The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

Top ten dumb things overseas customers do when buying & sourcing from China

Roger — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:16:39 +0000

For all the complaining about poor quality or shoddy suppliers, we often forget that customers themselves are often equally as much at fault. From their inability to communicate needs to their unwavering belief that it should be a certain way (even if the reality is its often not), for every five bad suppliers there is at least [...]

Top ten dumb things overseas customers do when buying & sourcing from China is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

Tremble and Obey: the celestial empire abounds in all things and lacks nothing

Roger — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:22:07 +0000

Interesting article on the Financial Times website called “Exquisite artifacts from the Forbidden City.” Whats interesting is the section which discusses the Qianlong emperor: The country’s attitude at the time to non-Chinese “barbarians” is summed up nicely in a letter Qianlong wrote to King George III in response to a trade mission sent by [...]

Tremble and Obey: the celestial empire abounds in all things and lacks nothing is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

2010/2011 Chinese reproduction & solid wood furniture industry trends & outlook

Roger — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 08:03:43 +0000

Chat with any “old school buyer” of Chinese antiques about the late eighties/early nineties and stories of 200 RMB rosewood tables and Ming dynasty porcelain for a few hundred RMB will bubble quickly to the surface. In recent times, this period might be considered the modern birth of the industry, with western buyers in Hong [...]

2010/2011 Chinese reproduction & solid wood furniture industry trends & outlook is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

Furniture prices heading upward – Industry is blaming increases in labor and shipping costs

Roger — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:09:26 +0000

Furniture companies are raising prices despite fears that higher costs could kill off a rebound just as recession-shocked shoppers appear willing to spend.

Furniture prices heading upward – Industry is blaming increases in labor and shipping costs is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

Preparing for the Lacey act – more paperwork for furniture importers.

Roger — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:39:22 +0000

If your in the furniture industry and dealing with American customers, yet haven’t yet heard of the Lacey act, get ready – you soon will. Though around for quite some time, it was amended in May 2008 and makes it a federal crime to trade in illegal wood products. Under a phased in process, industry [...]

Preparing for the Lacey act – more paperwork for furniture importers. is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading

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

China labor new shortage: fewer workers with higher saleries is the new norm

Roger — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:04:20 +0000

After returning from the Chinese new year, its quickly becoming apparent that this year, the hottest topics being discussed by business owners in furniture manufacturing circles are: How many of your workers returned back to work after this year’s holiday? How much later did they return from their hometowns? How much of an increase are paying them this [...]

China labor new shortage: fewer workers with higher saleries is the new norm 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

Decoro: The rise and fall of an Italian Leather upholstery producer in China

Roger — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:12:43 +0000

The well known upholstered leather furniture manufacturer Decoro, recently closed it factory in Shenzhen, China after encountering liquidity problems. More then 2000 workers lost their jobs which lead to protests. Eventually, the local government stepped in and paid two months worth of the worker’s back salaries. Yet over the years, this was not the first [...]

Decoro: The rise and fall of an Italian Leather upholstery producer in China is a post from: The ACF China Co - Millstone Trading