Looking for a supplier or contract manufacturer? Clarify this before making contact.

Define your needs before building a company list

A good search starts with clarity about whether you need a finished product, a component or a manufacturing operation. Enterprise Europe Network lists supplier and manufacturing partnerships. A database match is only a starting point: technical fit and capacity need separate verification.

Five essentials for a useful quotation request

Send the same requirements to the shortlisted companies. Where details are confidential, agree document-sharing terms first.

• Drawing or specification, material and required tolerances.
• Trial order, batch size and expected repeat demand.
• Timing for samples, first delivery and recurring lead times.
• Quality requirements, measurement records and acceptance criteria.
• Packaging, delivery location, quotation currency and payment terms.

What should you compare besides unit price?

Consider tooling and setup costs, sampling, transport, payment timing and how rework would be handled. Prices for different batch sizes or delivery terms are not directly comparable. Ask for assumptions and committed deadlines to be recorded in writing.

What is a trial order for?

For an illustrative component project, a sample can reveal whether both sides interpret drawings, packaging and measurement reports consistently. A successful sample does not establish sustainable series-production capacity. Separately agree complaint handling, change management and recurring delivery terms.

What should you send to GLOBEFOX?

Send a short description of the product or operation, target country, quantity requirements and desired start. GLOBEFOX can support preparation through supplier and partner search and multilingual discussions. Agree the responsibilities for technical approval and the final supplier decision at the start of cooperation.