Low Volume Production in China: What Actually Works

You’ve designed your product. You’ve built prototypes. Now you just need your first batch… But suddenly: Suppliers stop replying MOQs jump higher Quotes disappear If you only need 500–2,000 units, manufacturing gets tricky fast. In today's episode 320, Adrian and Renaud break down: Why factories resist low-volume orders What’s really happening behind the scenes How to actually make low-volume production work   Episode Sections: 00:00 – The Low-Volume Manufacturing Problem 01:52 – Why Factories Resist Small Orders 05:33 – How Low Volume Fits into Product Development 09:03 – The Biggest Mistake: Testing Demand Too Late 12:33 – The Real Economics Behind Low Volume Production 18:02 – Supplier MOQs: The Hidden Constraint 20:26 – How to Make Low-Volume Manufacturing Work 26:31 – When Low Volume Makes Sense (and When It Doesn’t) 30:00 – Final Advice: Be Manufacturer-Ready   Related content… The New Product Introduction Process Guide (explains why you can't just jump from prototype to production) What is MOQ? (explains why factories push back on low volumes) Low Volume Manufacturing in China for Your New Product (written-version of this podcast) Flexible Manufacturing in China: How To Set It Up (shows when low-volume can work, if systems are designed for it) Why You Need Mature Product Designs BEFORE Working With A Chinese Manufacturer! (Show why low-volume manufacturing fails when the product isn’t ready)   This episode is brought to you by The Sofeast Group and includes links in the show notes to our blog posts and resources, and recommended books. For help with manufacturing in Asia, inspections, auditing, new product development, contract manufacturing, 3PL warehousing and fulfillment, visit sofeast.com.  Get in touch with us Connect with us on LinkedIn Contact us via Sofeast's contact page Subscribe to our YouTube channel Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB