HONG KONG, Feb. 13 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sixty-seven percent of China's pet product manufacturers plan to raise export prices in 2007, according to Global Sources' (Nasdaq: GSOL) China Sourcing Report: Pet Products ( http://www.chinasourcingreports.com ).
(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/200701111135.jpg )
"As prices of wood, metal, leather and fabrics continue to climb, manufacturers are finding it more difficult to absorb higher costs. The price of wood, for instance, has increased about 40 percent since 2004, and manufacturers estimate a further 10 to 20 percent rise in 2007," said Global Sources' general manager of Content Development, Michael Kleist.
Among surveyed manufacturers' top concerns and primary challenges for the next 12 months:
-- 35 percent cited higher raw material costs;
-- 35 percent said price competition;
-- 18 percent cited design copying/piracy; and
-- 12 percent said power and labor shortages.
Pet Product Manufacturers Focusing on Certifications, Staff Training
"More than half of interviewed manufacturers plan to improve their production/export capabilities by obtaining international certifications or educating staff," said Kleist.
"A number of companies are planning to apply for ISO approval, and some are even attempting to comply with the SA8000 system, the first global ethical labor standard."
Among surveyed manufacturers:
-- 26 percent plan to obtain certifications/approvals;
-- 26 percent say they plan to focus on staff training;
-- 23 percent plan to shorten design/development time;
-- 14 percent say they plan to develop wider product lines; and
-- 11 percent plan to shorten delivery times.
In-Factory Interviews, Price Forecasts and Pet Product Export Models
The 143-page China Sourcing Report: Pet Products provides proprietary market information from in-person factory visits to 14 manufacturers and interviews with 64 more suppliers.
It includes a Product Gallery featuring 243 of the most popular export models, with key specifications and full-color pictures.
The report's surveys, price trends and supply forecasts aim to help buyers make better-informed purchasing decisions.
China Sourcing Reports ( http://www.chinasourcingreports.com ) are part of Global Sources' sourcing and product information services. These include Global Sources trade magazines, Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com ), Global Sources Direct ( http://www.globalsourcesdirect.com ) and the China Sourcing Fairs ( http://www.chinasourcingfair.com ). For more information, visit http://www.corporate.globalsources.com .
China Sourcing Report: Pet Products is available at http://www.chinasourcingreports.com/PetProducts .
Information about Greater China pet product suppliers and products can be found at http://www.globalsources.com/manufacturers/Pet-Product.html .
About Global Sources
Global Sources is a leading business-to-business (B2B) media company and a primary facilitator of two-way trade with Greater China. The core business is facilitating trade from Greater China to the world, using a wide range of English-language media. The other key business segment facilitates trade from the world to Greater China using Chinese-language media.
The company provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers. It helps a community of over 560,000 active buyers source more profitably from complex overseas supply markets. With the goal of providing the most effective ways possible to advertise, market and sell, Global Sources enables suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in 230 countries.
The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. It delivers information on 1.8 million products and more than 150,000 suppliers annually through 13 online marketplaces, 11 monthly magazines, over 100 sourcing research reports and 16 trade shows, including eight China Sourcing Fairs. Suppliers receive more than 10 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com ) alone.
Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 36 years. In mainland China it has over 1,600 team members in 44 locations, and a community of over 1 million registered online users and magazine readers for Chinese-language media.
Global Sources Press Contact in Asia:
Camellia So
Tel: +852-2555-5021
Email: cso@globalsources.com
Global Sources Investor Contact in Asia:
Eddie Heng
Tel: +65-6547-2850
Email: eheng@globalsources.com
Global Sources Press Contact in U.S.:
James W.W. Strachan
Tel: +1-602-978-7504
Email: strachan@globalsources.com
Global Sources Investor Contact in U.S.:
Moriah Shilton & Cathy Mattison
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc.
Tel: +1-415-433-3777
Email: cmattison@lhai.com
