Currently, there are two major parties of cannabis vape suppliers in the market:
The United States local distributors consist of cannabis vape device distributors, packers, and oil filling machines to provide a comprehensive and complete service for their clients.
A completely opposite from the local American local distributor. China-based suppliers are equipped with more customization and lower costs.
Currently, there are multiple China-based cannabis vape manufacturers or suppliers actively establishing an oversea presence and collaborating with the United States’ distributors. As the pandemic marred travel freedom, Cilicon has suspended the United States’ local offices operating in the last two years. However, we are going to reinstate the operation in 2022 and we will have three different offices in three different states across the country to better serve our customers in the U.S.
There are multiple credible forums and websites such as Reddit, Future4200, and MjBizDaily which you can access freely online to gather more information about the credible suppliers straight from the client’s and professional’s point of view.
Most of the manufacturers of cannabis vaping are in China. Therefore, the most reliable and popular B2B marketplace is Alibaba. Unfortunately, the current strict regulation by the Chinese officials has restricted the access of clients to the website from the United States. Furthermore, the keyword related to vaping and cannabis is mostly blocked today. As the result, despite its influence and popularity, Alibaba has made the effort of manufacturers to sell their products through their website become futile. It is also important to remember the ability of any sellers both verified and unverified to sell their products on the various online platforms. Hence, creating an overly saturated market filled with low-quality cannabis vaporizers may dwindle the vaping experience. However, in the third part of this article, we will be educating you on how to evaluate a Chinese supplier’s strengths and credibility.
Google Search Engine Optimization is highly integrated with the content and keywords of various websites. When we are looking to identify suppliers for cannabis vaporizers, Google’s world’s best search engine will be able to redirect the clients to find out about the supplier’s information through simple keywords such as the following: ‘Cannabis Vape Suppliers’, ‘Cannabis Vape Hardware’, ‘Cannabis Vape Manufacturer’, ‘Cannabis Vape Solution’, and many more. However, those alone are still not enough to manually select the best supplier for the client.
Targeting and advertising cookies can be one of the best places to find a supplier. Although it is an indirect channel, oftentimes, it attracts potential clients who are not even intentionally seeking a specific cannabis vape manufacturer or supplier.
The professional and formal exhibitions are held physically or even online. They are often a great event to identify the most suitable supplier for each customer’s needs. (eg. MJBIZCON, CWCB, and many more)
The best and the most traditional channel would be the recommendation from satisfied clients. A customer talking about their experience is worth ten times that which ones say about themselves.
The most effective auditing or evaluation process for Chinese suppliers is through an on-site visit. Unfortunately, the pandemic has prevented many cannabis vape enthusiasts from doing so. In this section, there are several aspects that can be evaluated to determine the strengths and credibility of suppliers even without the physical presence on-site, and those features are:
Time or the year of establishment could show the clients the credibility of a business. Therefore, such information can significantly impact the decision of potential clients toward a cannabis vape supplier or manufacturer. Furthermore, in most cases, the longer a business exists, the more experience they have to provide more insights to the customers. The cannabis vaporizing equipment is continuously improved. Initially, electronic vaporizers are only manufactured for a nicotine-based cigarettes. However, after a long journey of R&D and the company’s expertise improvement, the latest and most advanced cannabis vape can be developed today.
There are many former employees from established companies who tried to open their own brand of cannabis vaporizers. However, compared to the manufacturer or suppliers which were incorporated a long time ago, the ability to assess risks, research and development data, and experience in dealing with clients may still be behind.
Refer to: Cilion’s Partner Success Stories
Since the year of establishment is a crucial aspect in determining a cannabis vape supplier or manufacturer, many companies falsify their information to illegally steal the market share. Therefore, it is recommended for cannabis vape enthusiasts to perform research and cross-check the information from various sources. One of the best ways is to find information about a company from reliable B2B platform websites such as Tradewheel, Globalsources, Made-in-China, and DHgate.
Despite the small and compact size of cannabis vaporizers, they actually require extensive technical troubleshoot and research to achieve the iteration we have today. Therefore, in making sure the reliability of a manufacturer to create and produce the latest technology in the market, R&D capacity is also an important factor to be considered. Three of the indicators within this field can be used as the rule of thumb:
(1)The size or the number of members within the R&D team.
(2)The equipment and technology used for R&D
(3)Number of patents produced
(4)R&D expense compared to the similar business within the same industry
Until today, only several cannabis vape products in the market have actually achieved the ROI of their investment in automation machinery, cannabis vape production still relies upon manual labor. Therefore, the number of employees can be generally used as an indicator of whether the employees are capable and able to effectively produce products in a timely manner.
