Found a reliable motor parts distributor in Hanoi
A Midlands automotive firm needed a partner they could trust. We vetted 14 factories and visited 3 in person to find the right fit.
Midland Moto Parts needed a solid supplier for motorcycle components in Hanoi. They had tried going solo but faced quality inconsistencies and slow replies. We stepped in to filter the market and find three vetted options that actually respond to emails.
The challenge
Before May 2024, Midland Moto Parts struggled with a 14% defect rate from their previous overseas supplier. They were losing £2,450 per month in returned stock and wasted shipping fees. The owner, Gareth, couldn't fly to Vietnam every time a shipment looked off.
Communication was taking 3-4 days per exchange. This stalled production in the UK and led to empty shelves for their trade customers. They needed a local presence to verify factory floors and talk to owners in their own language. They weren't looking for the cheapest price, just parts that arrived as described.
Our approach
Our team of two specialists started by scanning 14 potential factories in the Hanoi industrial zones. We didn't just look at websites; we checked their business licenses and past export records for the last 3 years. By mid-June, we narrowed the list to five candidates with clean records.
We then visited three of these factories in person over four days. We checked their welding bays, chrome-plating tanks, and how they packed the crates for sea freight. We spoke directly with the shop floor managers, not just the sales reps, to see how they handled quality rejects.
The solution
We delivered a 12-page report ranking the top three distributors based on our visits and their technical capability. We negotiated a trial order for 450 units of brake levers and engine casings to test the waters.
We also set up a 6-point quality check list that the factory must follow before any box is taped shut. This included a requirement for photos of the load to be sent to our Manchester office for final sign-off. This removed the guesswork for Gareth and his team in the Midlands.
Results
The client now has three reliable backup options and a primary supplier that meets British standards for finish and durability.
Timeline
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May 12, 2024Initial factory long-list and license verification
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June 4, 2024On-site inspections of three Hanoi workshops
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July 19, 2024Final report delivery and first trial order signed
"I was worried about sending money to a factory I'd never seen. Khiri Vietnam showed me the actual floor conditions. We're now on our fourth shipment with zero returns."