PlayfulPhoenix
Limp Gawd
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2014
- Messages
- 302
PlayfulPhoenix is wanting to consider Lian Li for Nova, but I'd rather try to setup a supply chain here if possible. But I hesitate to consider China, the prices may be much lower but it seems risky.
To qualify this a tad, I've just been wondering what the cost structure would look like if we did decide to offshore everything to Taiwan (leave no stone unturned, as they say). In part, I wonder this because the strengthening USD (against the euro in particular) has made US products much more expensive for other countries to import - which could be counteracted by leveraging that buying power in countries that also have weakened currency compared to the dollar... such as Taiwan (USD to yuan has been more stable).
(In addition, Lian Li has a few other positives - they can do certain things manufacturing-wise that are uncertain elsewhere, their quality is a known commodity, and we know they can work with smaller-scale manufacturing runs. Though as Necere points out, that option doesn't come without costs and hurdles of its own)
Still, steel fabricators are a dime a dozen in the US (particularly on the east coast), which makes their services fairly cheap, relatively speaking. And since most units would presumably stay in North America, logistics could be simplified considerably if everything was made stateside.
...But, really, all of this remains little more than conjecture - we just don't have any concrete numbers yet, inside the US or out. At this point, the most economical option for making Nova eludes us.
Personally, I find it rather refreshing to see US-designed products actually being manufactured in the US again when possible (the same sentiment applies to other countries "keeping things local", as well).
Needless to say, we agree, but if quality or price suffers wholly as a consequence of choosing one country over another, that's probably not something we'd end up doing
Your comments are informative and well presented - thanks for sharing, and best of luck in your own exploration of manufacturing options/alternatives (and whatever new design you have going)