Insight Quality Services: 2020 Year in Review

As we get ready to close out this year and welcome 2021, we can finally say goodbye to a year that has been “challenging” to say the least.

2020 has not been easy for anyone in the supply chain, from manufacturers down to consumers. But it has led us, at Insight, and our partners to become more innovative in the ways we operate.

We’ve seen some companies become incredibly flexible and watched in awe as they turned on a dime when it was called for. People moved into new product categories — like PPE, for example — shifted production around to different countries, and put in extra effort to ensure that quality products were shipped while travel restrictions were in place.

The pandemic has reinforced the importance of forming strong partnerships in the supply chain, as opposed to working with vendors transactionally — and that’s an idea we can fully support.

We’ve Been Busy

Despite everything that’s happened, we’ve been working hard this year at Insight.

Between January and November, we conducted a total of 5,541 product inspections and 714 factory audits. We’re now operating in 13 countries around the globe.

We’ve also created a lot of new content on our blog to help importers source their products more effectively while ensuring product quality and compliance.

Here Are Some Things to Read

If you’re looking for something interesting to read on your iPhone or iPad as you cozy up by the fire during the holiday break, now you have options!

These were our top 5 most-viewed *new* articles in 2020:

1. 5 Important Steps in the Supplier Development Process
2. What is First Article Inspection and Why is it Important?
3. Packaging Quality Control: What Should be on Your Checklist?
4. Manufacturing in Vietnam: This is What You Need to Know
5. 3 Alternatives to China for Sourcing in Southeast Asia

Here we have some recent downloadable guides that you might be interested in:

• Lab Testing: How to Get Started
• 7 Things All Importers Need to Know About Third-Party Quality Inspections

Take a look and let us know if you have any thoughts.

Events We’ll Attend in 2021

Without a doubt, we hope things will get better for everyone as we prepare for 2021.

Will we be able to meet in person? That’s yet to be seen. But here are some events we’re looking forward to.

• ICPHSO’s 2021 Annual Symposium (February 22-26) — Stop by our virtual booth and say hi!
• ICPHSO’s regional summer event and International fall event (Dates TBA)
• Global Sources Consumer Electronics Show (April 11-14) — It was canceled in April 2020 and October 2020, but as of now, it’s on the calendar.
• PPAI Product Responsibility Summit 2021 (September – TBA)
• AHFA Regulatory Summit (October – TBA)
• Other industry events as they are announced

We look forward to connecting with you virtually or in-person in 2021!

What are Your Thoughts?

We hope you’re having a wonderful holiday season — at least, as wonderful as it can be, given the circumstances.

If you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns, let us know!

Leave us a comment, or email our founder, Andy Church. He would love to hear from you at andy.church@insight-quality.com.

Here’s to a better 2021!