Offshore sourcing for UK businesses: China, Vietnam and India.
Sourcing agent or sourcing consultant?
A typical sourcing agent in China earns a commission on the order value, often paid by the factory. That creates a quiet incentive to favour higher prices or particular suppliers. A sourcing consultant works for the buyer. We have no stake in which factory wins, and we are measured on the landed cost you actually pay.
For UK businesses, that matters most when the spend is large, repeated and critical to margin. It is the difference between buying a product once and building a supply base.
Low cost country sourcing, done on total cost
Low cost country sourcing only works when the saving survives freight, duty, quality failures, lead times and the cash tied up in stock at sea. We model all of that before recommending a country or a supplier. A should-cost model sets the target price so negotiation starts from evidence.
Sourcing from China
China remains the deepest manufacturing base for most product categories. The challenge is choosing well among thousands of China suppliers and telling a real factory from a trading company. We shortlist China manufacturers on capability, export track record and audit results, not on marketplace listings. Read our guide to sourcing from China for the detail.
Manufacturing in Vietnam
Vietnam manufacturers are strong in furniture, textiles, footwear and electronics assembly. The UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement can reduce or remove duty on qualifying goods, subject to rules of origin. See manufacturing in Vietnam.
Manufacturing in India
Indian manufacturers are well established in textiles, engineered components, castings, pharmaceuticals and leather goods. Importing from India to the UK involves specific paperwork and origin checks. See manufacturing in India.
Near-shore options, including Turkey
Turkey manufacturers offer shorter transit times to the UK by road and sea, which suits fashion, home textiles, metal products and fast-moving ranges. Nearshoring trades some unit cost for speed, smaller minimum orders and lower stock. See Turkey and near-shore manufacturing and nearshoring vs offshoring.
How it works: from brief to landed goods
- Brief and specification. Product, volumes, quality standards, target landed cost.
- Sourcing strategy. Which countries and supplier types to approach, and why.
- Long list and RFQ. Find suppliers through our networks and trade data, then issue a structured request for quote.
- Samples and audits. Sample assessment, factory audit and supplier due diligence.
- Negotiation and contract. Price, payment terms, Incoterms, quality agreement and tooling ownership.
- First production and shipment. Pre-shipment inspection, freight, customs and first delivery.
- Ongoing management. Supplier performance reviews and annual re-benchmarking.
For contract manufacturing, private label and ODM products the same process runs with extra focus on tooling and IP.
Supplier audits, vetting and inspection
Every shortlisted supplier is vetted before a purchase order is placed: business licence, ownership, export history, quality systems and social compliance. On critical products we arrange factory audits and pre-shipment inspection through in-country partners. See supplier audit and due diligence.
Landed cost: duty, freight and Incoterms
We set the Incoterms, model import duty on the UK Global Tariff, compare sea, rail and air freight and include import VAT cash flow. Useful background: Incoterms explained, import duty from China to the UK and how to import from China to the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How much do sourcing agents charge?
Many sourcing agents charge a commission of a percentage of order value, sometimes paid by the factory rather than the buyer. Caventis works differently: our fees are paid from the savings we deliver, so we have no incentive to favour a supplier or a higher price.
How do I find a reliable manufacturer in China?
Define the specification first, then build a long list from trade data and trusted networks rather than marketplace listings alone. Verify the business licence, confirm it is a factory, take references from export customers, audit the site and test samples before ordering at volume.
What does MOQ mean?
MOQ stands for minimum order quantity: the smallest order a supplier will accept. It is often negotiable, especially against a longer-term volume commitment or by sharing materials across products.
China plus one: should I diversify?
If a single country supplies a critical product, adding a second qualified source reduces risk from tariffs, disruption and lead time spikes. It does not mean leaving China. It means not depending on one location.
Do you work with small orders?
Our clients are UK businesses with roughly £2m to £100m revenue and recurring overseas spend. One-off small orders are usually better handled by a wholesaler or marketplace.
Related services
Specialist areas that complement this work.
About Caventis
Caventis (Caventis Ltd, registered in England & Wales, company number 17158263) is a UK procurement, supply chain and cost reduction consultancy. It works with UK and PE-backed businesses to identify and deliver savings across procurement, operations and back-office spend, typically on a shared-savings basis where the majority of the fee is tied to realised, P&L-verified outcomes.
The firm was founded by Matt Buckley (MCIPS, Cranfield MBA, FCMI Chartered Manager), who leads every engagement personally, drawing on 15+ years of procurement, supply chain and cost transformation experience at bp and General Motors. Caventis is headquartered in the United Kingdom and serves clients nationwide.
Planning to source overseas?
Tell us the product and volumes. We will come back with a country view and a target landed cost.