The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading » China

Little white lies in business relationships (or how to have a headache in 60 seconds or less)

Roger — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:15:27 +0000

The following is the first in series of posts chronicling and at times ranting about , some of the (often frustrating) experiences we encountered working with some local Chinese partners. While a excellent (though costly) learning experience, needless to say this particular partner relationship has now ended. Little white lies… Anyone have an aspirin? Something [...]

Little white lies in business relationships (or how to have a headache in 60 seconds or less) is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

Buying from China – The customer is NOT always right.

Roger — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:40:31 +0000

Having been both involved in the past with furniture sourcing and buying, and more recently operating a retail furniture store and factory (where I now must sell to those same types of furniture buyers), I suppose I can say I truly understand both perspectives. Though I must confess, that for the first time being the supplier, is [...]

Buying from China – The customer is NOT always right. is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

China port faces worst ice threat in 30 years

Roger — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:17:08 +0000

(For more on the snow see “Record Snowfall blankets Beijing – Record Snowfall blankets ACF”) Original article here: By CARA ANNA, Associated Press Writer, Sat. Jan 9th 2010 A northern China port that is one of the world’s largest was facing the worst ice conditions in 30 years Saturday, and icebreaking ships were working to keep the path [...]

China port faces worst ice threat in 30 years is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

CCTV Headquarters & Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Fire in Beijing

Roger — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:11:10 +0000

Absolutely nothing related to furniture but… WOW! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B1OnhSucP8&ed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzH_skByx3Q Was heading home from a late night at the office, when the taxi driver keys me in on what just occurred. Surprisingly the Chinese media has said little even though its all over the news elsewhere. A friend texts me to tell me she heard about it from her [...]

CCTV Headquarters & Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Fire in Beijing is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

Top ten reasons why your China side supplier may be clueless about the economy.

Roger — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:26:31 +0000

Supplier rings me today – complainingÂ I have not picked up my goods / nor paid for, goods we previously ordered back in the first quarter (nor placed any new orders recently). Now, normally I would have given him an earful – after all, these were goods which were not only a) delivered late, but [...]

Top ten reasons why your China side supplier may be clueless about the economy. is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

The saga of LinkWise Furniture, Conforama and allergies from your sofa

Roger — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:23:22 +0000

Melamine milk anyone? Once again, quality concerns are back in the headlines, this time concerning tainted milk (or shall I say for a second time, as this already occurred once before). Tainted, tainted, tainted. Its all about tainted. First we had fake baby formula. Then tainted pet food. There were recalled tires and lets not [...]

The saga of LinkWise Furniture, Conforama and allergies from your sofa is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

A video visit to toxic Linfen, China: The most polluted city on earth

Roger — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:07:44 +0000

Initially, had no idea who these VBS guys are, but I came across their site doing a search on North Korea (I know, I know but it looks like an interesting place to visit). Along the way, I noticed their documentary series on LinFen in Shanxi province, which is supposedly one of the most polluted [...]

A video visit to toxic Linfen, China: The most polluted city on earth is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

Beijing traffic curbs stifle trade, may ripple to U.S.

Roger — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:10:49 +0000

LANGFANG, China â€” Road checkpoints erected this week around Beijing to boost security for the Olympic Games have put a chokehold on regional commerce and created ripples likely to reach as far as U.S. store shelves. Long lines of trucks formed at dozens of highway checkpoints around China’s capital, leaving many drivers grumbling that they were [...]

Beijing traffic curbs stifle trade, may ripple to U.S. is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

Welcome to the Olympics, Communist Style

Roger — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 05:36:53 +0000

Normally its the price of fuel, the latest trends in home furnishings and any and all things “quality control” related, which get us excited. But these days, for us (and most others in China), the closer we get to the Beijing Olympics, the less we are able to focus on much else. Like “mommy to [...]

Welcome to the Olympics, Communist Style is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

Update: Olympics continue to cause major disruptions to business in China.

Roger — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:34:34 +0000

There is tons of press at the moment discussing the upcoming Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, ranging from political debates to complaints concerning visa restrictions. Obviously its just too much to cover in a singe post but there are a few points worth bringing up here; some related to business, others simply related to China in [...]

Update: Olympics continue to cause major disruptions to business in China. is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading