RSP recently joined the Open Community of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an organization committed to solving the big problems we face today: climate change, pollution and waste. Read on to learn more about how we plan to leverage our participation in a community of fellow manufacturers and makers working toward a more sustainable future.

What Does the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Do?

The mission of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is to “achieve the transition to a circular economy” and to “develop and promote the idea of a circular economy” in collaboration with leaders in business, academia and public policy, among others, to implement it on a global scale¹. The organization focuses on topics such as fashion, biodiversity and cities as they relate to the circular economy.

What Is a Circular Economy?

Most people know the three Rs by heart: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. The concept of the circular economy takes this even further. Instead of focusing on a product’s end of life after it’s been manufactured, the circular economy considers a product’s end of life during the design process, ensuring that all components of a product fit into one or both cycles of reuse: biodegradable or technical.

The biodegradable cycle is a process in which renewable resources (e.g., cotton, timber, paper, and agricultural products) are grown, consumed and then either repurposed or composted so that they can be cycled back into the economy. The technical cycle focuses on processing finite resources that are extracted from the earth or manufactured, such as metals and plastics, which are then repurposed or recycled into new products. Ideally, the circular economy eliminates waste before it has a chance to enter the waste stream, diverting it into useful resources rather than into landfills and waterways.

RSP’s role as a manufacturer is twofold: we reduce our footprint by using recycled ocean plastics and by implementing more energy-efficient manufacturing methods whenever possible. According to Plastics for Change, recycling one ton of plastic saves 5,774 kilowatt hours of energy, enough to charge a Tesla more than 100 times!

How Will RSP Be Involved?

By joining the Open Community, RSP aims to grow the knowledge base for manufacturing for the circular economy. We plan to share our expertise in ocean plastics and sustainable manufacturing with our fellow community participants while tapping into theirs.

In addition, our participation enables us to be better positioned as leaders, to educate others about and bring awareness to the urgent need to preserve the environment. By reducing waste in our own processes through reuse and recycling and by practicing more sustainable design and manufacturing, we continue to work toward a cleaner, healthier future for our community and beyond. Contact us to learn more about how to incorporate ocean plastic into your product.

Video: Ellen MacArthur on the Basics of the Circular Economy

References:

1. “About Us,” Ellen MacArthur Foundation, accessed September 29, 2022, https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/about-us/what-we-do.

The post Doing Our Part for the “Circular Economy”: RSP Joins the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Open Community appeared first on RSP Inc..

Where We Moved

Huizhou, a city of 6 million people located approximately 50 miles north of Hong Kong, offers many benefits for RSP. RSP’s offshore operations outgrew its former footprint and needed to expand in order to continue to serve our customers and to meet demand. The new facility is more than twice the size of our previous location and will enable us to continue to grow there.

Video: Our offshore facility

Our offshore facility is located in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China. We moved into this facility in April 2022.

Dedication to Our Employees

RSP worked very hard to maintain our core staff during the move and beyond. Over the course of two months, we transitioned our team to the new facility in order to avoid understaffing while we ramped up production at the new factory. In addition, RSP opened a satellite office in Bao’an District, Shenzen, to accommodate visiting guests as well as some of our engineering and sales team members and to help with recruiting new professional staff. This dedication to our current staff and ability to attract new employees allowed us to make a seamless transition for our customers while we expanded.

New Equipment

To take advantage of our new space, we began acquiring equipment that was too large to
fit in our former factory. One of our first purchases was a 650-ton plastic injection molding machine that allows us to mold larger and more volumetric plastic, enabling us to continue to serve our current customers and to meet growing demand.

The RSP team is excited about this new opportunity, and we look forward to continued
partnerships with our clients as we begin this next chapter.

The post RSP Has Moved: Our Newly Expanded Huizhou Facility Is Now Open! appeared first on RSP Inc..

A lot of companies prefer the third option, choosing to work with a half-domestic manufacturing partner, a company with a US-based office and manufacturing facilities but that also operates factories in China. There are good reasons for this choice, from preserving your bottom line to protecting your intellectual property. Here are the top five reasons to consider a half-domestic manufacturing partner.

