KOAKOA
Doing business right in China made easy.
Chris Barber, owner of Koakoa has worked with Jeremy from Linkeight across two very different businesses.
Five years ago, he engaged Linkeight to support his work at the time for Securely, for which Linkeight arranged the purchase, production oversight and delivery of their alarm systems.
Several years later, Chris has moved on to establish his own exciting new business, Koakoa, which produces and distributes world-class limoncello, vodka and gin. The total piece of mind he experienced working with Linkeight previously drove him to engage them again, this time for his own business.
Chris initially contracted the team to source an automated bottle labelling machine, the business had identified that bottle labelling was one of their most laborious and challenging components of their production line – it was a complete bottleneck (excuse the pun!)
Labelling was being done via a single bottle labelling machine which was a highly manual process and also meant inconsistent placement of labels and overall, an inefficient use of time. One of their new gin bottle designs meant that applying by hand was no longer an option and at that point Chris didn’t know what a labelling solution looked like.
Stress removed.
Linkeight were quickly able to understand their business and production process as well as the need to accommodate multiple SKUs and different sized bottles. From there, Linkeight were able to match a labelling machine solution that met their needs and was also within budget.
Chris shares his thoughts on navigating this process with Linkeight;
“We could have tried to jump on the internet and find something ourselves but having Linkeight as a trusted partner made the process quick and it took away the stress, they have a fantastic understanding of our business and processes. Jeremy came back to us with three options at different price points which delivered on our space restrictions, efficiency gains and functionality requirements. In the end we landed on one option, but we really appreciated the level of research and we’re very confident in our final decision.”
The bottle labelling machine was custom built for Koakoa to fit into their production environment (one piece of their full production puzzle). From this one piece of machinery they can in the future add on different production modules such as washing, filling, cap placement, shrink sleave and packing into boxes. This will allow them to stage their move into full automation.
Installed and ready to go.
After arrival into New Zealand, the machine was installed and commissioned by the Linkeight team and is now fully operational.
“We are gin-makers not engineers, so the new bottle labelling machine has enabled us to focus on our core business, it has increased efficiency, reduced stress and we are now well positioned for growth and scale in the next few years. The machine has exceeded our expectations and the after-service provided by Linkeight has been outstanding, they even created a staff friendly document on how to use it correctly. We had one minor set-back with the machine, but Jeremy had the Senior Product Engineer in China on the phone within minutes, the mana that he has with those factories is gold.”
The new labelling machine in action.
Eye-catching custom-made glass bottles.
After experiencing first-hand the efficiencies that the custom bottle labelling machine allowed, Koakoa were interested to look at other ways in which Linkeight could add value to their business. Through factory partners in China, Linkeight have been able to produce an eye catching, custom-made glass bottle for Koakoa’s vodka and gin offerings which includes the embossing of New Zealand along the bottom and The Bond Store (a sub brand) along the top. This has given the bottle a premium look and finish which is particularly important to Koakoa’s market position and in particular the export market where the New Zealand identity is key.
“Previously the supply for our glass vodka and gin bottles came out of France, we began to experience issues with shipments and timeframes so were interested in exploring a custom option sourced from China. The Linkeight team were able to guide us through the process of moving from “just-in-time” sourcing to contract manufacturing a premium made-for-purpose bottle, shipped in bulk. Their experience in that space has been invaluable.” – says Chris.
Linkeight now manage the full bottle manufacturing process from design to sampling, production and shipping through to a third-party logistics (3PL) service out of their Kāpiti warehouse and are exploring other bottle options for their limoncello lines.
An ongoing trusted relationship with a seamless process.
As a result of working together for over eight years, Chris and Jeremy now have a seamless process in place. Chris admits, “We are not import specialists so having a trust partner in Linkeight means we can focus on what we do best and not be distracted by the details and logistics of importing.”
Linkeight ensures that Chris receives regular reviews ‘on the ground’ in China including pictures of the factory to reassure him of quality control and product integrity. Jeremy also offers insight, due to his many years of experience in China, regarding opportunities he observes within the supply chain from a plants and machinery standpoint. This, in turn, flows into Koakoa’s strategic planning and forecasting.
“Having Linkeight as a middleman is actually very financially accessible and cost effective. What it saves us is the associated stress of dealing with potential risk or changes that we can’t see or anticipate. He shoulders those intangibles and makes them tangible. He gives us confidence to get the job done and that’s invaluable. I have referred Linkeight to many others and will continue to do so.”
For more information on Koakoa please visit: www.thebondstore.co.nz
Industrial Product Sourcing
Off-the-shelf product solutions at the most profitable level.
Industrial Product Sourcing with Linkeight provides you a business and support system that manages the risk of dealing with global manufacturers. It is a method that focuses on sourcing quality products, and delivering them on time, at the right price, consistently.
Talk to us about:
- Factory fit
- Sampling
- Quality assurance
- Shipping and logistics
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes we can, provide us a 3D CAD file or we can create that using our designer. We can prototype through 3D printing or CNC machining (utilising CAM software).
We specialise in plastic and metals but have also worked with glass, foams and wood.
We can accept 3D native files from most CAD software packages (preferably .stp or .IGS). 2D files (.dxf or .dwg) with pdf working files to accompany. Linkeight can provide these file types for you if required.
Quality controls are specific by customer but typically include material checks, dimensional validation, finishing validation checks (includes paint, powder coating, galvanizing). The rate of checking is typically 1-5% of production quantity, at random. Checking rates will increase to as high as 20% if any issues are found.
Yes, design can include conceptual 3D designs, finalisation of 3D design and 2D working files.
Bulk production supply generally take 90 days as a guide after the design is finalised but is dependent on the complexity of the product.
Production lead time could be as fast as 15-20 days.
We stand by our supplier partners who are experts in their fields and most issues can be resolved fairly quickly.
Depending on the manufacturing process, costs can vary and include set up charges for moulds in addition to the price per unit. Typically our quoted price is FIS to our clients premise. As we trade in USD there may be some price fluctuation between orders from time to time.
No, this is included in our unit pricing for delivered goods.
In New Zealand dollars direct to the nominated Linkeight bank account.
