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Based in Shenzhen, China · Available for new projects

Your Eyes Inside
China's Automation
Supply Chain.

Technical advisory for global manufacturers sourcing dispensing, assembly, testing and packaging equipment from China. I identify the risks your supplier won't tell you — before you sign.

Book a 30-Min Discovery Call View Case Studies
10
Years in automation
25+
Projects managed
$50M+
Total project value
4+
Countries
Previously engaged by
Fortune 500 Manufacturers Global Tobacco Companies 3C Electronics Leaders Global FMCG Companies
The problem

Why China automation procurement fails

Most international buyers discover the real problems after the contract is signed — when changing course is expensive, slow, and politically difficult.

01

Suppliers misrepresent their capability

Chinese suppliers often demo machines optimised for showroom conditions, not your actual process. What's promised in a proposal and what arrives at your facility can be very different — and the gap typically surfaces at FAT, when it's already too late to walk away cheaply.

02

Specs written to protect suppliers, not you

Most equipment specifications contain vague tolerances, undefined test conditions, and quiet loopholes. They pass procurement review, then fail in production. By the time you find the gaps, you've already signed and paid a deposit that won't come back.

03

No expert at the critical moments

FAT, SAT, and commissioning are where projects succeed or fail. Without someone who knows what to test and what questions to ask — in Chinese, on-site, in real time — problems don't surface until they've become expensive, schedule-breaking emergencies.

That's why I exist. I give global manufacturers a genuine technical advocate inside China's supply chain — from supplier selection through to full production ramp-up.

See how I help
Services

What I do for you

Four engagement types, scoped to where you are in the procurement cycle.

01
Before You Sign

Supplier Verification

On-site audits of your shortlisted Chinese suppliers — verifying what they claim against what they can actually deliver. I review proposals, visit the factory, test capability, and return a clear risk-rated report before you commit any capital.

Factory audit report with risk scoring
Reference verification (actual customer visits)
Technical capability gap analysis
Go / No-go recommendation with full rationale
02
Protect Your Spec

Technical Specification Review

I review equipment specifications — yours or the supplier's — and close the loopholes before they become contractual obligations you can't enforce. Written for your process, not the supplier's convenience.

Line-by-line specification review and redline
Enforceable acceptance criteria definition
Technical negotiation support
Spec gap report with priority ranking
03
On-Site at FAT / SAT

Acceptance Testing Support

I design the FAT protocol, conduct the test in China on your behalf, manage the punch list through to closure, and supervise installation and ramp-up — so problems surface before the equipment ships, not after.

FAT protocol design and on-site execution
Live punch list management and supplier escalation
Installation supervision and SAT at your facility
Ramp-up support and OEE achievement tracking
04
Your China Desk

Ongoing Technical Advisory

A retained technical partner for manufacturers who source from China regularly. I handle supplier escalations, new equipment evaluations, and process improvement — on demand, in both English and Mandarin.

Monthly retainer — flexible and scalable scope
Supplier performance monitoring and escalation
New project evaluation and rapid-response support
Bilingual (English / Mandarin) communication
Equipment types covered
Dispensing Systems Assembly Automation Testing & Inspection Secondary Packaging Lines HNB / ENDS Assembly Vision & AOI Systems Leak Testing Palletizing & End-of-Line Custom Automation
Project types

Industries & production lines I specialise in

Ten years of hands-on experience across these product categories — from equipment specification through to full production ramp-up in China and overseas.

Smartphone assembly line
3C Electronics

Smartphone Manufacturing Lines

Precision dispensing, automated assembly, functional testing and secondary packaging for flagship and mid-range smartphones. High-volume, tight-tolerance environments.

Dispensing Assembly Functional Testing
Smart watch assembly
3C Electronics

Smart Watch & Wearable Assembly

Miniature component assembly, water-resistance testing, battery and display integration for smart watches and wearable devices. Sub-millimetre tolerance requirements.

Micro Assembly Leak Testing Vision Inspection
E-cigarette HNB assembly line
Tobacco & Vaping

E-cigarette, Vaping & HNB Lines

Liquid dispensing, atomiser assembly, heating element integration, leak testing and packaging for disposable and refillable vaping products and HNB devices.

