Manufacturing an Invention Pt. 2
Before you begin contacting manufacturers to investigate their capabilities or their interest in your product, you must first determine your own capabilities.
Do you have all of the engineering work done? Some books on inventing suggest manufacturing firms will be pleased to place their engineers at your disposal. That’s a bit naïve. Manufacturers may roll out the red carpet for a regular customer, but odds are if you cold call a manufacturer, you’ll need to specifically explain your product’s requirements—and that means providing quality drawings with exact specifications.
Do you have a prototype, or do you want the manufacturer to come up with this as well? This point must be made clear from the start. While the manufacturer may be more than willing to produce a substantial volume of your invention, it may not be overjoyed about seeing up the equipment to custom-create just one.
If your patent is pending, you must use care in disclosing information about your invention. One firm Reese approached decided to produce Murling Corp’s invention; however, it had no intention of negotiating with Murling for the right to manufacture the product. This is every inventor’s nightmare. Murling Corp’s lawyers quickly informed the company that it would face a lawsuit if it proceeded with its plans to manufacture the product independently.
Do you have a clear idea what types of technology you need to complete your invention? For example, your invention may consist of several components that would best be handled by a number of manufacturing firms, instead of just one. You must know exactly what you need from each firm you contact. In Murling Corp’s search for a manufacturer, Reese called companies with a set of questions regarding her company’s needs. She and Scott broke down the product’s components so they could present one piece at a time without disclosing the entire invention to manufacturers. For example, they asked: “Can you make a bag with a zipper closing?” This kind of caution is essential, as you never know who is going to be at the other end of the phone.
Turning the Tables
Once you have determined your own capabilities, you need to find out if the manufacturer measures up to your needs. As you go through your list of possible companies, consider the following:
Has the manufacturer ever worked with an independent inventor, or does it generally work with large firms? If the latter is true, you may find yourself with a communications problem if the company is not in tune with the needs of a small business.
What is the company’s financial standing? If it’s a publicly traded company, look to Dun and Bradstreet’s Million Dollar Directory for more information. It is harder to get information about privately held companies, but you can check for stability in other ways. Find out how long the firm has been in business. If possible, check newspaper records at the company’s hometown library to see if it has been written up for either good or bad reasons. Ask how many employees it has, and whether or not that number has changed over the last few years.
Can the manufacturer provide references from satisfied clients? If so, check those references.
What other products does the company make? Ask for a products catalog.
Can the company meet your specifications? Once Reese established that a firm could create a bag with a zippered opening, she then asked if the company could die-cut into plastic. Each question eliminated some manufacturers, while it confirmed the abilities of others.
How important is the manufacturer’s location? Reese and Scott wanted a nearby manufacturer so they could drive to the plan as needed to check on the progress of the manufacturing process.
Sealing the Deal
When you are close to committing to the deal, try to visit the plan and take a tour during regular operations to get a feel for how your product might be treated. Speak with company executives to find out if they are excited about your product, or if they seem uninterested in anything but taking your money.
Once you think you have found a manufacturer, ask yourself one final question: What will be the consequences if the manufacturer does not do what it promises in the time frame it has committed to? The best way to avoid such problems is to have your lawyer initiate a contract between you and the manufacturer.