Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1379105
58 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2021 the best production partner for our customers. Our customers can demand that of us, as well, and we're happy to do it; that's why we have a presence there. Johnson: As we talk to our con- tacts in China, we hear that there is a strong government push to require better pollu- tion controls. Do you see that dynamic as well, and how does this deliver value to your cus- tomers? Harts: Our factories are required to follow any laws or regulations. We provide documentation to our customers with every order to ensure our factories are compliant. We noticed that when we audit our factories, they are making changes. China is truly embracing the Six Sigma business model and Lean manu- facturing processes. ey're not embracing it as quickly as some others, but they understand its importance and they're getting on board with it. We see that from our quality audits because we are in there all the time. It is not anything as stringent as what we have here in the U.S. mar- ket as far as EPA control, but China is making a push to be more eco-friendly. I love the people who work for us—they're intelligent, happy, and enthusiastic, and we're just lucky to have such a large contingent. Our experience has been very fruitful and enjoyable. We under- stand the theory of [Chinese business leader and environmentalist] Wang Shi and the cul- ture of the country as well; it's just an interest- ing dynamic, and we appreciate it. Johnson: OEMs could decide to establish their own representation with their Chinese part- ners and self-advocate. For quite a while early on, that was what you had to do. Can you quan- tify the overall cost of self-advocacy? At what point does the ICAPE Group model become cost-effective? Harts: It's hard for me to quan- tify it without understand- ing the types of personnel that they're going to use, but I also should say that if you have someone stationed there long-term, how does the OEM quantify whether that person has become more loyal to the people they work with on a daily basis than they are to the company they truly work for? For example, we had a large Nathan Martin, ICAPE Group purchasing director. Ensuring continuous quality performance.