Case Study: U.S. OEM Transitions from China to India — King Group’s Metal Stamping Expertise Redefines Efficiency and Cost

A leading U.S.-based OEM in the electrical infrastructure and hardware sector had been sourcing a key structural component from a contract manufacturer in China. The part was critical to their final product — a metal bracket assembly used in high-volume production.

While the Chinese supplier delivered acceptable quality, the component design required three separate parts to be fabricated using laser cutting and bending, then manually welded and assembled. This process led to:

• Long lead times
• Inconsistent welding quality
• High dependency on manual labor
• Rising costs due to U.S.-China tariffs
• Logistical risks and delays exacerbated by global shipping disruptions

The customer began searching for a more reliable and cost-effective partner outside China, with a strong preference for Indian manufacturing, considering India's growing reputation for precision engineering and stable trade relations.

After a detailed analysis, King Group proposed a complete design re-engineering of the part. Instead of fabricating and welding three pieces together, the part was converted into a single metal stamping using a progressive die tool. This involved:

• Collaborating closely with the client’s engineering team to finalize tolerances
• Designing and building a custom progressive die in-house
• Running initial samples for functional testing
• Ensuring tooling life and repeatability for long-term production
• Scaling production rapidly to meet monthly demand

• Cost Reduction: Achieved a 30% overall cost saving, eliminating labor-intensive welding and reducing scrap
• Lead Time Improvement: Production time per part dropped by over 40%, allowing faster shipping cycles
• Enhanced Quality: Consistent dimensional accuracy and finish thanks to automated stamping
• Tariff Relief: Complete shift away from Chinese sourcing helped the customer avoid steep import tariffs
• Stronger Supply Chain: India-based production provided more predictable logistics and transparent communication
• Increased Throughput: Automated stamping enabled production of thousands of parts per day with minimal setup time
• Eco-Friendly Process: Reduced energy consumption by eliminating welding and reducing material waste
• Improved Part Performance: Single-piece design increased structural strength and eliminated weld failures
• Future-Ready Tooling: The die was designed to accommodate future part revisions with minimal investment
• Customer Satisfaction: The U.S. customer reported fewer returns, fewer quality issues, and a stronger partnership outlook

This project is a strong example of how King Group enables global OEMs to de-risk their supply chains and enhance profitability through smart engineering and stamping innovations. By transitioning away from a manual, fragmented process in China to a streamlined, automated stamping solution in India, the customer gained in quality, speed, and cost — without sacrificing reliability or scalability.