Choosing an outsourced manufacturing partner that is perfect for a new product and close to your design team is quite different to choosing a partner that can manufacture that same product in volume in lower cost locations and fulfil globally. This is where the Gateway model comes into its own. Most large EMS have structured their organizations to leverage proximity to OEM design teams in high cost regions while providing the benefits of low cost regions for volume manufacturing.
The "Gateway" facility in higher cost regions provides design engineering, supply chain design, prototype, and NPI services. The goal of the Gateway is to develop an effective build recipe that can then be effectively and seamlessly transferred to one or more volume manufacturing facility that offers lower costs and direct fulfillment to consumers. We will present a case study that highlights the value of this model and that shows some of the key elements that allow for seamless transitions from plant to plant. The Gateway model is an essential element to a successful global manufacturing model and helps ensure that products are made in the right geography.
To move from innovation to successful global manufacturing and fulfillment at the best possible price, quickly and effectively it is essential that both the Gateway facility and the lower cost regions work in harmony. When deployed successful, the Gateway model brings product to market faster and cheaper and more reliably than any other method.
