Over the past few years, tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and platform changes have made the global trade environment increasingly unpredictable. In this context, “uncertain purchasing plans” have become a common headache for nearly all brand owners, product managers, and procurement professionals.
When a new product first hits the market, sales are often difficult to predict. Seasonal products are affected by promotions, holidays, and logistics cycles. Even a sudden policy shift or platform rule change can completely disrupt well-laid plans.
For ODM manufacturers, this uncertainty is just as risky. Overstocking materials leads to excess inventory, while insufficient preparation causes delivery delays. As a result, establishing a flexible material preparation system has become a very real and crucial topic in ODM collaborations.
The Core of Flexible Preparation: Supply Elasticity in the Face of Uncertainty
Flexible preparation isn’t just about “stocking a bit more.” It’s a systematic approach to maintaining production flexibility and cost balance under uncertain demand conditions. The key is to manage different categories of materials in layers — securing long-lead, high-risk components in advance, while keeping fast-moving, standard parts more agile.
Take, for example, an ODM kitchen cleaning appliance project. A brand customer testing a new smart ultrasonic fruit and vegetable cleaner could only provide a rough quarterly demand forecast. To manage this uncertainty, the ODM manufacturer classified materials into three categories:
· Long-lead critical components: Custom motors, ultrasonic transducers, control boards, and molded parts were stocked at a 30–40% safety level to prevent supply interruptions.
· General components: Screws, wires, and packaging materials were procured on a monthly rolling basis.
· Semi-finished inventory: Some PCBA boards were pre-assembled and stored for quick final assembly once orders were confirmed.
This approach allowed the production line to begin assembly within two weeks after order confirmation, reducing response time for rush orders while avoiding excessive capital tied up in inventory.
Transparency and Collaboration: The Key to Making Flexible Systems Work
The biggest challenge in flexible material management isn’t technology — it’s collaboration. For the system to run smoothly, brand owners must provide sufficient market and sales rhythm information. At the same time, manufacturers need the capability to translate that data into practical production and purchasing decisions.
If both sides still rely on the traditional “order → prepare materials → deliver” model, a flexible mechanism cannot work. The ideal approach is to build trust and transparency through information sharing and rolling forecasts:
· The brand updates sales forecasts monthly or quarterly, indicating confirmed quantities (for example, “80% confirmed orders”).
· The ODM adjusts material preparation ratios according to 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day forecast tiers.
· Both sides regularly review forecasts together to adjust for over- or under-purchasing.
This model works especially well in UV disinfection product lines, where sales fluctuate due to seasonal demand and public health events. One custom UV sterilization equipment manufacturer working with a European brand adopted a dynamic safety stock strategy to help the client respond efficiently to market shifts.
They maintained a steady two-month safety stock of custom UV lamps and high-efficiency reflective chambers — the long-lead components — while managing general parts like power boards, housings, and cables through real-time purchasing.
In addition, they established an efficient data-sharing mechanism. The brand updated demand data biweekly via a shared dashboard, giving both sides real-time visibility into inventory status.
Thanks to this system, when demand suddenly spiked, the ODM factory could ramp up production within a week — without having to reorder key components — ensuring the customer didn’t miss out on valuable market opportunities.
Shared Risk and Clear Rules: Flexibility Isn’t One-Sided
Flexibility requires shared responsibility. The brand shouldn’t shift all inventory risks to the ODM, nor should the ODM shoulder everything alone. Both parties should clearly define terms in their cooperation agreement, such as:
· Which materials are brand-exclusive (e.g., branded housings or custom packaging), with the brand absorbing costs if demand falls short.
· Which materials are standard or reusable, allowing the ODM to reallocate them?
· How to handle material retention or product discontinuation — whether through returns, order transfers, or depreciation sharing.
These clear rules are essential for keeping the flexible system sustainable over time. In many mature partnerships, “flexible material management principles” are even built into the early stages of product development documentation, giving every process a reference point.
From Pilot to Practice: Making Flexibility a Routine Management System
Given today’s volatile global economy and shifting national policies, adopting more flexible inventory strategies has become a clear trend. More companies are expected to embrace flexible material systems in the near future.
For businesses that haven’t yet tried such collaboration with an ODM partner, a small-scale pilot is a good place to start:
1. Select a product line with fluctuating demand — such as a seasonal appliance or a new product launch.
2. Agree with your ODM on an adjustable preparation cycle (for example, a 90-day rolling forecast).
3. Create a simple shared dashboard or spreadsheet to review and update material data together regularly.
After several rounds of collaboration, both sides can gradually build up data, fine-tune material ratios, and even introduce predictive models or supply chain coordination platforms. The goal isn’t to eliminate uncertainty — it’s to make uncertainty manageable.
Finally
Flexible material preparation represents a more mature way of collaboration — an evolution in the relationship between ODM manufacturers and brand clients. Instead of being just an order taker and a buyer, both sides become partners facing market fluctuations together.
In today’s manufacturing environment, rapid response and cost control aren’t contradictory goals. With a well-designed flexible preparation mechanism, brands can handle market changes with greater ease, while ODM service providers improve resource utilisation and strengthen client relationships. A truly efficient supply chain does not run perfectly according to plan — it remains stable and trustworthy when plans inevitably change.
ATYOU Health Tech is a professional OEM/ODM manufacturer with over 20 years of experience in cleaning appliances, disinfection devices, and innovative electronic products. We are dedicated to providing global clients with professional, flexible electric cleaning appliances manufacturing solutions. We welcome discussions on how to optimise material preparation strategies in today’s uncertain markets.
No. 1-A, Kechuang Center, No. 289 Wengjiao Rd., Haicang Dist., Xiamen, 361000, Fujian, China
(86)0592-5626338
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