Service 02
Sourcing and procurement from Vietnam
Vietnam is a serious manufacturing country, but finding the right factory from abroad is the hard part. We act as your buying office in Ho Chi Minh City: we identify candidates, go and look at them, run the technical conversation in Vietnamese, and stay on the order until it is on the vessel.
- Supplier search & vetting
- Factory visits in person
- Pre-shipment inspection
- Export documents handled
Most sourcing failures are not price failures. They are communication failures — a tolerance nobody clarified, a material grade that meant something different in translation, a certificate that was assumed rather than requested. Because our team works in English, Japanese and Vietnamese, the specification you write is the specification the factory reads.
We deliberately look at more than one supplier for the same part. Comparable quotations on comparable terms tell you far more than a single number, and they tell us whether a price is normal for Vietnam or simply the first answer somebody gave.
Typical enquiries include cast and machined metal parts, sheet-metal and press work, die castings, injection-moulded plastic components and packaging materials made to your drawing, and furniture, textiles and agricultural or food products bought as the supplier already makes them. Whatever else you want to buy from Vietnam, send us the details. If you want a finished product developed and sold under your own brand, that is our OEM & private label service.
What this includes
Supplier search and vetting
We build a shortlist from our own network and from direct enquiry, then confirm that the factory actually does the process in-house rather than subcontracting it silently.
Technical communication
Drawings, specifications and tolerances are conveyed in Vietnamese, and the factory’s questions come back to you in English.
Samples and trial orders
We arrange first-article samples and small trial runs so a decision is made on a physical part, not a photograph.
Quality and pre-shipment inspection
We agree the inspection points with you in advance and check the goods before they leave, including arranging third-party inspection when you require an independent report.
Export documentation and logistics
Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin where applicable, and coordination with the forwarder of your choice.
One counterpart, one invoice
You can deal with several factories through a single point of contact and a single set of paperwork, in a language your finance team can read.
How it works
- 01 Send the requirement A drawing, a specification, a sample photo or a written description, plus the volume and the destination country.
- 02 Feasibility and shortlist We tell you whether Vietnam suits this part, and shortlist suppliers that genuinely run the required process.
- 03 Quotations and samples We collect quotations on the same commercial terms so they can be compared, and arrange samples for your approval.
- 04 Order and production follow-up We place the order, monitor progress and raise issues early rather than at the deadline.
- 05 Inspection and shipment Pre-shipment inspection, export documents, and handover to your forwarder.
What we do — and the promises we keep
We put both in writing, so you know exactly what to expect from us.
We do
- Search, vet and visit Vietnamese suppliers on your behalf
- Run the technical conversation in Vietnamese and report back in English
- Collect comparable quotations and arrange samples
- Agree inspection criteria and check goods before shipment
- Prepare and check export documentation
What we will not do
- We do not own a factory, so we do not claim capacity we do not control
- We do not quote a price before the specification is clear enough to quote against
- We do not promise certifications a factory does not hold
- We do not ship goods whose export from Vietnam is prohibited by law
Before you write to us
You do not need all of this to start a conversation — but the more of it you have, the faster we can give you a real answer instead of a range.
- Drawing, specification or a clear photograph of the item
- Material, finish and any tolerance that actually matters to you
- Annual or per-order quantity you are planning for
- Destination country and preferred Incoterms
- Any certificate or test report your market requires
- Whether this is a new development or a transfer from an existing supplier
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a company in Vietnam to buy from Vietnamese factories?
No. You can buy on an export basis from overseas. What you do need is someone able to verify the supplier, agree the specification in Vietnamese and confirm the goods before they ship — which is the role we take.
Can you visit the factory before I place an order?
Yes. Our office is in Ho Chi Minh City and visiting suppliers is a normal part of the work. For factories far from the south we agree the travel arrangement with you in advance.
Will you tell me if Vietnam is the wrong place for my part?
Yes, and we would rather tell you at the enquiry stage. Some processes and materials are simply better served elsewhere, and a sourcing project that starts on a false premise costs you months.
How do you charge?
It depends on whether we act as the trading party on the invoice or as an agent for a fee. We agree this with you in writing before any work starts, so there is no hidden margin discussion later.
Which languages do you work in?
English, Japanese and Vietnamese. Documents can be issued in English, and internal communication with the factory is in Vietnamese.
Guides for this service
Practical, step-by-step notes written from Ho Chi Minh City, with sources and the date we checked them.
Contact
Tell us what you want to buy or sell — in Vietnam or Japan
Selling into Vietnam or Japan, sourcing from either, or a product made under your own brand. One Japanese-managed team in Ho Chi Minh City, working in English, Japanese and Vietnamese.