Replacing a $1.2M Incumbent Supplier Through On-the-Ground Factory Visits
A U.S.-based construction products distributor specializing in steel grating, drainage systems, and composite decking. The company had been sourcing from Vietnam for years and had placed over $1.2 million in orders with a single factory over a six-year relationship. But rising prices, poor communication, and deteriorating customer service had made the relationship unsustainable. The owner needed to find alternative suppliers without starting from scratch in a country he already knew.
A seven-figure supplier relationship that stopped working
When your existing supplier has over a million dollars of your business and still won't return calls, schedule meetings, or offer competitive pricing, the problem isn't just inconvenience. It's a supply chain risk. The client's incumbent factory had stopped investing in the relationship entirely.
Making it harder: the client needed suppliers across three distinct product categories, each requiring different manufacturing capabilities. Steel bar grating, stainless steel drainage products, and plastic pool grating with composite decking don't come from the same type of factory. He needed a sourcing partner who could organize visits across all three categories in a single trip, vet suppliers in advance, and handle translation and logistics on the ground.
A 4-day guided factory tour across three product categories
Steel Bar Grating
We identified and vetted steel grating factories with competitive pricing and strong production capacity. Our sourcing leader guided the client through two days of factory visits, including face-to-face meetings with factory owners and production floor walkthroughs. We also arranged a visit to his existing supplier so he could evaluate them side by side.
Stainless Steel Drainage
We sourced factories specializing in 304 stainless steel trench drains across multiple lengths and configurations, including corner pieces and outlet fittings. Multiple factories were visited and quoted against the client's specifications.
Pool Grating & WPC Decking
For the plastic and composite categories, we connected the client with injection and extrusion manufacturers for pool grating as well as wood-plastic composite decking producers. A second team member guided these visits across two additional days.
Full Logistics & Translation
We managed the entire trip: private car and driver for four days across 500+ kilometers, bilingual team members at every meeting, pre-arranged factory schedules, and follow-up introductions to additional suppliers beyond the factories visited in person.
Better Pricing Than a $1.2M Incumbent, Found in Four Days
The client identified at least one factory offering better pricing and stronger customer service than the supplier he'd spent over $1.2 million with. He left Vietnam with direct factory relationships across all three product categories and the information he needed to make a sourcing decision.
You don't have to be a first-time importer to need a sourcing partner
This client had been manufacturing in Vietnam for six years and had spent seven figures with a single factory. But when that relationship deteriorated, he had no backup plan and no local contacts to help evaluate alternatives. That's exactly the situation where having a team on the ground matters most. Cosmo Sourcing organized factory visits, handled translation, and connected him with suppliers he never would have found on his own, all within a single trip.
Outgrowing Your Current Supplier?
Whether you're sourcing for the first time or replacing a factory you've worked with for years, our team in Vietnam will find you better options.
