A business’s choice of plastic fabrication companies will significantly affect the outcome of any project, whether it involves specialty parts or mass-produced consumer goods. You must harmonize many competing factors, such as cost, lead time, and quality assurance, into one effective choice. For many years, citing cost and capability differences, U.S. businesses chose to forge partnerships with overseas plastics manufacturers rather than domestic suppliers.
Today, the gap between these solutions is considerably smaller. If your business operates here in the United States, it’s the right time to explore the real value you can unlock by partnering with a local plastic manufacturer. The right choice can yield many advantages while reducing or eliminating the pain points common to coordinating with foreign companies. Read on for more about why partnering with a U.S.-based plastic manufacturer is a major plus.
Enjoy High-Quality Results and More Robust Support
No manufacturing process is 100% error free, and unforeseen incidents can occur. When something goes wrong with a batch from overseas, preserving your project’s timeline can be a huge problem. There’s no telling how soon you can develop or implement a fix with an overseas plastics manufacturer. For example, overall part quality may vary more widely, which can be a serious issue when tolerances are important for a project’s success.
With a plastic manufacturer in the USA, it is easier to ensure trustworthy quality and more direct oversight. When problems occur, solutions are far more straightforward due to the less strenuous logistics and natural communication involved. Getting an answer from a domestic manufacturer and starting a problem-solving dialogue is much simpler.
Watch Lead Times Drop
You know when you need your parts — but you also wouldn’t complain if you could get them faster, right? Controlling logistics costs while managing effective lead and turnaround times isn’t always easy with overseas manufacturers. Paying for faster freight may not be the most cost-effective option, but it is often the only choice when bringing in goods from manufacturers of foreign plastic products. Working with a domestic business cuts these timetables dramatically so you can accelerate your supply chain and achieve a positive ROI sooner.
Stay Competitive on Price
Cheaper prices have historically driven the switch to foreign plastic companies. Reducing costs per part was often the main reason companies chose offshoring projects. Today, however, the difference has narrowed such that you can find good or even better per-part rates from American plastic manufacturers. You’ll also likely avoid certain taxes, tariffs, and duties involved with importing products. Reliant uses extensive sourcing capabilities, both domestically and through our partners, to ensure we deliver the best results at the right price.
Contribute to More Sustainable Practices and Reduce Environmental Impacts
Demonstrating a commitment to “green” methodologies is important for many businesses. Fulfilling a sustainability pledge in your mission statement could mean onshoring your production capabilities again. After all, fewer containers crossing the ocean means fewer emissions — it’s that simple. You can also trust that a U.S. firm follows all the relevant rules and regulations pertaining to safely working with plastics. For those who prefer to “think green,” keeping production within the country just makes sense.
Ensure Compliance With the Relevant Laws
In some cases, you may need to ensure that you work with manufacturers who understand the rules and regulations increasingly placed on certain types of production. For example, limiting the release of potentially harmful chemicals from manufacturing byproducts into the environment is a critical element of compliance. In some industries, such as defense and aerospace, you may face legal mandates to work with compliant U.S. manufacturers to avoid sharing certain trade information with foreign powers. Domestic businesses fully understand these demands.
Reduce Complicated Communication
We can’t overstate the value of easy, immediate conversation about complex plastics projects. Working with a team who keep open lines of communication and work in time zones close to yours is invaluable. Stress levels drop when you don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to make phone calls or interrupt someone else’s evening to check on an order. Fewer misunderstandings occur, and all parties operate on the same level of understanding.
Support a “Made in America” Pledge
Though domestic manufacturing experienced a period of decline, there is strong interest in reviving local opportunities. Working with a U.S.-based plastic manufacturing company shows that your business supports American jobs creating American products. For some clients, that’s a major point of interest and can even be a selling point to the general public. Plus, onshoring helps support the local economy.
Discover Why Reliant Plastics Is the Right Choice Today
Based in Texas, Reliant is ideally positioned to support injection molding and plastic fabrication requirements for many industries. We field extensive capabilities, from consumer products and health care, to aerospace and defense. Our advanced technology, highly developed expertise, and commitment to excellent customer service ensure our partners receive the best value for their investments. To further explore what we can do together, contact Reliant Worldwide Plastics today.
