Turning Challenges into a Long-Term Partnership with a Major U.S. Cork Tile Brand

A major U.S. cork tile brand needed a new manufacturer in China after their supplier raised prices. Then our own factory misquoted — fifteen percent below cost — and the client was unwilling to accept a later increase. FancyFix ran the first order at a loss and said so plainly, on the understanding that later orders would be priced properly. That bought more than five years of repeat orders and expansion into other lines.

Background

FancyFix secured a partnership with a major U.S. cork tile brand. Product we manufacture reaches retail chains like Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, Kmart, and Nitori — under our partners' brands, not ours. The brand operates its own factory in the United States, producing a portion of its self-adhesive products domestically while importing others from China. One of their flagship products, cork tiles, enjoys significant brand recognition in the U.S. market. Due to a significant price increase from their existing supplier, the brand needed a new, reliable cork tile manufacturer in China.

The client's challenges

• High quality requirements. The client had specific requirements for cork-granule size and insisted on a clean, uniform appearance; packaging had to strictly follow the client's specifications.
• Tight pricing. The main contact understood manufacturing costs in China well, which left very limited margins for us.
• Strict delivery deadlines. The client accepted only early deliveries and could not tolerate delays.
• Stringent testing requirements. The products had to pass the client's required chemical-safety and quality testing.
• Initial quotation issue. Due to a factory pricing error, our first quote came in 15% below cost. The client was keen to collaborate but unwilling to accept later price increases.
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How fast a sample can be on the buyer's desk

FancyFix quotes a sample date against one of four clocks, and a buyer replacing a supplier under time pressure — as this brand was — can read off which one their job sits on before committing to their own customers.

Sample route	Lead time
Stock sample of an existing pattern	3–5 days
Custom size or custom packaging sample	7–15 days
Special material	10–20 days
New pattern plate cut	25–35 days

FancyFix treats those four routes as standard for its stock programmes, and a buyer who needs a sampling route outside them can have it built to their requirement.

Our solutions

• Understanding the client's dilemma. FancyFix spoke with the client's China representative, who acknowledged our initial quote was below market. The client was in a difficult position — their existing supplier was no longer viable and timely delivery was critical, so they urgently needed to place orders to meet their own customer commitments.
• Demonstrating commitment. To show our sincerity, we offered to fulfill the first order at a loss, with the understanding that future orders would be at adjusted prices. This demonstrated our commitment to a long-term partnership, which the client appreciated and communicated to their U.S. counterparts.
• Finding a mediator. When negotiations over future pricing stalled, we enlisted the client's China representative and offered a small additional adjustment to start the partnership, bridging the gap and leading to the order.
• Clearing the testing requirement, not just agreeing to it. FancyFix inspects incoming material, in-process work and finished goods against the sample the buyer has already approved, and a buyer who wants to verify that independently can bring their own inspector onto the line. For a brand whose own retail customers set the chemical-safety bar, that three-pass check is what makes an early delivery date safe to promise, because a batch that fails at the finished-goods stage has not yet shipped. Compliance documentation is prepared for the market a programme sells into — FancyFix has prepared it for the United States, Europe, Australia and Japan — and the reports can be issued in FancyFix's own entity when a programme requires it.
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The results

Running that first order at a loss — and saying so plainly — led to a long-term relationship with this U.S. cork tile brand, spanning over five years of regular repeat orders and expansion into other product lines.

The expansion into other product lines worked because the capacity was already there: FancyFix prints, coats, cuts and packs decorative and functional film on PVC and PET base film at 2 million meters a month across more than 600 SKUs, spanning window film, wall coverings, floor and furniture film, and craft vinyl. Local stock sits in CA, PA, IL and GA in the US, plus Germany, the UK and Australia, so a US brand adding a second line is not waiting on one shipment to find out whether that line sells. FancyFix quotes those figures as its standard position, and a buyer who needs a different stocking or packing arrangement can have it built to their requirement.

Conclusion

• Short-term loss for long-term gain. Accepting an initial loss can pave the way for a profitable long-term relationship.
• Proactively solving problems. Helping clients overcome their challenges fosters growth for both parties.
• Detailed, responsive service. Listening closely and offering professional, customized solutions builds strong, trust-based relationships.