Compakto

Precision sourcing for precision machinery

Compakto is a machinery design and build company based in Nelson, New Zealand. Their precision machines are used in the woodworking industry and they have customers all over the world.

In a sourcing squeeze

Compakto has been importing components and machines from China for years, but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Recently, a spate of faulty shipments, communication breakdowns, and unreliable lead times forced Compakto to look at reforming the sourcing side of their supply chain.

Enter Epic Sourcing

As with most of our clients at Epic, Compakto’s key frustration stemmed from having unreliable suppliers. They reached out to us with a specific request; to find a top-quality bearing supplier.

‍

Epic Timeline

2nd September: First contact

Pat from Compakto reached out to us with a request to find a reliable bearing supplier.

4th September: Bearing examples from Compakto

Compakto sent us bearing samples to give us an idea of what we were looking for. These bearings are an essential component in their panel return machine, so finding a reliable supplier is crucial.

21st September: Supplier prospecting

Armed with all of the necessary info, we set about putting together a master list of potential suppliers. Suppliers had to pass our thorough verification process, have a solid reputation for delivering high-quality products, and offer competitive pricing.

24th September: Sampling

In order to ascertain which suppliers offered the highest quality bearings, we ordered samples and had them sent to Compakto for evaluation.

1st October: Sample confirmation and order

Compakto were very happy with the samples and we could then proceed with the order. We also began looking at shipping rates to get their bearings to New Zealand.

14th October: The best shipping rates

Having placed the order with their chosen supplier, we then locked in competitive LCL shipping rates. LCL stands ‘Less than a Container Load’.

13th November: Pre-shipment inspection

By mid November production was complete and it was time to make the pre-shipment inspection. This is a crucial, but often overlooked step in the sourcing process that can save you a lot of time (and money!). Our team on the ground in China conducted a quality check to ensure that the bearings were ship-shape before they shipped.

11th December: Shipment arrives

In mid December the shipment arrived in Nelson. The bearings were in excellent condition and the client was more than happy with the result.

Epic results

Overall the project with Compakto was a success and we really enjoyed working with such a professional outfit.

Compakto has built a reputation worldwide for producing precision woodworking machinery that meets the highest standard. Reliability is key to their mission, and as such they need suppliers they can trust to deliver similarly high-quality components.

Helping the team at Compakto find such a supplier is what we thrive on at Epic. We only work with the best suppliers in China, and pairing them with kiwi businesses is what we do best.

Another happy client.
Epic.