The on-going growth of the outsourcing industry is not an entirely new trend. As a matter of fact, it has been gradually increasing in size and number for several years now. Prior to the release of countless IT innovations, companies in urbanized countries have been accustomed to the term and practice of manufacturing outsourcing. They usually outsource manufacturing jobs to other developing nations nearby.
As a general rule, the system involves the outsourcing of jobs related to the manufacturing industry. A good number of companies also wind up building their own factory outlets out of the country, where the production materials are typically cheaper and labor costs are considerably lower. Canada, South Africa and Mexico are some of the countries that embrace this type of industry.
Manufacturing Outsourcing Vs. IT Outsourcing
Despite the numerous semblance in terms, manufacturing and information technology outsourcing are two different areas of interest in the sense that they vary significantly in their relative pace and the additional overheads involved.
Manufacturing outsourcing was a fairly sluggish process that entailed the shifting of manufactured merchandise from the factory outlets in developing nations to their final destination. This scheme led to numerous job openings, especially in the transport sector. On the other hand, the IT sourcing industry failed to give rise to further work opportunities. This is mainly because of the fact that information is routinely exchanged by means of computers.
Manufacturing Outsourcing: The Products
The mass production of clothes and other garments in various Asian countries is a clear-cut example of manufacturing outsourcing. Companies from the United States typically outsource the manufacture of goods in nations that offer lower production costs.
Microchips and other electronic parts are also candidates of manufacturing outsourcing. Giant electronic firms typically set up their own factories complete with the necessary technology needed for the production, as well as the packaging, of their goods.
Aside from the usual ready-to-wear apparels and microprocessors, the manufacturing industry also outsources various types of goods. One of which is the production of biomedical merchandise. As a matter of fact, it has become a widespread practice in numerous biotech firms, both big and small.
Outsourcing a wide array of tasks like regulatory filing, pre-clinical testing, and molecular genetics makes it possible for bigger companies to concentrate on their main transactions. In addition, it allows smaller firms to cut back on production processes that theyre not well equipped to carry out.
One such operation may include the creation of innovative drugs intended for clinical trials, which entails putting together a suitable facility. Needless to say, the monetary risk is notably great considering the fact that FDA approval has not been obtained yet.
As biotech firms take contractual or full-time consultants into service to supervise outsourcing operations and handle communications, the pervasiveness of manufacturing outsourcing has indeed created a new forte in the biomedical industry.
Coming across a highly regarded and dependable service provider necessitates the need to take a number of things into account. Aside from the expected overheads, concerns that surround the management of proprietary information, manufacturer site, contract validity, quality monitoring, level of outsourcing, communication issues and data storage should also be considered.
Indeed, an eclectic array of products could easily fall under the wide umbrella of manufacturing outsourcing, given that certain conditions are fulfilled. Then again, company owners need to view the issue from all corners so as to ensure that the advantages are far greater than the cons; otherwise, the losses could also be as enormous as the prospective gain.