Why Use Half-Domestic Partners for Global Contract Manufacturing

1. US-Based Sales Reps

One of the biggest benefits of working with a half-domestic manufacturing partner is that you have a US-based sales rep to call and speak with about anything related to your project.

If an issue arises, you can easily call to discuss it, no international dialing necessary. And if you have any questions about the process, there is someone you can reach out to for answers. This isn’t always easy to do if you are working directly with a Chinese factory due to time zone differences and language barriers.

Many of our clients came to RSP because they tried to work directly with a partner in China but found navigating these issues challenging. Having a US-based company also means you can meet in person if you’re willing to travel to visit your US-based manufacturing partner.

2. Offshore Pricing

With a half-domestic manufacturing partner, you can get offshore pricing on products but still experience the high customer service level of a US-based company.

Obviously, many people look to Chinese factories for manufacturing needs because costs are generally lower. But there are difficulties working directly with China that sometimes outweigh the cost savings of using a China partner. With a half-domestic manufacturing partner, you get the best of both worlds since the company has Chinese factory pricing plus the benefit of a local rep.

Working with a company like RSP means that we deal directly with our Chinese counterparts while you get to be in contact with RSP’s domestic sales reps, with the option to communicate directly with our talented engineering staff in our China facilities.

3.Quality Guarantee

Working with a half-domestic manufacturing partner like RSP assures quality.

Your US contract with RSP means that we are committed to making the product to an agreed-upon standard.

If there are quality issues, RSP will work with RSP-controlled facilities or our partner facilities to ensure the product is made to the expected quality, even if that means reworking or scrapping suboptimal products at our cost. Working with an American based manufacturing company gives you a layer of comfort knowing that you will receive the quality product you expect.

4End-to-End Solutions

With offshore and domestic manufacturing and logistics capabilities, RSP offers US-based warehousing and the possibility of US assembly. For certain products, you may want to have a quantity stored in the US for release to your customers or as a safety stock.

Working directly with a factory in China typically doesn’t offer this benefit. Once your order is complete, the factory in China will want to ship it out and on to you. RSP has a large facility where we can warehouse our customers’ products for a given period, drop-shipping to clients as needed. RSP also has manufacturing and assembly staff in the USA that can quote on ramp-up quantities, final assembly work and packaging.

5. IP Protection

One major concern customers have is ensuring the protection of their intellectual property. When you work with a half-domestic manufacturing partner like RSP, you have a higher level of IP protection and the potential for legal recourse in China.

When contracting with a Chinese company directly, you really have very little to no legal recourse if something goes wrong. If a factory makes a product below the expected quality level, it is not legally obligated to provide replacement products, as American laws and contracts are not enforceable in China.

In the case of intellectual property issues, RSP has strict noncompetes and assignment agreements with all employees and vendors that are enforceable in Chinese courts if needed. Fortunately, RSP has never had to pursue this, but you can be assured that we have the ability to do so if required.

Want to learn more about how RSP can improve your international manufacturing needs with the benefits of a domestic partner? Contact RSP today.

CONTACT US

The post Benefits of Using a Half-Domestic Manufacturing Partner appeared first on RSP Inc..

RSP is an official Oceanworks Guaranteed® partner offering products made with certified recycled ocean plastics. Oceanworks® verifies the supply of recycled plastics from oceans, beaches, rivers, and shores. This post is a spin-off of Oceanworks’ blog post: What are the top five questions to ask your manufacturer about their ability to work with ocean plastics?

Top 5 Questions to Ask Manufacturer About Ability to Work with Ocean Plastics

What are the top five questions to ask your manufacturer about their ability to work with ocean plastics?

Whether your company has been working with a manufacturer for years or you’re on the hunt for a new contract manufacturing partner, introducing recycled ocean plastic into the equation requires an additional round of due diligence. Since relatively few manufacturers have experience with ocean plastic, it’s important to investigate their openness to the material and preparedness for handling it.

