How did China’s tap trade grow against the trend amid global market fluctuations?

Indice dei contenuti:

Amid tariff fluctuations, Chinese manufacturing continues to grow steadily

Competitive advantages of China’s tap trade

YOROOW factory – a model of Chinese faucet manufacturing

YOROOW-Quality is the result of craftsmanship

Export process optimization to meet market challenges

Global customer case support

Made in China, not only powerful, but also warm

I. Introduction: Amid tariff fluctuations, China’s manufacturing industry is making steady progress

In recent years, with the escalation of geopolitical tensions and the rise of trade protectionism, the global economy faces an increasingly complex external environment. In particular, the Sino-US trade friction continues to ferment. Since 2018, the United States has successively imposed tariffs on Chinese exports, attempting to weaken the global status of Made in China through trade pressure. However, the reality shows a different picture: under the pressure of high tariffs, Made in China has not only not been marginalized, but has continued to maintain strong competitiveness in the global market with its complete industrial chain system, scale effect, technological progress and global supply chain flexibility.

I. Where does China’s manufacturing ability to withstand pressure come from?

(I) A complete industrial chain system supports manufacturing resilience

China has the most complete and largest manufacturing ecosystem in the world. From raw material procurement, parts processing to complete machine assembly and logistics export, Chinese factories can carry out almost all production processes domestically. According to World Bank data, as of 2022, China’s manufacturing industry accounted for 27.7% of GDP, ranking first in the world, far exceeding the United States (11.3%) and Germany (19.1%).

In areas such as furniture, electrical appliances, hardware, building materials, mechanical equipment, etc., China has clustered manufacturing bases, such as small commodities in Yiwu, Zhejiang, home appliances in Shunde, Guangdong, plumbing and sanitary ware in Nan’an, Fujian, and electronic parts in Kunshan, Jiangsu, forming a complete and efficient supporting network. This highly integrated production model not only improves efficiency, but also weakens the transmission effect of external tariff shocks to a certain extent.

(II) Cost advantage is still significant

Despite rising labor costs in recent years, Chinese factories remain remarkably cost-competitive. On the one hand, domestic companies are constantly reducing their dependence on manpower through automation and digital transformation; on the other hand, a large number of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies flexibly adjust their strategies in terms of employment, raw material procurement, energy efficiency management, etc., so that overall manufacturing costs remain within a controllable range.

The following is a comparison of average labor costs of major manufacturing exporting countries in 2023 (unit: US dollars/hour):

Although Southeast Asian countries have certain advantages in labor costs, they are still difficult to compare with China in terms of production efficiency, delivery time control, quality stability and supporting capabilities.

(III) Steady improvement of technology and quality

Made in China is moving from “quantity-oriented” to “quality-oriented”. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the added value of China’s high-tech manufacturing industry will increase by 11.4% year-on-year in 2023, accounting for 15.7% of the total added value of industrial enterprises above designated size. In many fields such as machinery and equipment, new energy, intelligent manufacturing, and household appliances, Chinese companies have the technical capabilities to compete with European and American brands.

Taking the plumbing and sanitary ware industry as an example, Chinese brands have been constantly innovating in product design, water-saving and environmental protection technology, surface treatment, and intelligent control, and are very popular in emerging markets such as the Middle East, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, the total value of China’s exports of plumbing products such as faucets and angle valves in 2023 will exceed US$4.5 billion, an increase of 8.7% over 2022.

II. Global customers still favor Chinese manufacturing

Although some countries have tried to promote “de-Sinicization” at the policy level, actual purchasing data shows that customers’ dependence on Chinese manufacturing has not decreased significantly. In 2023, China’s total exports reached 3.38 trillion US dollars, down only 0.5% from 2022. Among them, exports to countries along the “Belt and Road” maintained positive growth, and exports to emerging markets such as Latin America and Africa increased rapidly.

At the same time, the flexibility of China’s supply chain is also a key reason why many multinational companies choose to “continue to stay in China.” Compared with other emerging manufacturing bases, China still has significant advantages in supply chain response speed, raw material acquisition, port logistics capabilities, and customs clearance efficiency.

