Our practice, step by step
- Our title block on your drawing. Your company name, logo, approver names and internal part numbers are replaced by our title block and drawing number before any file leaves Hong Kong. The original stays with us.
- Qualified factories only. Drawings go only to factories that have passed qualification, and only for the stage they are at. Where possible, early quotations are made on a capability description; the full drawing goes to the shortlist.
- Samples routed through Wizea. Samples travel from the factory to our Shenzhen point, are inspected and re-packed with our label, and then travel to you.
- Partial file sets. Each factory receives what it needs to make its part. Assemblies, firmware, PCB files and mating parts are separate disclosures, made only where needed.
- NNN agreements in the Chinese language. We sign NNN agreements, in the Chinese language and in the factory's registered Chinese name, with the factories we work with.
- Your identity, your decision. Your company is named to the factory only if you decide it should be.
NDA and NNN: what each covers
| Attribute | NDA | NNN agreement for China |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Disclosure of confidential information | Non-use (the factory uses your design only for your orders), non-disclosure, non-circumvention |
| Language and law | Usually English and the buyer's home law | Chinese, under Chinese law, with jurisdiction at a court close to the factory |
| Counterparty name | As written in the agreement | The registered Chinese name, with company chop and business licence attached |
| Remedy | Damages as proven | Liquidated damages set in the agreement |
| Best use | Agreements between buyer and intermediary, or with international partners | Agreements with mainland manufacturers, drafted by counsel who practises in China |
An NNN works best together with the practices above. For brand protection, it is worth registering your trademarks and, where relevant, design patents in China, in your name, before the first RFQ.
Protection we apply by part type
| Part type | What we apply |
|---|---|
| Commodity components to datasheet | Standard confidentiality of your identity and volumes |
| Build-to-print mechanical and cable parts | Our title block, partial file sets, NNN, qualified factories only |
| Custom connectors, magnetics, tooled parts | Tooling ownership in writing, tooling register, NNN; trademark registration worth doing |
| Assemblies with firmware or proprietary PCB layout | Disclosure split across suppliers; firmware loading kept with you; NNN; design registration worth doing |
Short answers on this topic
How are drawings protected when sourcing in China?
With a combination of practices: a neutral title block, qualified-factory-only disclosure, sample routing, partial file sets and an NNN agreement (non-use, non-disclosure, non-circumvention) in the Chinese language, under Chinese law, in the factory's registered Chinese name.
What do you remove from a drawing before it reaches a factory?
Company name, logo, approver names, internal part numbers and anything that identifies the end product or customer. Our title block and drawing number replace them.
Will the factory know who I am if I work through Wizea?
Only if you decide it should. Drawings carry our title block, samples route through us, and the factory works with our Shenzhen team in Mandarin.
Do you sign NNN agreements with factories?
Yes, in the Chinese language, with the factories we work with, and we combine them with title-block replacement, sample routing and qualified-factory-only disclosure.
Who owns the tooling made from my drawing?
Whatever the order says, agreed before production. By default, tooling you pay for is yours, held at the factory for your programme and listed in a tooling register.
Other questions buyers ask first
Your first order from Asia
Quotation, one payment, consolidation and inspection, collection by your forwarder and import, explained in plain words.
Read the guideFactory qualificationHow we qualify a factory
The eight qualification steps, how we read a business scope, how we verify an ISO certificate, and the path from qualification to repeatable supply.
Read the guideCounterparty modelsTrading company, factory and Wizea: how the models compare
A side-by-side table, when each model fits, what Wizea carries for you, and how Wizea earns its margin.
Read the guideCounterfeit avoidanceOur counterfeit-avoidance controls
What our inspection looks at, when a lot goes to a laboratory, AS6081 and AS6171 explained, and what you receive with each lot.
Read the guideTell us what you buy, and how often
A drawing, a BOM or one hard-to-find line, in any format. Add annual quantity and delivery rhythm, and we propose the programme.