Learn how to vet a manufacturing partner with six essential questions to ensure quality, compatibility, and scalability for your product.
How to Vet a Manufacturing Partner: 6 Questions That Could Save Your Product
Choosing the right manufacturing partner isn’t just a procurement decision, it’s a strategic one. Whether you're launching a new medical device, scaling up a printed electronics solution, or looking to outsource a legacy product line, the wrong partner can cost you time, money, and reputation.
At Tapecon, we’ve seen firsthand how a thoughtful vetting process can make or break a project. Here are six essential questions to ask before signing on the dotted line.
1. Do They Understand Your Industry?
Not all manufacturers are created equal. A partner who specializes in automotive parts may not be equipped to handle the regulatory and quality demands of medical devices or wearables. Look for a partner with proven experience in your vertical and ask for case studies or references to back it up.
2. Can They Handle Your Volume, Now and Later?
Startups often need low-volume, high-mix production. But what happens when you scale? A good partner should be able to grow with you. Ask about their capacity, lead times, and how they handle demand spikes.
At Tapecon, we often start with pilot runs and scale up to full production, without switching vendors or compromising quality.
3. What’s Their Approach to Quality and Compliance?
This one’s non-negotiable. Your partner should have robust quality systems in place, think ISO certifications, FDA registration (if applicable), and a culture of continuous improvement. Don’t just take their word for it, ask to see audit results or quality metrics.
Pro Tip: Ask how they handle non-conformances. A transparent, proactive approach is a green flag.
4. How Transparent Is Their Communication?
You want a partner, not a black box. Look for a team that’s responsive, collaborative, and willing to share updates, even when things go wrong. Ask about their communication cadence, escalation paths, and how often you’ll hear from them.
At Tapecon, we prioritize proactive communication through regular check-ins, detailed project updates, and direct access to our engineering and customer service teams.
5. Do They Offer Engineering Support or Just Execution?
The best partners don’t just make things; they make them better. Whether it’s improving manufacturability, reducing cost, or solving a tricky tolerance issue, engineering support can be a game-changer.
Ask if they offer DFM (Design for Manufacturability) reviews, prototyping, or materials consulting. These services can save you time and headaches down the road.
6. Are They a Cultural Fit?
This one’s easy to overlook, but it matters. Do they share your values around innovation, sustainability, or customer service? Do they treat your team with respect? A cultural mismatch can lead to friction, even if everything looks good on paper.
Trust your gut during the site visit. How do they treat their employees? Are they proud of their work? That tells you a lot.
At Tapecon, our core values aren’t just poster material, they are encouraged, practiced, and recognized. Within our company we strive to follow the values of Learning is a Lifestyle, Improve It, Connect and Collaborate, and Embracing the Challenge to achieve our core purpose of Solve Challenges, Create Products, and Enhance Lives.
Conclusion
Vetting a manufacturing partner takes time, but it’s time well spent. The right partner will feel like an extension of your team, not just a vendor. They’ll help you navigate challenges, scale smartly, and bring your product vision to life.
If you’re evaluating partners now, or just want a second opinion, we’d love to talk. At Tapecon, we’ve been helping innovators make what matters for over 100 years.