II. Competitive advantages of China’s tap trade

In the global bathroom hardware field, Chinese faucet exports have long dominated. Whether in terms of product supply capacity, price competitiveness or technological evolution, Chinese companies have demonstrated strong comprehensive advantages.

(I) Complete industrial chain: an integrated system from raw materials to finished products

China’s faucet manufacturing factories are mainly concentrated in Zhejiang (Yuhuan, Wenzhou), Fujian (Nan’an), Guangdong (Kaiping, Chao’an), etc. These regions have formed a highly concentrated industrial chain with full-process capabilities from die-casting, machining, polishing, electroplating, assembly, testing to packaging and shipment.

Taking Nan’an, Fujian as an example, more than 300 local faucet companies have formed a cluster development with a complete range of supporting manufacturers. Everything from copper rod supply, mold design to laser marking and packaging printing can be completed locally, greatly reducing the company’s comprehensive procurement and logistics costs.

According to data from China’s General Administration of Customs:

Among them, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong provinces contributed a total of 81.3% of the country’s exports, forming a stable main force in faucet exports.

(II) Product diversification: meeting the needs of various global markets

Produttori cinesi di rubinetti are highly adaptable in terms of product variety and style design, and can quickly respond to the customized needs of different markets. The product categories cover a wide range, mainly including:

Kitchen faucet: pull-out type, water purification type, hot and cold dual control, etc.;

Bathroom faucets: basin faucets, bathtub faucets, shower faucets, thermostatically controlled types;

Public/commercial faucets: induction faucets, delayed automatic closing faucets, etc.;

New smart models: LED temperature display faucet, App control, water flow monitoring and other functional products.

This diversified strategy has enabled Chinese faucets to gain a foothold in markets such as Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and South America. For example, the Latin American market prefers copper high-bend faucets, the African market prefers cost-effective zinc alloy products, and the European market focuses on energy-saving and environmental protection certifications such as WRAS, CE, and ACS.

(III) Manufacturing advantages: mass production and customization are taken into consideration, with advantages in delivery time and cost

The biggest advantage of Made in China lies not only in price, but also in efficiency and flexibility. Most export companies are equipped with CNC machining centers, fully automatic polishing lines, electroplating lines and intelligent testing equipment, and have the ability to produce more than one million sets of faucets per year.

At the same time, Chinese companies generally have flexible customization capabilities and can provide:

• Customized structure (such as water outlet height, switch mode);
• Customized surface treatment (such as chrome, brushed gold, matte black, PVD plating);
• Customized LOGO (laser marking, in-mold casting);
• Customized packaging (color box design, brand label, instruction manual language, etc.).

These capabilities enable Chinese companies to excel in handling small-batch, multi-specification, and short-cycle orders, effectively improving customer stickiness.

The following is a comparison of the manufacturing advantages of major Chinese and foreign producing countries:

It can be seen from this that China can not only cope with large-volume, low-cost demands, but also meet the customized requirements of mid- to high-end customers, and is in a position of both offense and defense in the global market.

III. YOROOW Factory – A Model of Chinese Faucet Manufacturing

YOROOW is a Produttore cinese di rubinetti that focuses on producing high-quality and low-cost faucets. It has 12 years of foreign trade experience and a service network covering many countries and regions around the world. YOROOW is committed to providing customized solutions for global faucet brands, chain building materials supermarkets and construction engineering companies. From design and development to mass production, the entire process is tailored for customers, helping partners improve product competitiveness and market share.

(I) Professional customized services to meet the needs of different customers

With its flexible production organization and professional engineering and technical team, YOROOW supports OEM/ODM cooperation model and can provide exclusive product series according to the needs of different customers.

YOROOW’s main partners include:

YOROOW serves various types of customers around the world through flexible OEM/ODM cooperation models to meet their different market needs and sales channel strategies. During the cooperation process, YOROOW provides customized product solutions based on customer positioning and needs, from appearance design to function development, to help customers improve their competitive advantages.

