in the manufacturing of your products.

• Sourcing for suppliers in the China market
• Shipping Hazardous materials

Maybe your current supplier does not satisfy your needs.  Maybe you are looking for a new factory to make an entirely new item for you.   In both cases a factory audit should be a mandatory step in order to make an informed decision.

Please find some a few of the necessary steps detailed below so that you (or your agent) can can make this audit as efficient and complete as possible.

Before auditing :

Before auditing a specific partner, you need to choose which factory you will actually be auditing. This is usually done through internet, phone, mail exchange, some sample production and most importantly the capability of the factory to produce the item you are sourcing.    Once you target a couple of potential candidates, a good idea is to layout the objectives of the audit for each factory.

What exact characteristics are you looking for? What details will clearly eliminate them? How will I know this is a worthy business partner?

In order to achieve this, the best idea is usually to layout on a piece of paper the various details you would like sorted out per category and fill them in as you audit. Please find below some of the categories you should include:

Auditing, some key features:

Management Interview: A great start to get a gut feeling on how work will be the relationship with management. Would you see yourself do business with them overtime?

At this time you can collect and inspect all certification, papers and other official documents about the quality of the facilities, its production capabilities, organizational policies, etc.

Technical review: We are now entering into most important part of the auditing, the one in which you will be directly in contact with the front line and thus better able to assess the skills and capabilities of the factory.

Be sure to walk around the factory and see how products are assembled.   Do the facilities and production tally with what was described in the earlier meeting.  Here are some points
ODM would cover:

• Facilities, infrastructure, cleanliness, security: Power capabilities, overall state of the building, its age, security measures (guards,video tapes, etc.), surrounding infrastructure in term of roads, train, plane and finally the overall feel of the place (clean, tidy, messy, etc…)

• Suppliers: Ask the factory how many suppliers do they have, if one dominates the other, how critical are they in providing specific items, their current relationship, etc. (the more diversified and small the suppliers, the better).

• Administration, ownership, structure: Ask about ownership breakdown, manufacturing licenses, export licenses, organizational chart, volume of sales destined to export, whether administrative staff is present 0n the manufacturing premises or if they are at different locations (logistical purposes). You should also request for information about current and previous customers (a factory with nothing to hide will easily provide you this). Another idea is to ask for their usual export destination (to test ability to do business with countries as stringent as yours in term of regulations).

• Manufacturing equipment, capacity: More time needed to be spent here, ask for the details of the machinery, paperwork for it, assess its capacity (compare what they say with what paperwork mentions) and ask for production record. If you require high precision, you should measure capacity and output of each manufacturing step involved in the production process. Insure that you evaluate the proficiency of the factory to manufacture the specific item you want produced.

• Quality Control: Make sure a clear separation exist between QC and production department, check previous QC records, ask for the factory processes for QC (ask for paper version of it, not a good sign if factory can not provide you with any written quality control process). Make sure the factory is knowledgeable about product safety standard in your export market. Evaluate factory’s testing processes more specifically on the item you plan on producing. Might be helpful later to understand when something went wrong.

• Environmental controls: Depending on your demands, either go over it yourself or mandate a 3rd party auditor for more detailed report. This mainly concerns energy efficiency, waste disposal, air pollution, Carbon emissions, etc.

Others:

• Any extra questions you may have regarding your project

• Social compliance audit, better kept separate from the manufacturing audit. This is just as important as your manufacturing process. You want the factory to treat their employees respectfully and to comply with local labor laws and practices. Disregarding this key variable might not seem important initially (except for your conscience) but might be the source of discredit, loss of consumers or brand damages at the bottom line.

• Some factories are just really messy – how will this affect the management of your order?  The general conditions of samples, warehouses, offices etc… all reflect on the expertise and management style of the factory.

• Provide the factory with your report so they can include their own comments and be allowed to respond to some of the remarks made. They must acknowledge their own findings as well in order for the audit to be representative of all parties involved.

• Pictures: Take plenty of them throughout the visit. Very useful to keep track and illustrate your visit in your final report.

Although long, this article is only a quick resume of the various steps to take while visiting a factory. Each factory audit is different. Remember that your decision for the factory must be balanced between its ability to produce the item to source, its management knowledge, its social compliances practice, etc.   Try to get the balance of all these issues right.

An increasing number of production facilities are moving away from the Chinese mainland toward countries offering cheaper labor cost. If you look at our article on Minimum Wages, you can also see the mobility trends in China.   This leads many chinese manufacturers to close shop every day.

No article on Factory Audits would be complete without a mention of Outsourcing. It is common for factories to outsource some production of components to other factories.   This is normal and required.   However, it is important that the factory doing the final assembly, and the management team overseeing the procurement of components and managing the project be the ones you audit.   Too often, companies will audit an amazing factory, only for the order to be outsourced to a poor quality one down the street.   Regular on site QC services are critical to keep this in check.

Do not hesitate to contact ODM and we will gladly work with you on China Procurement.

More solar powered toys are making their way to the market and this is a recent one was gaining a lot of attention at the HK Toy Show.

Solar powered cars use small solar panels to drive tiny motors, thus propelling the wheels forward.

How to make this a Promotional Product ? Everybody is talking the green revolution, and our clients always try to incorporate environmentally friendly products for their promos.

You can incorporate logos and images on the sides of these cars and set them up on racing tracks in window displays or other places which receive direct sunlight.   Constant movement makes a promotion more visible and eye catching – think flags.

Solar cars or games kit will provide hours of fun for children desiring to understand better the process behind solar energy. More than a simple toy, solar car are educational items.

Discover the power of the sun from an early age.  Batteries are not included. They are not required.

Solar powered car use small solar panels to drive tiny motor, thus propelling the wheels forward.

Although still at their infancy stage and not widely marketed, solar toys are sure to become a blockbuster in the future. Why not take a lead in this.  They will attract the curiosity of onlookers in a wide array of settings and convey a very positive message about your company.

See also Solar Powered Backpack or 6 in 1 Solar Toy

A garter is a woman’s undergarment fitting around the leg to hold up a stocking or a sock. It used to be very common in the past but the upbringing of pantyhose, tights and numerous other more comfortable items led to its disappearance.

The garter remains part of custom and tradition, weddings being one of them. Throwing garters is considered to be the oldest surviving wedding tradition. Still perpetuated during modern wedding ceremony, the groom is supposed to remove the bride’s garter after the vows are completed. It is then tossed to the single men attendance as a token of luck for the recipient in finding a bride of his own in the close future.

Now to make it Promotional….

Commonly perceived as a very traditional item, garters evolved extensively in both their use and their design over the years. Not restrained to the sole purpose of wedding tradition, they became popular in high school proms as something the male date would wear around his arm throughout the night to prove its commitment to its date.   They also became increasingly customized to the needs and wants of companies and individuals.

For example, see above the garter with colors of the Lakers and Packers, Basketball and American football teams.   Crown Royal Whisky also used this as a promo for their fans.   How better to show Brand Loyalty?

For other blogs linked to marriage & Loyalty see also:

• Royal Memorabilia – Wedding Souvenirs
• “Marriage market” in Shanghai