Asking the right questions up front can uncover some potential red flags and prevent both parties from going too far down the path if major issues seem likely. To get a full picture of a manufacturer’s profile when it comes to working with ocean plastic, here are five questions to ask. In the answers below, learn more about RSP’s experience with ocean plastic materials and processes, and be sure any manufacturing partner you consider can answer them knowledgeably too.

1. Are you willing to run high-quality recycled ocean plastics through your machinery?

Yes! RSP was an early adopter of recycled ocean plastic material, and we run tons of this plastic through our molding department every week with volumes expected to grow each year.

2. Have you worked with recycled plastic before?

Yes! RSP started using recycled plastics in 2005 when our plastics division was just evolving. At that time, RSP committed to being on the leading edge of sustainability in our industry. Current projects include packaging, blow-molded bottles, utensils, pest control products, and exercise equipment, with many more being added each month. RSP has also done custom blends of not only the recycled ocean plastic but also added biocomposites like hemp, rice, and flax. Tell us what you need!

3. What is your experience with imports?

RSP has operating teams in 3 countries and clients in over 40 countries around the world. We are not afraid of importing, exporting, shipping or cross-border transactions!

4. What kind of tooling will you use for sample runs?

RSP has been working with recycled ocean plastic for over 2 years, including experience using a variety of resins, hybrids, and custom compounded materials. We know how to design the tooling for optimal results and also for flexible steel-safe changes if required. If sample-run tooling is necessary, we have aluminum and “softer” steel options that are available to help ramp up production volumes or for testing the market.

5. Do you have experience with blending materials?

RSP has material engineers on-site every day at our facility working on selecting, modifying, and blending the correct resins and materials to get optimal results. This is part of the challenge and reward of working with new materials, and our team has the experience to troubleshoot and find solutions quickly.

Cast a wide net

Even if your company has existing relationships with manufacturers, asking these questions of your current manufacturers is a worthwhile exercise. You might discover that one of your manufacturers is better suited to work with ocean plastic than another, or you could learn that a new manufacturer is really the best fit.

Regardless of the outcome, these conversations are an important step to ensuring that introducing ocean plastic into the manufacturing process goes smoothly and that everyone involved can participate in managing risks and expectations en route to producing a sustainable product that you can be proud of.

Need assistance designing or manufacturing components with ocean plastic? Contact RSP, Inc. today to learn how we can help take your idea to the next level and make it a reality.

The post Top 5 Questions to Ask Manufacturer About Ability to Work with Ocean Plastics appeared first on RSP Inc..

As the pandemic raged on, Mike and Paul knew there was more they could do to help. In late November, when cases swelled in Wisconsin, Mike and Paul realized they now had hundreds of thousands of masks, sanitizers, gloves, and thermometers in the company’s warehouse that needed to get into the hands of essential workers.

Faced with such a large donation of supplies, the smaller nonprofits that Mike and Paul initially reached out to weren’t equipped to manage them at scale. RSP was referred to United Way, whose large network and robust infrastructure could accept the supplies and distribute them efficiently to workers, volunteers, and the community members who could not afford these protective products.

“There was plenty of PPE for sale now in stores and on the internet,” said Mike when asked about the donation, “but many people could not afford to buy the product, so we had to find a way to get our masks and supplies to those that needed it most. Giving back is something I believe in and part of our mission, so donating these supplies was the right thing to do.”

When the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County shared where the 160,000 masks and other PPE items were distributed, RSP was ecstatic to hear the donation reached 65 agencies! They were spread across four counties at food pantries, homeless shelters, missions, healthcare facilities, education facilities, veterans and more. Something like this goes to show how great organizations like the United Way help our local communities.

The post RSP Continues Giving Back with PPE Donation to United Way appeared first on RSP Inc..

RSP was among the first companies in America to see the impact of Covid-19 firsthand. One of our owners, Mike Ryan, was in China during early January when rumors of the virus were beginning to spread.

RSP facilities in China went into the Chinese New Year holiday in mid-January unaware the country would be shut down shortly thereafter and the company would be delayed in reopening there for almost 2 weeks. Our facilities in China were some of the first to reopen as the government put tight controls and inspection requirements in place.

When the virus came to America, RSP was ready with protocols, cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE), having learned from the experience in China. As an essential supplier to the medical industry, our headquarters in the US have remained open for business throughout the pandemic.