• For faucet brands , YOROOW provides full-process OEM/ODM services, which not only supports the differentiation of appearance and structural design, but also assists in the development of exclusive molds. This deep customization helps brands stand out in the fierce market competition, shortens the new product launch cycle, and improves brand uniqueness and market share.
• For bathroom brands , YOROOW can provide a complete set of faucet products that are highly coordinated with the style of the bathroom space, including faucets, angle valves, shower sets, etc., to ensure the overall product style is unified, facilitate one-stop integrated sales, and enhance the user’s purchasing experience.
• For tile companies , YOROOW provides faucet matching products with coordinated styles, which are convenient for them to use in model rooms, exhibition halls or complete sets of matching displays, effectively improving the overall space design sense and customer shopping immersion, and enhancing product added value.
• In its cooperation with building materials supermarkets , YOROOW outputs best-selling products with high cost-effectiveness and strong versatility through bulk supply, helping supermarkets enrich shelf SKUs and improve consumer purchasing efficiency and store sales conversion rates.

For construction companies and engineering contractors , YOROOW provides engineering-specific products that comply with international certifications (such as CE, TISI, ISO, etc.), which not only meet the qualification requirements for project bidding, but also provide supporting certification materials and sample support to help customers increase their bid winning rate, reduce procurement costs, and ensure the stable delivery efficiency of engineering projects.

(II) Excellent production capacity and quality assurance

The YOROOW factory is located in Nan’an, Fujian, China, covering an area of 12,000 square meters. It is equipped with automated production lines and a complete testing laboratory, and has an annual production capacity of 3.6 million sets of faucets.

Factory core data at a glance:

YOROOW is the first faucet factory in China to adopt a “double quality control system”. From raw material inspection, production process monitoring to factory sampling, multiple processes are strictly controlled to ensure that the products are stable and reliable.

(III) Multiple international certifications to help market access

In order to help customers enter the target market smoothly, YOROOW has obtained a number of international certifications and can assist in handling export documents, factory inspection services and other supporting support.

YOROOW has independent import and export rights, and its professional team can assist customers in completing a series of foreign trade services including customs clearance, customs declaration, factory inspection, sample delivery, etc.

(IV) The cooperation has achieved remarkable results and has been highly recognized by customers

YOROOW has established long-term cooperative relationships with more than 100 brand customers and engineering companies. Some customers have doubled their market share in just one year through cooperation with YOROOW.

Customer Case (excerpt):

(V) Adhere to the concepts of innovation and environmental protection to build a beautiful water use space

YOROOW adheres to the concept of “making water use smarter, more comfortable and more environmentally friendly”, and continuously invests in product innovation to develop a variety of high value-added products such as water-saving models, hot and cold sensor faucets, LED temperature displays, pull-out faucets, etc. to meet the needs of market upgrades. YOROOW also pays attention to carbon footprint management, giving priority to the use of recyclable materials and green electroplating processes to create an environmentally friendly supply chain.

(VI) Create a new global faucet pattern

As a pioneer in China’s faucet industry, YOROOW not only has strong production capacity and quality advantages, but also wins the trust of global customers with flexible services and professional technology. In the future, YOROOW will continue to promote manufacturing upgrades, channel expansion and product innovation to provide global consumers with a higher quality water experience.

IV.YOROOW- Quality is the result of craftsmanship

In the “double game” of price and quality in the global faucet industry, YOROOW has always adhered to the concept of “doing it well, doing it for a long time, and doing it steadily”. Unlike some manufacturers who make low-price batch orders and produce shoddy products, YOROOW has won a group of loyal customers in the export market with stable raw materials, solid craftsmanship and strict quality control.

(I) Real materials: quality assurance from the source

Each batch of brass 59 of YOROOW is purchased from a contracted supplier and must undergo tensile testing and chemical composition analysis before delivery. Taking March 2024 as an example, YOROOW tested H59 materials from five supply batches, and the copper content was stable between 59.4% and 59.8%. All of them passed the third-party testing of national laboratories to ensure compliance with EU RoHS standards.