Liquid Dispensing HNB Assembly Leak Testing
Automotive electronics assembly
Automotive

Automotive Electronics Assembly & Testing

PCB assembly, connector crimping, functional testing and traceability for automotive-grade components. IATF 16949 requirements across Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers.

PCB Assembly EOL Testing IATF 16949
How it works

From first call to full production

A structured engagement with no surprises on either side.

01
Assess

We align on objectives, vendor shortlist, timeline and budget. I review your documentation and return a fixed-fee proposal.

  • 30-minute discovery call
  • Review existing specs and proposals
  • Define scope and deliverables
  • Fixed-fee quote within 48 hours
02
Evaluate

On-site in China, I verify what suppliers claim — factory audits, capability testing, specification gap analysis, risk scoring.

  • On-site factory audit
  • Technical capability testing
  • Risk identification and ranking
  • Written report with recommendations
03
Deploy

FAT at the supplier in China, SAT at your facility, installation supervision, and production ramp-up management.

  • FAT protocol design and execution
  • Punch list management
  • Installation supervision and SAT
  • OEE ramp-up tracking
04
Support

Ongoing access — supplier escalations, new evaluations, and process improvement on retainer.

  • Retainer or per-project basis
  • Supplier performance management
  • Continuous process improvement
  • New equipment project support
Case studies

Real projects.
Real results.

All clients anonymised per confidentiality agreements. Results are actual project outcomes.

Tobacco · HNB
40%
faster commissioning
Assembly + Testing Equipment

Reduced commissioning time by 40% for a Fortune 500 tobacco manufacturer

A global tobacco company launching a new HNB line in Southeast Asia. The Chinese supplier had never exported. I joined as technical lead from spec review through SAT — identifying 23 critical gaps pre-contract, restructuring the FAT protocol, and delivering a line that hit 95% OEE in week one.

HNB Assembly FAT / SAT Southeast Asia
3C Electronics
$2M+
risk avoided
Dispensing + Assembly Equipment

Prevented a $2M+ procurement mistake for a global consumer electronics company

Client had signed an LOI with a Chinese dispensing-assembly vendor. My audit uncovered fabricated reference visits and inadequate precision capability. Contract cancelled at zero penalty. Client re-sourced through my network and launched on original schedule.

Vendor Due Diligence Dispensing Risk Avoidance
Assembly & Packaging
6 M
zero to 97% OEE
Secondary Packaging Line

Delivered a secondary packaging line from zero to 97% OEE in 6 months

A multinational food company setting up a co-packing facility in Vietnam with a fully Chinese-sourced packaging line. I managed spec writing, vendor selection, FAT in Guangzhou, installation supervision, and ramp-up — completing 3 weeks ahead of the original schedule.

Packaging Full Project Management Vietnam
About

An Automation Specialist.

I spent a decade inside global manufacturing — designing automation equipment, leading commissioning projects, and managing cross-border procurement for Fortune 500 companies across tobacco, 3C electronics and FMCG sectors.

I've seen what happens when international buyers rely on supplier documentation that's incomplete, poorly translated, or written to obscure limitations. That's not negligence — it's the system. Chinese suppliers optimise for winning the contract, not for your production success.

I founded this practice to give global manufacturers a genuine technical advocate inside China's automation supply chain. No sales agenda. No supplier relationships to protect. Independent technical advice in both languages, at the moments that matter most.

Get in touch
Total experience
10 years · Industrial Automation
Design background
6 years · Equipment & Mechanical design
Project management
4 years · cross-border projects
Industry focus
3C · Tobacco E-cigarette · FMCG
Languages
English (Frequently) · Mandarin (native)
Based in
Shenzhen, China · Travel to client sites
Victor Xu – Automation Procurement Advisor
Get in touch

Tell me about
your project.

I respond to every serious enquiry within one business day. No sales pitch — just a direct conversation about whether I can help.

Currently accepting new projects — Q3 2026 onwards
Email
victor1005800@gmail.com
LinkedIn
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Response time
Within 1 business day

Your information is kept strictly confidential.

✓ Message received. I'll respond within one business day.