China suppliers after a business partner split
Start by asking a solicitor to clarify the split, ownership and any restrictions. Rebuild a product brief from records you can use, verify replacement factories, document tooling custody and test a small production order before scaling up. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate supplier checks and sourcing with its own staff in China.
Establish what you can use before approaching factories
Make an asset list covering designs, moulds, tooling, drawings, the brand and packaging artwork. Record the claimed owner, supporting documents, current holder and missing information for each item. Gather development agreements, invoices, correspondence and the separation documents. Ask a solicitor to establish ownership and review any restrictions on contacting suppliers, sharing files or continuing the product. This guide covers sourcing, not legal advice on the split.
Keep ownership questions separate from physical possession. Having a drawing file or knowing where a mould sits does not settle the rights question. For UK copyright transfers, government guidance requires a written agreement signed by the copyright owner. Ask your solicitor to check the relevant documents before sharing disputed artwork or drawings with a replacement factory.
Rebuild a product brief that does not depend on your partner
Use records your solicitor has cleared for use: retained samples, specifications, material details, inspection reports, packaging files and customer feedback. Record tolerances, finishes, functional checks and known defects. Mark missing information as unknown rather than asking a factory to guess. If the original tooling is unavailable, ask candidates to explain what they would need to recreate production.
Search for factories already making products with similar materials and processes. Send candidates the same brief so their proposals are comparable. Ask which operations they perform themselves, what they subcontract and what changes they propose. Use our factory audit checklist for the detailed assessment, then keep the technical contact, quotation and assessment records in a shared company folder.
Check a claimed old factory as carefully as a replacement
A contact claiming to be your former factory may be a trading company with access to similar goods. Ask for its business licence and Chinese registered name. Search the name or unified social credit code in the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System. Compare the company record with the licence and check whether its business scope describes relevant manufacturing or only trading activities. Our factory or trading company guide explains the checks.
Registry information is a starting point, not proof that this site made your old product. Compare records you can use from previous orders with the company now approaching you. Ask for a live walk-through showing signage, the relevant machines and work in progress. Request evidence of who operates the production site and arrange an independent visit if the account remains unclear. Cambridge China Bridge's China staff can help through factory verification.
Control designs and tooling during the move
Share only the files a candidate needs for the current assessment. Keep a release log showing the recipient, purpose and drawing revision. Ask your solicitor to review confidentiality, permitted use and ownership wording before releasing sensitive files or commissioning replacement tooling. Use our IP and tooling guide for the broader preparation.
Once your solicitor has clarified the authority to move tooling, arrange a documented handover. Photograph the moulds, inserts and fixtures; record identifying marks, condition, location and the receiving contact. Have the replacement factory assess compatibility before transport. Agree how tooling will be stored, maintained and released, and record changes to drawings or moulds. Do not arrange removal of disputed assets without your solicitor's advice.
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Use a small production order to test the rebuilt chain
Agree the trial's acceptance criteria before production: dimensions, materials, finish, function, packaging and the documents you expect. Approve a sample made using the intended production materials, tooling and process, then inspect goods drawn from the actual trial batch. Our sampling guide explains the sample stages; the additional task here is checking that the replacement can reproduce the product you intend to keep selling.
Record defects, technical responses, document gaps and any unapproved changes. Resolve failures and verify the corrections before increasing orders. Budget for sampling, tooling assessment, transport and inspection in words rather than assuming the old cost structure still applies. Cambridge China Bridge can help arrange a small trial order. Keep supplier contacts and production records accessible to authorised colleagues so continuity no longer depends on a partner's inbox.
Frequently asked questions
How do I replace China suppliers after a partner split?
Ask a solicitor to clarify ownership and restrictions, rebuild a product brief from records you can use, qualify replacement factories and test a small production order before scaling up.
Can I use the old designs and moulds after the split?
Ask your solicitor to establish ownership, permitted use and any restrictions. Gather agreements, invoices and separation documents. Keep disputed files and tooling out of the transfer until the position is clear.
How do I know if a contact is really my old factory?
Compare its licence and registry record with previous records you can use. Check manufacturing scope, watch a live production walk-through and verify who operates the site. Similar samples alone do not prove identity.
Should I place a small order with the replacement factory?
Use a small production order to check repeatability against an approved sample and written criteria. Inspect the actual batch, resolve defects and verify corrections before increasing orders.