✅ Real case: A Brazilian customer (brand agent RMLDA) specified a full copper main structure faucet, requiring the copper content to be no less than 59%. YOROOW customized a brass gravity casting mold for it, and provided a raw material spectrum report and video shooting of the entire process. The first batch of orders totaled 3,000 sets, with a 100% quality inspection pass rate. The customer placed another order for 5,000 sets the following month.

304 stainless steel is not the “ordinary stainless steel” on the market. YOROOW uses TISCO original coils, and through laser cutting + CNC bending + seamless welding processes, the material thickness is strictly controlled between 1.0-1.2mm. After electrolytic pickling, it is mirror-finished without cracks or blackening, effectively coping with high-salt air environments such as South America and Southeast Asia.

(II) Process details: from the workshop to the customer’s eyes

YOROOW’s production workshop starts at 8 am every day. The first process is raw material pretreatment and casting inspection. The production of a stainless steel rubinetto da cucina model 9500B7-008S-V80 requires the following key processes:

• Gravity casting → CNC machining (about 4 steps) → Polishing → Electroplating three layers and nine steps → Assembly → 100% air pressure/water pressure test → Packaging
• The overall processing time is about 3 days, the electroplating line operates in shifts 24 hours a day, and the salt spray test is more than 72 hours.

Each process has quality control points. For example, during the assembly process, a 0.5 Nm professional torque wrench must be used to install the valve core, and a high-density PTFE rubber ring must be put on the threaded interface. Technician Master Zhang shared: “YOROOW assemblers can produce a maximum of 400-500 pieces per day, but the first-time pass rate must reach more than 99%, otherwise the rework time will be longer.”

(III) If the test fails, it will be returned for re-do

YOROOW faucets must pass three tests before leaving the factory:

• High-pressure test (0.8MPa/8kg pressure): simulates the peak water pressure in the city. The sampling data on a certain day in May 2024 showed that the KF-BR series had a 100% pass rate in the test, and some models could withstand up to 1.2MPa without leakage.
• Salt spray test (neutral salt spray/NSS 72 hours): The electroplating layer shall not bubble, rust or turn black. In 2023, a Philippine customer complained that other suppliers’ products had black spots after three months. After switching to YOROOW, there were no quality complaints for half a year.
• Life test: Use an opening and closing test machine to simulate user operation, and conduct 50,000 switch tests on each batch of samples, which is equivalent to 8 years of normal household use.

(IV) Ingenuity in practice: one modification wins long-term cooperation

In 2023, a customer from Peru wanted to develop a wall-mounted cold water faucet that was compatible with local washing machines, but it needed to have a special R2/3 interface thread and the bend angle could not exceed 45 degrees. There was no suitable stock on the market.

YOROOW arranged for R&D engineers to connect with customers and quickly produce three sets of design drawings. The mold was opened in just 9 days. After 3 proofs, the final version was finalized. The customer sent back the test results of the prototype, which showed “perfect installation and no leakage”. More than 12,000 sets of this product have been shipped so far, becoming a hot item in the customer’s offline hardware channel.

YOROOW always believes that winning the market does not depend on “luck orders” but on the precision of each screw. YOROOW is not the cheapest, but it dares to guarantee the most stable and reliable quality, helping customers reduce after-sales and increase repurchase rates, which is the most “real” profit.

YOROOW has always focused on high-quality faucet manufacturing. In order to let customers better understand our professional strength, the following is a detailed explanation of the complete production process of YOROOW faucets from raw materials to finished products《Detailed analysis of the production process of faucet factory》

If you are also looking for a long-term, stable, quality-assured, and service-oriented faucet supply factory, please feel free to contact YOROOW!

V.Export process optimization to meet market challenges

In recent years, affected by changes in global trade policies and fluctuations in shipping prices, many small and medium-sized buyers are faced with challenges such as “difficult customs clearance, high costs, and complicated procedures.” Especially during cross-border holiday promotions, such as “Black Friday,” “Double 11,” and “Christmas season,” port congestion and increased inspection rates during peak periods often lead to delayed delivery and missed sales schedules.