Our in-house protocols in the US and China include reporting requirements, signage reminders, PPE availability and other procedures that have kept our employees virus free and our business safely operating.

In early March, when the PPE shortage was reported, RSP reached out to government and healthcare representatives and offered to assist with the national demand for supplies. RSP was positioned to help. Our facilities in China have purchasing, quality control, warehousing and logistics in place as well as a long history of working in the healthcare industry. RSP networked with multiple healthcare providers in the US and leveraged our relationships and capabilities in China to locate and procure millions of pieces of PPE in under a week. RSP has continued to serve the healthcare industry by providing masks, gowns, swabs and many other essential items to front-line workers.

RSP’s quick reaction to the pandemic, existing emergency operation plans and our global footprint allowed us to adjust our supply chain quickly to service clients almost continuously as large segments of manufacturing remained closed.

As the situation has evolved, RSP has developed and is producing our own custom reusable silicone masks with replacement filters that are being used by businesses outside of healthcare as an effective low-cost solution as they reopen. RSP is working with clients to develop and distribute additional products that are meant to assist in the country’s response.

The post RSP’s Manufacturing Response to Covid-19 appeared first on RSP Inc..

RSP utilizes testing equipment to qualify the products we manufacture during design and production. Read on to learn more about some of the equipment we use to ensure our customers’ products work for the environment they will be used in.

Mistral Testing – membrane switches

Mistral test stations are used to test 100% of the switches we produce. Mistral is well-known in the industry for high-quality, efficient testing of membrane switches. When testing a membrane switch, the connector on the end of the tail is plugged into the tester. Then each key or button is pressed, and the software maps out and learns the key and LED schematics. The software will read out the resistance value of each button and the ohms generated by each LED, and detects the resistance levels. The software also generates a report, which shows the average resistance and ohms of each button or LED tested during the batch. These results help RSP confirm that the product is functioning properly so that it is ready for our clients to integrate into their assembly seamlessly.

Pressure Chamber – outdoor fishing products

RSP uses a pressure chamber to test products used underwater. One of our customers makes a robotic fishing lure that is used at sea, so the product needs to work at depths of up to 200 feet. It is important to test the lure during production to be sure all the seals work properly in the field when the product is submerged in the ocean or other large body of water. In order to test for this environment, RSP used a pressure test chamber. For this test, the product was placed into a chamber filled with water that simulates the pressure at a 200-foot depth. Through this testing, RSP worked with the client to modify and improve the product’s design to provide optimal function under these conditions. RSP continues to perform these tests for all new production runs to ensure consistent results with the electronic lure.

Environmental Chambers – outdoor product testing

Similar to the pressure chamber, RSP uses a temperature and humidity chamber to test many products by replicating the environment in which the product will be used. RSP can accelerate the testing by automatically cycling the environment to ensure it will stand up to the elements in the field. There are also advanced chambers that RSP can utilize for more complex testing of rain, wind, UV sunlight exposure and more. For example, RSP makes a product for the roofing industry that requires advanced testing for regulatory approval in the US. These tests help to pinpoint potential design flaws and prove the product will stand up to the actual environment it will be used in. Many products require this type of testing based on industry-specific regulations. It is important to understand your industry’s requirements so that your manufacturer can test appropriately. RSP can assist you in finding the proper testing company to perform these extreme tests.

3D Scanning – design process and quality control

3D scanning is a process that uses a specialized machine to scan a physical product and create a 3D rendering of it. This allows RSP to confirm specific dimensions of a product and determine whether it was made within acceptable tolerances. It also allows you to review your product’s critical dimensions to show that the manufacturing process is meeting them. 3D scanning is also useful for companies that are looking to reproduce a product that they do not have a 3D electronic model of. In that case, the company can use a 3D scanner to scan a sample of the old part and get 3D renderings of the product in a quick but accurate way.

