AUTO LOCKSMITHS
Importance of Good Quality Sourcing in China
Ravi Kotecha
» THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HEAR “ I ’ LL just order it myself from China ” is quite amazing , the internet has opened purchasing channels we could only dream of 15 years ago . Consumers have a huge range of products available and some strong protection in the form of PayPal . Ordering online is the absolute norm , we can search on Google and find exactly what we want , the country of origin is not the absolute factor anymore . In todays world of internet resellers , there are good and bad so the balance of price , quality and after sales can sometimes be tricky but it ’ s a risk that most people are willing to take . Aliexpress is the first port of call for many .
It seems like a conversation that is becoming more frequent over the last 12 months and I think it deserves a mention . My focus is automotive so I don ’ t pretend to know the details of domestic locksmith equipment and supplies , however it seems practically every industry has a reliance on products from Asia , usually China , so I think it is fair to say the whole locksmith industry can relate .
The truth is ALL auto locksmith distributors rely on China for sourcing items such as equipment , remotes , transponders , keys and much more . If you look around you now , I am sure a large percentage of items you see are made in China , I am also sure some of them are excellent quality . Products of good and bad quality can be manufactured anywhere in the world , what we try to do is focus on smart sourcing and quality control .
I remember the first article published in this magazine about Autowave a few years ago , we were relatively unknown to readers but we were happy to be open about the fact we buy nearly all our items from China . Since then , many readers have bought from us , read our articles and met us at shows and have developed a respect for our business ethos . We ’ ve developed and grown as a company , and our terribly old website has been updated to reflect the decade we live in .
So , what makes us any different to other distributors that import products ?
There is one HUGE difference ; Autowave have an office , warehouse and assembly facility in China ; Shenzhen to be precise . Over the last few years , we have led the UK distribution for brands such as Obdstar , XHorse , Xtool , Lonsdor , CGDI , ACDP and Bosscomm ; we have developed our own products such as remote keys and the Auto-XT range ; and we have a whole host of products ready to bring to market in 2021 . This would not be possible without a physical presence in Shenzhen , China .
Something which has been paramount to our performance during 2020 given the obstacles presented due to Covid-19 . Our sourcing and development team are constantly on the lookout for new products and innovations , our assembly facility allows us to source remote components from various factories and assemble in house to ensure the quality is of a standard that is acceptable in the UK and EU . Our team in China , which includes employees with proven track records with resellers and equipment
manufacturers , ensure relationships are continually developed with new and existing manufacturers ; which is something so important in today ’ s market and plays a big part of after sales support . We don ’ t sit in the UK trying to find sources online in China , we create the source .
This , in my opinion , is the only way to provide products of premium quality . It also means that when suggestions on new products come to us , and they often do ; as customers want to discuss an idea or are struggling to source a particular product , we are always happy to hear them . Likewise , If anyone wants to visit our operations in China , our doors are open .
Hopefully exhibitions will be allowed later in the year and some of our colleagues from China will be visiting , so it will be a great opportunity for customers both new and old to meet one of the driving forces behind Autowave .
www . autowave . co . uk
78
JAN / FEB 2021
locksmithjournal . co . uk Issue Takeover
Magazine Sponsor