To help customers solve their worries, YOROOW launched a one-stop DDP service (Delivered Duty Paid), which enables “factory direct to customer warehouse” and eliminates the need for customers to deal with tedious customs, taxation and local delivery issues on their own.

✅ I. The service content covers the entire process, suitable for small and medium-sized customers to “enter the market with just a bag”

YOROOW integrates its own and third-party supply chain resources to provide customers with a complete path service from order confirmation to goods delivery:

✅ II. Real case sharing: Peruvian customers changed from “small orders to test the waters” to “year-round stability”

Client Background: A faucet retailer in Lima, Peru, first-time importer with weak English communication skills, limited budget and zero customs clearance experience.

Challenge:

* Local regulations require Spanish labels and product test reports;

* Customers are worried about goods being returned or detained by customs, thus missing out on peak season sales;

* We do not have the logistics processing capabilities and do not have a cooperative customs clearance agency.

YOROOW Solution:

* It is recommended to use the DDP tax-inclusive channel to arrange full-chain transportation from Xiamen warehouse to customer stores in Lima;

* Assist in printing labels that comply with Peruvian SENASA specifications (including water use instructions and installation drawings);

* Provide free third-party test report (salt spray test 72H + heavy metal test);

* Including local import taxes, handling fees, warehousing and delivery services.

✅ Results data:

* The first order is 1,200 sets of cold water faucets, totaling 1.7 CBM, with a delivery period of 28 days;

* The first round of store display sales will be completed 7 days after the customer receives the goods;

* The second batch of orders doubled to 3,000 sets, the unit price increased by 8%, and customized LOGO began;

* Customer feedback: “The YOROOW team is like YOROOW’s purchasing manager in China, allowing YOROOW to focus on the market with peace of mind.”

✅ III. Widely applicable scenarios, especially suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises or “blank market pilot”

DDP service is not only suitable for novice buyers, but also very valuable in the following scenarios:

* Unfamiliarity with customs policies when developing new markets (such as the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, etc.) for the first time;

* When testing new product categories (such as expanding from ordinary faucets to sensors or water purification products), the scale is small and not suitable for the entire cabinet;

* Participating in large-scale e-commerce events/building materials exhibitions requires control of delivery nodes and packaging standards;

* Brand owners have personalized requirements for products, but do not have the ability to integrate proofing and small-batch warehousing.

✅ IV. YOROOW promises: “No shipment if not qualified, no payment if not cleared”

In order to ensure that customers can use DDP services with confidence, YOROOW has set up three safeguards in the process:

* If the product fails the test, it will not be shipped;

*If customs clearance fails, we will be responsible for reissuance or refund;

*The transportation process can be tracked and the entire video/pictures are archived.

VI.Global Customer Case Support

Against the backdrop of rising uncertainty in global foreign trade and frequent adjustments to tax policies in various countries, YOROOW has won high recognition from global customers with its three major advantages of “stable delivery, flexible services, and reliable products.” Through the deployment of social and search platforms such as Facebook, Google, and Xiaohongshu, YOROOW has successfully linked plumbing wholesalers, chain building material stores, and engineering contractors from Brazil, Peru, Colombia, the Philippines, and other countries and regions.

✅ Accurate traffic diversion on multiple platforms, a steady stream of new customer inquiries

✅ Case 1: Brazilian building materials distributor, it only took two months from inquiry to repurchase

Client background: A medium-sized building materials wholesaler from São Paulo, specializing in kitchen faucets and washing machine faucets. He followed YOROOW’s Facebook page and took the initiative to contact us.

Customer demand pain points:

* Hope to find a faucet OEM manufacturer that can accept small batches and can also make private brand LOGO;

* The local import tax is high and the logistics cycle is long. We hope to find a DDP tax-inclusive direct-to-store solution.

Solutions provided by YOROOW:

* Launched a cooperation mechanism with an MOQ of only 200 sets/styles to quickly customize brand LOGOs for customers;

* Arrange samples to be shipped within 3 days, use FedEx to send samples, and deliver to customers in just 6 days;

* We recommend the DDP channel for the Sao Paulo Port, which takes 37 days from order placement to delivery, and no additional operations are required from the customer.

