How a Consumer Electronics OEM Used Trade Data to Shape Its Southeast Asia Manufacturing Strategy

Client Background 

A leading consumer electronics OEM was evaluating Southeast Asia as a potential manufacturing and sourcing hub for product assembly. The company relied on a complex network of suppliers for PCBs, semi-finished modules, battery components, and other essential inputs, and sought to expand its footprint beyond its existing locations. 

Client’s Challenge 

The client needed to compare three Southeast Asian countries as candidates for new assembly and sourcing operations but lacked the trade intelligence necessary to make an informed decision. They required clarity on: 

• Component-level import dependency and reliability.
• The maturity and resilience of each country’s trade infrastructure.
• Tariff exposure and logistics constraints that shape total landed cost.
• Whether domestic sourcing was viable or if re-export reliance posed long-term risks.
• A data-backed evaluation across 30+ critical electronic components was essential to guide manufacturing location selection and procurement planning. 

How Mordor Intelligence Helped 

• Granular Trade Flow Analysis: Mapped four years of import data across 30+ HS-coded components in all shortlisted markets, focusing on PCBs, battery cells, passive components, and semi-finished modules.
• Component-Level Exposure Benchmarking: Analyzed import concentration, sourcing stability, re-export dependency, and early signals of emerging domestic capabilities.
• Expert Validation and Tariff Assessment: Conducted interviews with logistics operators, regional traders, and electronics supply specialists to evaluate tariffs, customs processes, port efficiency, and domestic conversion capacity.
• Client-Centric Comparative Dashboard: Delivered a ranked assessment of each country based on component availability, cost predictability, logistics maturity, and sourcing risk, aligned with the client’s expansion and cost-modeling workflows.

Key Findings

• One country showed high dependence on re-export hubs, creating sourcing volatility.
• Battery cells and several PCB variants exhibited inconsistent availability in two markets.
• Tariff analysis revealed an unexpected cost advantage for one country.
• Significant differences in logistics maturity and customs clearance cycles shaped feasibility for time-sensitive components.

Our Industry Coverage 

Mordor Intelligence supports companies with specialized supply and trade intelligence. Our capabilities include: 

• Supply Chain Analysis
• Procurement Intelligence
• Component Trade Analytics
• Manufacturing Footprint Assessment
• Import-Export Benchmarking

Every engagement is tailored to the client’s expansion goals, risk posture, and product architecture.