Keypad Life-Cycle Testing – membrane switches and silicone keypads

If you have a product that uses a keypad, you may need to know how long the product will last. How many button pushes can the product withstand before failure? This is a common question in the industry for silicone keypads and membrane switches. RSP has life-cycle testing equipment that continuously cycles key actuation over a period of time, generally until failure. This test will let you know how long the keypad will last. RSP has a vast amount of experience designing and producing silicone keypads and membrane switches for long life (more than 1 million actuations), so if you need assistance with designing your product, we can help.

Testing Equipment & Certifications – for access to international markets

If you plan to sell your product in Europe, Australia and Canada, you may need to get your product tested and certified to gain access to these markets. For example, the European Economic Area requires that products have CE registration. Similarly, in Australia you must have C-Tick testing or RCM certification for electronic products. In the USA, you may need to register with the FCC or UL depending on your industry. Luckily, RSP has internal testing equipment and maintains relationships with globally recognized testing labs that can get your product tested and registered. The test labs require a product sample to test and register for various required certificates.

RSP has the knowledge and ability to make sure your product is ready for the environment it will be used in. Call us today no matter where you are in the process!

CALL US

The post RSP’s Testing Systems appeared first on RSP Inc..

Outdoor products have to perform well in extreme conditions, including direct sunlight, rain, rugged terrain, and vibration. And when they’re not in use, these products need to be able to withstand harsh temperatures in storage, from trunks of cars in the heat of summer to frigid sheds and garages in winter. The most successful outdoor products are built to stand up to these elements.

In designing optimal products for outdoor, you need to consider the environment they will be used in, but you still need to focus on the basics.

• Know your customers: What are they looking for in the product?
• Understand the market: Is there a niche? Can you improve on an existing product?
• Good design: After you engineer and design an outdoor product, is it appealing to the consumer? Does it function the way it should?

RSP has the expertise you need to design, prototype and produce your outdoor products. We’ve partnered with entrepreneurs to manufacture:

• Silicone keypads for recreational boats
• Trolling motor control panels and wire harnesses
• Archery sensors to improve performance
• Membrane switches for windmills and yachts
• Fishing lures
• …And much more!

It takes an experienced professional team like RSP to design products that stand the test of outdoor use.

If you’re ready to design your outdoor product and need assistance, call our sales professionals today to get started.

CALL US

The post Developing & Building Outdoor Products to Last appeared first on RSP Inc..

Many large companies have their own quality control and engineering teams in the producing country to oversee the process. But for a small company or start-up, this can be a major cost driver. Instead, you may prefer the convenience of working with a local manufacturer, even if prices are potentially higher, to have confidence you will receive the product you need delivered to you on time.

As a Milwaukee-based manufacturing partner with global resources, RSP Inc. offers the best of both worlds with company-controlled facilities in the Milwaukee area and China.

While there are many reasons to choose a local manufacturer, we have narrowed down the list to four key considerations:

1. Local Support with a Global Support Team

If you decide to deal with a foreign company on your own, it is important to know that you may not have the same level of support and that they probably will not be working the same hours as you. But when you choose a Midwest-based manufacturer like RSP, you will work directly with a representative who is close by and who can walk you though any questions you may have about your quote, first article sample or production run. Our project managers can also help address and quickly resolve any design or engineering hurdles as they arise.
Local manufacturing, warehousing, and support are also valuable for coordinating on-site visits. While email and the internet can connect you to suppliers across the globe, there is no substitute for getting together to talk about your product one-on-one. This access is something that RSP offers to all customers, large or small. When you work with RSP, our entire team is available to assist you. Every project is assigned to a project manager in our Brookfield, Wisconsin, office. You also have direct access to our offshore engineering team if you have design questions or issues you need help resolving. Our team of 12 engineers has over 100 years of experience combined in product development, plastic design, tooling design, membrane switches, electrical design, and much more. RSP believes this team approach helps our customers design their products better and more efficiently, getting your product to market faster for a successful launch!

