What factory-direct actually looks like in practice.
Real results from real sourcing projects. Client names are withheld by agreement, but the numbers and outcomes are real. This is what changes when you remove the middlemen.
Apparel brand scaled from €2M to 8-figure revenue
A performance apparel brand needed to cut unit costs to fund growth. We moved sourcing from UK-based importing agents to factory-direct from Guangzhou and Foshan, restructured the supplier base, and built in pre-shipment QC as standard.
Client identity withheld at their request.
Results
- Cut landed cost per unit by 43% vs previous supply chain
- Supplier base consolidated from 7 to 3 primary factories
- QC rejection rate dropped from 8% to under 1%
- Brand grew to 8-figure annual revenue over 4 years
Hotel chain full fit-out at 45% under Irish wholesale cost
A hotel group fitting out three new properties in Ireland needed furniture, lighting, ceramics, and FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment). All categories were priced against Irish and UK supply. Factory-direct from Foshan (furniture + ceramics) and Zhongshan (lighting) came in 45% under the best Irish wholesale quote.
Total project value: €800,000+. Client identity withheld.
Results
- 45% below Irish wholesale across all FF&E categories
- CE compliance verified across all products before shipment
- Full container delivery coordinated to site — no Irish importer middleman
- Project delivered on schedule across all three properties
Electronics retailer cut landed cost by 52%
A specialist electronics retailer was buying through an Irish importer who sourced via Alibaba trading companies. We identified the actual manufacturer in Shenzhen, negotiated directly, and reduced the supply chain from 4 layers to 1.
Category: consumer electronics accessories. Client identity withheld.
Results
- 52% reduction in landed cost vs previous supply chain
- Lead times reduced by 8 days on average
- Fake CE documentation identified and replaced with legitimate certification
- Order volume increased 3x as margins improved
Construction contractor sourced structural materials, CE compliant, at 38% below quoted UK price
A fit-out contractor needed aluminium profiles, sanitaryware, and commercial lighting for a large commercial fit-out. All products required CE marking and product compliance documentation. We sourced direct from Henan (aluminium), Foshan (sanitaryware), and Zhongshan (commercial lighting), with full compliance documentation provided before delivery.
Project size: €220,000. Client identity withheld.
Results
- 38% below best UK supply quote, landed in Ireland
- All products supplied with valid CE and EU Declaration of Conformity
- NSAI-format compliance documentation provided for each product category
- Delivered on a phased schedule matching site programme
Want results like these?
Send me a brief. I'll tell you what your product category actually costs at factory gate — and what you should be paying.
Get a Sourcing Quote →