What to Look for in Your Contract Manufacturing Partner

1. Cost: more than just the quote

It is easy to compare quotes at face value. But not all contract manufacturing services include the same things. Some may leave out engineering support or quality checks, or add extra charges later.

It's worth thinking about the total cost of ownership. That includes how much time you’ll spend chasing updates, whether the components are procured properly, and how much risk there is of rework or delays.

Questions to ask:

• What’s included in the quote?

• Are setup or engineering charges (NRE) clearly outlined?

• How do you manage pricing across future builds?

• How are any excess materials, minimum order quantities costed?

3. Quality: consistency is everything

Quality isn't just a feature of the end product. It’s a reflection of the systems, processes and people behind it. When choosing a contract manufacturer in New Zealand, look for indicators like ISO certifications, staff training, and quality assurance tools such as AOI and X-ray inspection.

Ask how they manage quality across multiple builds, how they track it, and how transparent they are when something goes wrong.

Questions to ask:

• What quality certifications do you have e.g. ISO9001?

• How do you inspect and test builds?

• Are your operators trained and certified?

4. Capability and equipment: not all contract manufacturers can build your product

This is a big one. It’s easy to assume your product is “standard” — until your contract manufacturer can’t build it properly. Start by asking what capabilities they offer and what types of builds they support.

A key thing to consider is whether the contract manufacturer offers Design for Manufacture (DFM) as part of their service. Getting input from your contract manufacturer during the design phase can improve manufacturability, reduce the risk of rework, and help you move faster. The earlier you bring them in, the better your chances of getting it right the first time.

Next, if you need a complete build done — from printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) through to final mechanical assembly, confirm whether the contract manufacturer can deliver this. Not all contract manufacturers do both in-house. If yours doesn’t, you may end up coordinating multiple suppliers and introducing unnecessary risk and cost.

Once you’ve established capability, dig into the equipment and processes. Do they have the right machinery to build your product efficiently and to spec? Ask them to explain how they approach different types of assembly, and whether their line is set up for the size, complexity, and volume you need.

Key areas to explore include:

• Surface Mount (SMD) pick and place: What are the file requirements? Do they need centroid data, placement maps, or other details from your design team?

• Solder paste application: Do they use traditional stencils, or have they invested in stencil-free printing (e.g. solder paste jet printers)? The latter offers greater flexibility, especially for prototyping or frequent changes.

• Through-Hole (PTH) assembly: Is your board hand-soldered, wave soldered, or run through a selective solder machine? Each has pros and cons depending on your design, and the right method can improve consistency and reduce costs.

• Conformal coating: If your product needs environmental protection, can they apply conformal coating in-house? What coating methods and materials do they use?

• Component traceability: Can they tell you exactly where each component came from — including manufacturer, distributor, and country of origin? This is especially important in regulated or safety-critical industries.

• Quality inspection equipment: Ask whether they use Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) or X-ray to inspect complex solder joints or multi-layer PCBs. These tools are essential for identifying faults that can’t be seen visually.

6. Communication and transparency

A good contract manufacturer doesn’t just deliver the product. They communicate throughout the process, highlight potential issues early, and provide reporting you can actually use.

This becomes even more important in longer-term partnerships. You want a supplier who’s open and easy to deal with — especially when something doesn’t go to plan.

Questions to ask:

• How will you keep us informed during the process from quote, through procurement, planning, build and delivery?

• Who will we deal with day to day?

• What kind of reporting do you provide e.g. DIFOT, quality metrics, stock visibility?

7. Flexibility

Forecasts change. BOMs change. Sometimes you need a one-off run, and other times you need to scale up fast. Flexibility is essential, but it’s not always obvious until it’s too late.

Look for signs that your contract manufacturer can handle different volumes, last-minute changes, and evolving component availability. Bonus points if they offer options to split procurement or hold stock to help you buffer against change.

Questions to ask:

• Do you support low-volume or fast-turnaround builds?

• How do you handle last-minute changes to the BOM or schedule?

• Can you offer flexible procurement or stock holding?

8. Location and accessibility

If you're based in New Zealand, there’s real value in choosing a local contract manufacturer you can visit. Walking through the factory, meeting the people, and talking through problems face to face can make everything faster and easier, especially for complex or evolving products. A local partner gives you more control and clarity, which can be hard to achieve with offshore suppliers.

Questions to ask:

• Are we welcome to visit the factory and meet the team?

• Can our engineers work with yours on-site if needed?

• What level of access and visibility do you provide during builds?

Final thoughts

If you're looking for a contract manufacturing partner in NZ, it pays to dig deeper than just price and delivery. You want a partner that brings real value — one that understands your product, supports your team, and helps you deliver consistently.

Hopefully this guide gives you some helpful questions to ask and ideas to consider as you make your decision. And if you'd like to talk about how we work at ASL, we’re always happy to chat.