2. Warehousing and Logistics

When your product is ready to go to market, warehousing and logistics are key to managing your inventory and getting your product in the hands of your customers. When you work with a foreign company, they might not be willing or able to store your product if you are not ready to receive it. They also may not be willing to assist you in shipping the goods from their country to you. This leaves you navigating both shipping and warehousing for your product. Manufacturing locally makes this process much easier. RSP Inc. has a 40,000+ square feet warehouse in our Brookfield location, and our logistics team can assist with freight and storage. We offer order fulfillment in addition to warehousing, providing a turnkey solution to make your life easier so you can focus on marketing your product. Our teams in both our China and US offices have experience shipping all over the world, so you can be confident that your product will arrive when and where you need it.

3. Freight Costs

One major cost working with a foreign supplier that is hard to avoid is freight. Fortunately, RSP offers several cost-saving advantages over other suppliers when it comes to shipping product produced at our facilities in China. First, our domestic manufacturing capabilities mean if your product can be made in our local factory in Brookfield, Wisconsin, you’ll pay no duty costs and your product will not have far to travel. Our central location means that for our midwest customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana, and Iowa, will have low shipping costs. Even if you are located on the East or West Coasts, shipping rates are relatively inexpensive from our central location. Second, if RSP imports product from our facilities off-shore, it typically has a lower value for tariff calculation since we use our internal costs. This savings can be substantial. Third, RSP also ships enough products worldwide that we have negotiated rates with companies like FedEx and UPS. We also work with freight companies who bid competitively in order to win the business, which helps lower rates. Other overseas manufacturers may not offer these cost-saving methods. Finally, when possible, we bulk ship items together to reduce the cost of shipping everything individually, this can result in 10-30% savings.

4. Intangible / Overall Cost Savings

The old saying that “time is money”is as true today as it was when it was coined. Designing and manufacturing your product with efficiency in mind is our goal at RSP. We understand that time wasted on troubleshooting a design issue costs more than money. A delay can negatively affect your product launch, ruin relationships with potential customers, and change the trajectory of your business. Our substantial experience working with companies launching new products enables us to efficiently and effectively help our customers make design- and material-related decisions that affect their bottom line. With this wealth of experience, we can help you get your product to market on time and with the quality you need. There is a certain comfort working with a local supplier that goes above and beyond the hard costs. Ease of communication is also a huge advantage. Not to mention, working locally means helping out the community and economy that benefits the region.

Please feel free to reach out to RSP Inc. about your product. We look forward to assisting you in getting to market.

REQUEST A CALL

The post 4 Reasons to Consider a Milwaukee Manufacturer appeared first on RSP Inc..

Workflow Efficiency

RSP is committed to workflow efficiency and process improvement. As a critical supplier to many of our clients, we feel it is our obligation to look at these areas of our business to help reduce costs, improve quality and ultimately help our customers succeed.

Workflow is the systematic and planned repeatable pattern of business activity related to processing information. Despite the custom nature of the product we produce, the processes used are extremely detailed, repeatable, and documented to ensure the desired outcome.

In the past 12 months, RSP has initiated several programs aimed at improving our workflow processes.
The following are two examples of recently initiated workflow efficiency programs:

Process Improvement: Silo Breaking

One of the biggest systemic issues faced in organizations is poor communication between the silos that exist. At RSP, our silos consist of the following;

• Sales
• Engineering
• Prototyping / Pre-Production
• Production
• Quality Control
• Logistics
• Accounting

Each of these silos has different tasks and responsibilities but ultimately, they all share the same goal, creating value for our customers. RSP breaks down the silos by developing a team-based approach to managing clients and projects. While creating product development teams was an obvious must for RSP years ago, recently we have pushed this concept further by creating cross-functional teams responsible for all aspects of the client relationship. Our custom ERP system, which we continue to develop and improve, also creates a smooth transition as each function or silo has it’s unique ‘touch points’ with the client.

Process Improvement: Automation & Systems Improvement

RSP continues to invest in automating our processes and workflow. These initiatives require us to invest in our information technology infrastructure.

Recently, RSP has initiated several new improvements at our plastic molding facility including;

• Bar-coding for tracking incoming raw material
• Scheduling software upgrade to reduce bottlenecks on equipment

RSP and our clients operate in a globally competitive world. Only by practicing continuous improvement are we able to continue to grow and thrive.

The post Process Improvement Initiatives as RSP appeared first on RSP Inc..