The manufacturing sector is facing the challenge of delivering agility and excellence consistently. On-demand manufacturing offers a dynamic approach that enables businesses to create goods efficiently in response to specific customer orders, providing customization and shorter lead times while reducing overheads.

The increased demand and interest in on-demand manufacturing, driven by automation and customer flexibility, have positioned it as a preferred production method. China’s unique and dispersed small factory landscape used to be its key strength. However, it comes with the challenge of maintaining consistent quality. Integrating the concepts of on-demand manufacturing can be the answer to China’s current predicament. The foundation is already there in the form of existing manufacturing capabilities and only a change in mindset or manufacturing philosophies is needed. 

In this interview, we speak with Leon Huang, CEO of RapidDirect, a pioneering on-demand manufacturing company in China, to discuss their challenges and future aspirations.

This is an abridged version to cater to the time and length of the article.

AP: Thanks for talking to us, can you tell us more about the services you offer?

LH: At RapidDirect, we offer a one-stop manufacturing solution for all the manufacturing needs of various industries. From rapid prototyping to comprehensive on-demand manufacturing to other standalone services like injection molding, CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, 3D printing, casting, and others. We are proud to provide the best combination of all manufacturing services under one roof.

AP: How many employees do you currently have?

LH: We are a rapidly expanding team of over 200 members, and our numbers continue to grow. Each of us has years of global experience in the manufacturing sector and is committed to delivering excellence.

AP: What prompted you to start this business?

LH: RapidDirect started because there was a huge gap in the Chinese market when it comes to modern manufacturing. There is no denying that China has been at the forefront of the industry, but that led to a chaotic growth of dispersed manufacturing units within, which pose several unique challenges, especially in the current environment. I was working as a sales engineer at that time and decided to capitalize on that gap by being the change bearer for the industry.

AP: There are many manufacturing facilities in China. What are the advantages that you offer?

LH: It’s true. China is one of the toughest markets in the world owing to its multitude of factories that offer a more competitive price. However, they all come with their fair share of challenges.

What sets us apart is our focus on innovation and our expert team that can communicate without any barriers. From the start, we aim to be much more than a regular manufacturing partner and that’s why our experts remain connected with our customers to guide them on every step of their manufacturing journey.

To add to that, our intuitive website, streamlined ordering process, and most important of all, our utmost focus on excellent quality are some of the things that customers can’t find under one roof, and that’s our competitive edge.

AP: What do you think is the key difference between one-stop manufacturing and general manufacturing?

LH: While the differences are many, I’d like to believe that the most important one is how we integrate technology into the mix. The concept of on-demand manufacturing pursues efficiency and customer satisfaction, which is why we are open to technological advantages in the field of AI, machine learning, and much more. This is something missing in the traditional sphere and is perhaps the main reason why the on-demand model is so successful.

AP: How do you satisfy your customers in terms of quality

LH: At RapidDirect, we put the most emphasis on meeting the quality requirements of our customers through stringent control measures in both our own factories and strategic partners. I invested much in the quality control machines, like CMM machines, 3d scanners, and other advanced inspectors to enable us to consistently maintain international standards and deliver products of exceptional quality.

AP: Shed some light on the innovations that RapidDirect is involved with.

LH: We at RapidDirect are perhaps the biggest advocates of incorporating the latest technology in our processes and manufacturing systems. While using AI and robotics in CNC and other processes in the factory is given, we also focus a lot on making the overall customer experience great. From getting quotations to order placing and tracking, our innovative platform allows customers to effectively monitor their orders and get their money’s worth.

Best of all, we didn’t stop there as well. Our platform is ever-evolving and we regularly add new and exciting capabilities to smooth users’ order process.

AP: Tell us about some challenges you have faced.

LH: Covid was the biggest challenge we faced in recent years. As you are aware, China was the first impacted economy by the pandemic, and it took a lot of time and stringent measures to completely root out the remnants of the pandemic from our operations. For instance, we had a severe labor shortage in the past two years and the fear of epidemic breakout didn’t allow us to completely realize our potential.

Even if we had the capacity, we faced an order shortage as well. Our customers from all over the world faced similar issues as well. The economic impact of Covid was significant and many businesses had to reduce their orders, which obviously had an impact on our profits as well.

AP: How has the business developed in the past year?

LH: While the traditional manufacturing model still remains under pressure, on-demand manufacturing is booming. Customers are more receptive to the flexibility and customization it offers and the industry projects that demand to grow exponentially in the coming years. At RapidDirect, we have seen tremendous growth in our on-demand manufacturing business. Compared to the same quarter of last year, we have seen double the growth and the graph continues to climb upwards.

AP: Tell us about the industries your services impact the most.

LH: At RapidDirect, we are proud to have one of the most extensive customer portfolios across many industries. From aerospace to automotive, energy, electronics, or consumer products. There is a long list of industries that we continue to serve through our excellent services.

AP: What are your plans for the future?

LH: We are the pioneers of on-demand manufacturing and the strongest advocate of technology in China’s manufacturing landscape. In the future, we plan to continue growing by expanding our manufacturing facilities and building a comprehensive ecosystem with our partner to ensure that all customers receive everything they need under a single roof.

Our team is also working tirelessly on updating our manufacturing platform to make the ordering and tracking process even simpler. On that front, there are a lot of things in motion right now and I am really excited to see what the future holds for RapidDirect and the manufacturing industry in general.