The supply chain correlation with location is pertinent. Therefore, choosing a location to identify where there are many manufacturers located in the same place would be easier to save time rather than finding them in various provinces across China where they are rather scattered everywhere. It is also important to note that most of the highest quality cannabis vapes are manufactured in Shenzhen, Guangdong.
A cannabis vaporizer is used by direct contact between the device’s mouthpiece and the user’s mouth. Furthermore, the vapor is inhaled through the nose before it enters the lung. Therefore, for the safety, health, and hygiene standards, the production plant must be disinfected while maintaining the highest standard of the manufacturing procedure.
The advantages of a fully automated production line is emphasized upon the consistency of product quality and zero down time which enables a manufacturing plant to continue producing vape devices without further delay at the maximum capacity 24/7. However, a simple automated production line would not be sufficient to meet the expectation of the market. Therefore, market research is the best way for manufacturers to receive the best feedback to improve product quality, recognition, and benefits.
Despite being a highly competitive market, cannabis vaporizing device manufacturers can be set apart from the rest of its pack by identifying their history on whether they have produced a well-known product. Furthermore, the consistency of the products in receiving positive feedback can also be used to determine the reputation of a company. There are several well-known products in the market such as ALD Group’s AC1003, CCELL’s TH2, M6T, Itsuwa Little Red Riding Hood. Currently, there are also new emerging products such as CILICON SOLO 1 and BBTANK X which have been perceived very well by the market.
There are several certifications that are often obtained by big cannabis vape manufacturing plants such as:
(1)RoHS – It is a certification rewarded if a company manages to comply by testing their products and making sure they are free from the 10 banned substances. Therefore, an RoHS compliance firm’s product will not contain Cadmium, Lead, Hexavalent chromium, Mercury, PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP above 1000ppm except for the cadmium which is strictly limited to 100ppm.
(2)CE/EMC – Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) requires all products sold in the EU to be CE marked. The EMC testing must be done to ensure the level of electromagnetic emissions generated by a device does not exceed the required amount by the EU directive. This test can be done through an EU Notified Body or done internally.
(3)MSDS – The Material Safety Data Sheet is a document prepared if a hazardous chemical is used in the workplace. Furthermore, it also assesses the physical and chemical characteristics of those chemical ingredients to make sure the safety of human health. Therefore, a company that has successfully obtained MSDS documentation is able to prove its compliance in providing safety to its clients.
(4)GMP –Good Manufacturing Practices is required for Cannabis Vape manufacturer as the product will be used simultaneously with cannabis THC or CBD oil which are part of the medicinal substance.
(5)ISO – The International Organization for Standardization issues the ISO certification to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems. It is by far the golden standard of manufacturing and is often requested to separate a well-established firm from those who are not qualified. The ISO-certified company can ensure the consistency of their products and also the working environment.
(6)Heavy Metal Testing – A test conducted to measure the involvement of heavy metal exposure in finished products. To pass the heavy metals testing, the company must be able to ensure their products do not exceed the acceptable number of heavy metals contained in the product.
The goal of obtaining those certifications is to ensure the manufacturing plants are able to meet the high standard of regulation while making sure the users of the product are not harmed.
It is very crucial for manufacturers or suppliers to be able to station their internal operation team in the United States to ensure the ability to support the clients with technical or even marketing questions. A credible manufacturer shall be able to fulfill this requirement to ensure the satisfaction of the clients.
The quality of after-sales service is very important. A company that emphasizes on after-sales service shows their confidence and respect to their clients in establishing a long-term business relationship. Electronic devices do not always work as intended despite numerous quality assurance and control processes during the production stage. However, a trustworthy company will be able to honor the after-sales service despite its lack of profitability as a courtesy in making sure the clients’ satisfaction and ease of mind.
The availability of the physical presence of a brand is very crucial in ensuring the quality and standard of the product are always maintained. It is also one of the best ways to emphasize the credibility and quality of the manufacturer or supplier. Cilicon as one of the most prominent manufacturers in the world offers strong customizability through its strong OEM and ODM. Furthermore, Cilicon is also deploying its offices in the United States to provide better-localized services for both after-sales and even interest registration inquiries. We would like to make sure that you have all the support you need to maximize the potential of thriving in the cannabis vaporizer industry. Should you have the interest to start your venture in this industry, make sure to reach out to us at info@ciliconplus.com
