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OEM Production--Secret to Success
Want to know a secret? When it comes to real production, needs are sometimes difficult to satisfy. Many reputable cctv producers need to rely on OEM partners to keep the enterprise running smoothly. It also means that they have to trust each other and have high efficient communications.
What is OEM? OEM means Original Equipment Manufacturer. Basically, the brand producer doesn’t produce directly, but use his key technology to design, develop new products and control sales channel. Specific manufacturing task is given to other similar product manufacturers in the form of contract ordering. After that they buy out the product with a low price and put their trademark on. Such cooperative means is called OEM. The manufacturer who undertake the manufacturing task is called OEM manufacturer. Their products are called OEM products.
In the security and surveillance industry, OEM cooperation is not open. Though security brand companies don’t admit they have their own OEM producers, it is very important to the enterprises to continue its business. Actually Asian OEM producers have produced most of the products for American and European brand companies. It helps to give stable supply of the products. But during OEM cooperation there are unavoidable mistakes. So how to maintain OEM cooperation relationship has become an issue that both security enterprises and OEM producers have to face seriously.
Before looking for OEM partners, security and surveillance enterprises must know what products have markets. Last quarter’s products may need some adjustment, but they can not be too advanced to be used by users. ‘Experience tells us what the market needs, we have contacts with many local outlook design and structure design companies.’ Says ISS Security Services vice general manager Steve Harle.
As a distributor, ISS has constant communications with contractors and assemblers. Because their opinions will influence the choice of storing which products. ‘Finally, our clients will use and operate the systems,’ said Harle, ‘So from the very beginning, we have to know what they want.’ Lim also remarked, ‘Ademco uses internal and external channel to make quarter adjustment so as to keep its leading place in the market.’ Moreover, Aditya Infotech is one of the biggest cctv surveillance distributors in India with 30 branches. It has always kept close relationship with mainland and Taiwan producers. ‘We look directly at the market trend with our vast distributor system and regard service for our end users as our daily routine,’ said chief executive officer Aditya Khemka.
It is a golden rule that OEM producers must guarantee their products can meet the expected standard. Security enterprises may not produce their products themselves, but the end products must be the same as those produced on their own lines.
Quality control has become a crucial factor to choose OEM partners. International certifications are also considered when checking if OEM partners are meeting the standards. ‘We have a technology center, where a large number of products are tested. Sometimes the testing takes as long as several months.’ Lim said, ‘We also visit cooperative partners and other projects and production facilities as well.’
For Axis, it is good news to find a good supplier. It introduced P-Iris technology from Japan to be used in 3,000,000 pixels cameras. Even in very bad illumination environment, accurate Iris control can effectively improve the clarity of the image. It also provides better contrast, clarity and depth of focus, etc.
After initial testing, the product’s performance must be reliable. According to Harle’s experience, some can be realized while testing, but fail after some time for not fulfilling the expected effect. For example, we are told that some software can realize A and B, but after maybe a month, we are told the system can not work as promised.’
The importance of performance is far beyond the first stage cost. ‘For a project worth millions of dollars, clients don’t care 5 or 10 dollars more for each camera.’ Harle said, ‘What he cares about is the initial system, supportive service, and maintenance. If you buy a cheap camera in the local market, you can not get any of those.’
In a word, OEM producers must provide products that are worthy of their reputation. Self boast or unrealistic advertisement promotion may only disappoint consumers and reduce their business. If you want to get big contract or project, you must have strict quality control, honest communication and high vocation morality standard.
Abstracted from http://www.asmag.com.cn
2010-09-09 17:10 |
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