Chengyi exported US$17.6 million worth of sunglasses in 2003, representing 4 percent growth from the previous year.

Eighty percent of the company's exports are ODM orders, the rest being OEM deals. Its clients include famous brands as Guess, Polaroid, Next, Alpina, Fossil and Puma. Main export markets are the United States and the European Union each with 40 percent share. The company also exports to Asia and other regions.

The company emphasizes its design capability and fast turnaround. Because its facilities are highly automated, it can produce a sample in one day, far less than the industry average of one week. In fact, Chengyi produces 40 to 50 new designs each month.

The company has obtained an ISO- 9001-2000 certification from SGS. Its products also meet the FDA standards of the US.

Products
Chengyi manufactures reading glasses and optical frames, as well as sunglasses, stressing that it is capable of effective R&D and design work in all three areas.

Most sunglasses are midrange and high-end models, with FOB prices averaging US$20 per dozen. But the company also accepts high-volume orders of low-end products. In fact, Chengyi has handled a premium order from Burger King that required delivery of 11 million pairs of sunglasses in three months.

Besides plastic and metal sunglasses, Chengyi has started producing a new line of sunglasses that are made of acetate. Production is still small but the supplier is hopeful that demand for these models will grow.

Mostly acrylic, PC and polarized lenses are offered. Chengyi purchases low-end and midrange lenses from Taiwan-invested suppliers in Xiamen. High-end lenses and certain midrange versions are sourced from Japan and the United States.

The company purchases more than half of its frame materials from overseas suppliers. While most of the materials for plastic frames are sourced locally, stainless steel is sourced from Taiwan and Germany, and nickel silver comes from Japan and South Korea. Monel is purchased in Germany, high nickel alloy and titanium come from Japan, and aluminum alloy is sourced in Switzerland, South Korea and Taiwan.

Manufacturing
Chengyi operates a 12,000sqm factory at its headquarters in Xiamen, Fujian province, and employs a total of 1,700 workers. At present, the company produces 1.4 million pairs of sunglasses a month, about 100,000 million pairs fewer than its maximum monthly capa

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