MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
Having manufacturing partners in Australia, South East, and North Asia gives us a range of supply options with varying lead times to accommodate your project. If you don't find an option that perfectly aligns with your requirements, don't hesitate to discuss customisation or modifications with us to ensure your brand's full potential is realised.
STAGE 1 / Material Sign Off
Critical to the project, material specification is often matched to those sourced locally and we work through this as a priority early on in the process. The supply of raw materials in Asia dictates a large percentage of the cost of goods, therefore, getting the right finish for the right price is critical. This stage also allows us to value engineering the finish to meet commercial targets. Physical samples are provided to both yourself and your designer for approval before moving past this stage.
STAGE 2 / Detail Documentation
Further to the documentation provided by your designer, our team then complete shop drawings that are used to nominate the specific build methods, nuts, bolts and junctions and finish on every item. Working closely with the designers ensures we manufacture in the best way possible, to meet the initial design intent reduce wastage, improve packing efficiency etc. This documentation is generally completed and signed off by the Designer.
STAGE 3 / Sample Manufacture + Sign Off
Once the designs are approved and the material samples signed off, we move into the sampling phase where key items or a select production will be made through our Sampling Factory – to ensure the detail and finish is as intended and the production can be matched to this benchmark.
STAGE 4 / Production Confirmation
Key to production is an accurate forecast and a rolling review of what your requirements are. Some items may be more cost-effective to manufacture on mass and store, where as others may be produced as short production runs to service only a few of the projects. Either way, we work with you to confirm the initial production order to service the up-and-coming projects and continually review this with you, through our Production Coordinator, to ensure we meet your team's demand.
STAGE 5 / Logistics
All projects are only as good as the final stages and as such, the shipping and logistics of your order are key to our success. Our team have long-standing relationships with the forwarders we use to move goods. Choosing to work with smaller companies, where we can access the senior management of those businesses, so we know first-hand where our consignments are. Our team will work closely with your preferred forwarder or with our forwarder to ensure you are across delivery and kept up to date on where the shipment is.
STAGE 6 / Stock Maintenance
With continued communication around proposed renovations and new locations, the specific manufactured goods can be refined to ensure we continue to work through finished stock whilst introducing or running through pieces that are evolving. Held in a central location, the mutual stocktake can be undertaken at agreed intervals to ensure an accurate stock on hand is maintained.
STAGE 7 / Quality Assurance
IA Hardware pride ourselves on maintaining direct access to the factory floor with the suppliers we work with. We do not run production through third parties – we work with qualified craftsmen to deliver good-quality retail fixtures. Throughout the sampling and production process, we run regular inspections at each stage, documenting with photos and videos to share with all key stakeholders, as well as once complete and installed.