Actual results:

* The first batch of orders is 800 sets of cold water wall-mounted faucets (zinc alloy);

* The second batch of orders increased to 3,000 sets, and the kitchen hot and cold faucet category was expanded;

* Customer message: “YOROOW gives us the confidence to develop steadily in an uncertain market.” (YOROOW gives us the confidence to develop steadily in an uncertain market.)

✅ Case 2: Philippine hardware chain customer took advantage of fast delivery to seize the promotion period

Customer profile: A local hardware supermarket chain in Peru that attends the Philippine Building Materials Exhibition every year. It hopes to find a supplier of new faucets and attaches great importance to stable delivery time and packaging compliance.

Cooperation process:

* Customers contact YOROOW through Google ads and complete product quotation and packaging design within 5 hours;

* The factory starts sampling within 5 days, and the customer inspects the goods through video and places an order directly after confirmation;

* Using DDP service, the delivery time of the entire order is controlled within 32 days, catching up with the Philippines’ “May 1st Building Materials Promotion Festival”.

Highlights:

* Our company designs exclusive hanging tags and printed outer boxes for them, with multi-language labels for one box;

* The customer placed the first order of 1,000 sets, which were sold out within one month;

* Subsequent annual supply agreement will be signed, with 2,000 sets/time replenishment per month.

✅ Selected original customer feedback (translation + original text)

• “Under the pressure of global tax increases, the YOROOW Chinese faucet factory gave YOROOW real certainty and trust.”

“YOROOW China faucet factory gave us real confidence and stability when tariffs around the world were rising.”

• “Fast proofing and one-stop customs clearance service are the main reasons why YOROOW chose you.”

“The quick sampling and DDP clearance were the main reasons we chose you.”

• “Your team responds 24 hours a day, YOROOW feels like having an overseas office.”

“Your team replies within 24 hours – it feels like we have an office in China.”

YOROOW’s global customer service concept is not limited to “shipping”, but also focuses on supporting customers’ actual needs and risk protection. From online enquiries to offline delivery services, YOROOW insists on:

* Start with small orders and grow with big cooperation;

* Quick response, high quality and on-time delivery;

* Win reputation with results and gain customer trust with long-term service.

VII.Made in China is not only powerful, but also warm

In the past, “Made in China” was often labeled as “low price” and “OEM”; but today, it is rapidly transforming into “high quality”, “branding” and “intelligence”. From traditional hardware products such as faucets to overall solutions for smart bathroom and kitchen systems, “Made in China” is no longer synonymous with cheap labor, but a concentrated embodiment of professional capabilities, production efficiency and service awareness.

Faced with challenges such as turbulent international markets, higher customs clearance barriers, and frequent fluctuations in raw materials, Made in China has shown amazing resilience . Take YOROOW as an example. YOROOW not only has a complete industrial chain, but can also flexibly adjust materials, packaging, transportation methods and pricing strategies according to the needs of customers in different countries, and calmly deal with complex situations such as rising tariffs and logistics delays. This ability of “rapid adaptation + solution implementation” is the foundation of Made in China’s continued success.

But in addition to “hard power”, Made in China needs to be injected with ” warmth ” – that is, a people-oriented service mindset and a long-term cooperative attitude. In its cooperation with small and medium-sized brands around the world, YOROOW has found that customers not only need a factory, but also a “trustworthy partner who can grow together.” China faucet factory YOROOW removes barriers for first-time import customers by responding within 24 hours, free proofing, and DDP tax-inclusive delivery. It also helps more companies grow from regional wholesalers to international brands through product customization and brand co-building.

The future manufacturing industry is no longer a cold assembly line, but a community of values that integrates design, marketing, service and culture. A factory that knows how to “provide solutions”, a team that is willing to “think one step further” for customers, and a brand that dares to bear “consequences and results” are truly Chinese manufacturing with international competitiveness.

In the context of the accelerated reconstruction of the global industrial chain, Chinese manufacturing must not only maintain the resilience of cost control , but also have the warmth to understand customers and create value . This is the only way for the new generation of manufacturing companies to reach the center of the world stage.