Build or lease
Explore a dedicated production footprint where control over processes, layout and long-term capacity matters.
Test first: facility suitability, utility requirements, staffing, capital intensity and the critical path to production.
INDUSTRIES / ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
Build your next industrial advantage in Vietnam.
Manufacturing strategy, location assessment and supply-chain execution, connected in one decision framework.
For manufacturers, sourcing teams and investors assessing a new production base, a supplier network or the next stage of expansion.
THE INVESTMENT QUESTION
A location is only as strong as the operating model behind it.
An attractive factory offer is not an investment case. A competitive supplier quote is not a resilient supply chain.
We help leadership teams connect commercial demand with production requirements, supplier capabilities and execution constraints. The objective is a clear decision: what to establish in Vietnam, how to structure it and which conditions must be met before capital is committed.
Our work starts with your products, customers and operational requirements, not a predetermined recommendation to build a factory or choose a particular industrial park.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PATH
Four routes. Different trade-offs.
Contract manufacture
Evaluate third-party production where flexibility and speed need to be balanced with process control.
Test first: available capacity, quality systems, tooling ownership, change control and customer qualification.
Partner or acquire
Assess access to capabilities, relationships or capacity through a local partner or existing business.
Test first: commercial fit, governance, dependencies, integration effort and specialist diligence requirements.
Source and develop
Build a supplier network without immediately committing to an owned manufacturing operation.
Test first: specification fit, sample validation, landed cost, delivery reliability and supplier concentration.
WHERE WE HELP
From strategic fit to operational readiness.
Workstreams are selected around your decision, rather than sold as a fixed package.
Manufacturing feasibility
Define the activities that could move, expand or remain elsewhere. Compare entry models against demand, process complexity, investment requirements and management capacity.
- Product and process scope
- Build / buy / partner / source comparison
- Commercial assumptions and sensitivity tests
Location and facility assessment
Translate operating requirements into a location scorecard. Distinguish what has been evidenced from what still requires a site visit, a quotation or specialist validation.
- Customer, port and supplier access
- Workforce and utility requirements
- Facility constraints and expansion options
Supplier and partner development
Move from a broad market map to a qualified shortlist. Structure the questions, evidence and follow-up needed to evaluate capability beyond a sales presentation.
- Supplier mapping and screening criteria
- Capability and capacity evidence
- Qualification gates and governance
Launch and operating model
Connect the preferred option to responsibilities, milestones and management controls. Identify dependencies that could delay commissioning, customer approval or the first commercial shipment.
- Organisation and decision rights
- Implementation roadmap and dependencies
- Performance measures and escalation paths
WHAT WE LOOK BENEATH
Compare total operating conditions, not headline costs.
Productivity and people
Skills, supervision, training, retention assumptions and the ramp-up needed to reach the required output.
Logistics and continuity
Transport routes, inventory buffers, supplier dependencies, lead-time variability and contingency options.
Quality and process control
Traceability, acceptance criteria, tooling, customer approvals and the evidence required before a production transfer.
Implementation dependencies
Facility readiness, utilities, equipment, specialist reviews and management ownership of each launch milestone.
DECISION-READY OUTPUTS
Useful beyond the final presentation.
The exact deliverables and depth of verification are agreed at the start of each mandate.
Investment decision pack
Options, assumptions, sensitivities, evidence gaps and explicit go / no-go conditions for management review.
Location comparison scorecard
A transparent assessment against your operating requirements, with source notes and unresolved questions.
Supplier shortlist and qualification plan
Screening rationale, capability evidence, outstanding checks and the next gate for each candidate.
Implementation and governance roadmap
Workstreams, accountable owners, dependencies, decision gates and reporting priorities for execution.
SUBSECTOR LENSES
Different production realities. Different questions.
Electronics & components
Process precision, supplier qualification, traceability and customer approval requirements.
Industrial equipment & mobility
Machining, tooling, engineering capability, component availability and production scale.
Consumer goods & packaging
Materials, minimum order quantities, product variation, seasonal demand and delivery consistency.
Food processing & materials
Input availability, storage, handling, product specifications and the need for qualified technical specialists.
Case Study
A second production base, without transferring every risk.
The situation
A component manufacturer wants to reduce reliance on a single production location while maintaining customer specifications and delivery commitments.
A possible approach
Segment the product portfolio by transferability, screen contract manufacturing and owned-facility options, assess candidate suppliers and locations, then sequence qualification before a wider rollout.
The decision supported
Which products to transfer first, which operating model to use and what evidence management should require before approving each investment stage.
HOW WE WORK
A staged route from questions to decisions.
Each stage ends with a management decision, not just another document.
1
Define the investment question
Start with the decision management needs to make. Agree the scope, the operational requirements and the evidence needed before comparing locations or potential partners.
- Product families and processes in scope
- Target volumes, specifications and customer requirements
- Facility, workforce and supply-chain constraints
- Decision timetable and agreed go / no-go criteria
2
Validate the options
Test shortlisted locations, suppliers and operating models against the agreed requirements. Separate supported findings from assumptions and make remaining evidence gaps visible.
- Compare capability, capacity and access to customers
- Review available evidence and organise agreed follow-up
- Output: a shortlist with explicit validation requirements
3
Make an informed decision
Bring the commercial and operational findings together. Compare trade-offs, sensitivities and unresolved risks so management can choose a route with clear conditions for commitment.
- Compare alternatives using the same decision criteria
- Identify risks that require specialist review or further checks
- Output: a decision pack and staged commitment conditions
4
Mobilise the execution plan
Translate the preferred route into workstreams and management responsibilities. Sequence dependencies, qualification gates and milestones before scaling the commitment.
- Assign accountable owners and escalation paths
- Connect facility, people, suppliers and customer approvals
- Output: an implementation roadmap and governance rhythm
PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Before you commit.
Do we need to own a factory to start manufacturing in Vietnam?
Not necessarily. Sourcing, contract manufacturing, partnership, acquisition and a dedicated facility can serve different objectives. The starting point is the control you need over processes and intellectual property, the expected volume, available management capacity and investment horizon. We compare the relevant options rather than assume that ownership is the answer.
What should we prepare for an initial discussion?
Bring a concise description of the products and processes, target customers, indicative volumes, technical requirements, current supply-chain constraints and the decision timetable. At the scoping stage, a non-confidential summary is enough to establish fit; the handling of sensitive information can be agreed before detailed documents are exchanged.
How do you distinguish a supplier shortlist from a qualified supplier?
A shortlist identifies candidates against agreed screening criteria. Qualification requires additional evidence, which may include technical review, sample evaluation, site assessment and customer approval. We define the scope and evidence threshold explicitly; inclusion on a shortlist should not be treated as a guarantee of production readiness.
Can the work begin with one location or one product family?
Yes. A focused first phase can test the assumptions that matter most before a broader commitment. The scope can start with a product family, a specific operational question or a comparison of shortlisted locations. Further work is then tied to the findings and the next decision gate.
What is outside the scope of a strategic manufacturing assessment?
Engineering design, statutory legal or tax opinions, certification and specialist technical audits require appropriately qualified professionals. Where relevant, the engagement should specify who performs those reviews and how their findings inform the wider investment decision. We do not present strategic advisory as a substitute for specialist sign-off.
What decision are you preparing to make?
Tell us what you manufacture, where you are in the decision process and what needs to be resolved. We can discuss the scope of a focused first phase.
Related capabilities: Market entry · Commercial due diligence · Operations & supply chain