Oregon Legal Research Blog
The Oregonian, in the Saturday Business section (8/4/07, byline Richard Read), ran an interesting story, “Made Safely in China” about a local business owner who knows the perils, pitfalls, and preventive actions to take when contracting for services abroad.
Bloom, 58, occupies an increasingly popular niche as matchmaker between U.S. firms and China’s voracious manufacturing machine. He entered the business early — 20 years ago, during the telex era, long before China became the world’s factory floor — so his experience is instructive. A tightly focused engineer with a full white beard, collar-length hair and rimless glasses, Bloom says: “We’ve probably learned from every mistake one could make and still survive.”
At a recent Northwest China Council luncheon, Bloom packed the back room of Chinatown’s House of Louie restaurant, addressing representatives of firms from Gunderson Inc. to Expeditors International of Washington Inc. The students and practitioners of international business soaked up Bloom’s step-by-step offshoring approach.
“The most important thing you can do, bar none, is to choose the right factory,” Bloom said. “If you choose the wrong factory, you are guaranteed to fail.”