WTD: PCB manufactuer not closed for Chinese vaccation - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: janaf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 09:36:12 pm
content: Hi,Anyone know of a decent, cheap prototype quantity PCB manufacturer that's not closing for Chinese holidays? It's not really urgent, but now my regular suppliers close for two weeks, it may take a month before I get my boards and that's a bit much...Same thing every year and I never learn

author: JohnnyBerg
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 09:51:20 pm
content: I thinks you are out of luck here. Even if you find a front office that is not closed, the factory will be.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 09:55:59 pm
content: http://www.pcbtrain.co.uk/

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 10:08:47 pm
content: www.eurocircuits.com

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 10:19:07 pm
content: Quote from: janaf on February 10, 2015, 09:36:12 pmI feel your pain.I nearly gave up on manufacturing stuff myself when I was hit with the Chinese New Year thing, barely two months into my new venture a few years ago. It was enough to make menotforget as a result!These days I source almost everything locally (UK) or from the US, including assembly: the overhead in both time and money in dealing with Chinese suppliers bearing in mind my volumes made it unjustifiable. I still have a very few parts that I have imported from Hong Kong and Taiwan, but I learned the hard way on how to manage them.My board house for small/medium quantities is usually Beta Layout/PCB Pool, who are Europe based.

author: wreeve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2015, 04:15:57 pm
content: www.pcbway.comI usually use these guys instead of cart now.

author: janaf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2015, 05:15:00 pm
content: Quote from: wreeve on February 13, 2015, 04:15:57 pmJust about the first thing I see: "100 % CHINA Based Manufacturing" so not an option this time. I think I'll wait until holidays are over. Do something else for a while.

author: wreeve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 03:14:03 pm
content: They ship from Hong Kong; usually within a week!

author: janaf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 03:42:25 pm
content: Quote from: wreeve on February 14, 2015, 03:14:03 pmJust mailed them, got an autoreply;I am on Spring Festival holidays now, will reply when available during holidays.We all will be back for work and production on Feb 26th.Basically China is closed these weeks.

author: wreeve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 05:33:03 pm
content: darn; they could at least have put that on their web-page. Might as well stop laying out this board and pour a pint then! (seriously!) was going to order some boards on Monday!

author: JohnnyBerg
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 05:36:51 pm
content: Quote from: wreeve on February 14, 2015, 05:33:03 pmAre you announcing on your website that you are closed for the Christmas holidays?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 05:41:21 pm
content: here are some in Dave land though, but the delivery time might be very expensive if you want them delivered in a 4 day turnaround cycle. 2 days for the board to be made then 2 days air freight to Blighty.

author: wreeve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 05:59:25 pm
content: Quote from: JohnnyBerg on February 14, 2015, 05:36:51 pmNo but I am not selling to people who might now know about Christmas!

author: JohnnyBerg
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 06:19:40 pm
content: Quote from: wreeve on February 14, 2015, 05:59:25 pmPerhaps the thought didn't occur to them, that there are people out there who do not know what Chinese New Year or Spring holiday is?Just like many people in the west, do not realize Chinese people have no idea about Christmas what so ever

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 06:22:48 pm
content: Quote from: JohnnyBerg on February 14, 2015, 06:19:40 pmSure they do, they go to great lengths to profit from it.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 06:37:57 pm
content: Christmas, the time when China has a great profit, then they go on holiday to enjoy themselves with the new money they just got for selling cheap.

author: JohnnyBerg
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 06:43:03 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on February 14, 2015, 06:37:57 pmI sense some kind of contradiction in thatMy father taught me to buy low and sell high and make some money

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 06:50:51 pm
content: Sell cheaper than your competition and in bigger volume. More goods, less profit per item but bigger profit overall.They also know that the competition is the US manufacturers that are struggling with things like laws, wages and EPA regs, so less money to spend on those non core business. Ship it, and so long as they come back for more who cares about failure rates after the warranty period. that is covered by somebody else in any case.

author: wreeve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 15, 2015, 09:29:08 am
content: We hear terrible things about working conditions in China. I myself feel a little guilty about using them. I wonder if the workers get paid over the holiday or is it forced?

author: pubo
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2015, 05:03:59 am
content: additive circuitsThese guys are based in Singapore. Their chinese vacation downtime are supposingly shorter then the china counterparts.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2015, 05:18:44 am
content: Quote from: wreeve on February 15, 2015, 09:29:08 amI recently talked to someone working in a factory over there. Although I didn't get into the specifics of the pay, they did say they were looking forward to the holiday. They said they travel long distance to work, and stay there for weeks and even months. So getting home during the holiday to see their families they like.I guess alot of the manufacturing companies are way out of the cities, a long way from the cities, and the people bike/walk/drive to get there. The Manufacturing companies have housing for most of them, as they stay and work long hours getting stuff done.Next time I talk to one of them, I'll ask about the pay. My guess though is that it is a forced holiday, non-paid.