International Sourcing · Europe · Established Product Range

Assessing feasibility before committing to development

A European customer approached Welburn while exploring India as an additional sourcing destination for candles. The customer already had established products and specifications — so the requirement was not to create an entirely new range, but to understand which products could practically be manufactured at our facility, and how closely we could meet their existing requirements.

About the Client

A European customer with an established candle range

The customer already had established products and specifications, and was exploring India as an additional sourcing destination alongside their existing supply base.

The Challenge

Matching an existing range to a new facility’s capabilities

01 — Assessing what could practically be manufactured. While many candle formats can be produced using our existing manufacturing setup, some requirements may need changes in dimensions, tooling, raw materials or packaging.

02 — Identifying where changes were needed. Our team reviewed the requirements against our existing manufacturing capabilities to flag where adjustments would be required before any sampling began.

03 — Confirming commercial viability. In certain cases, developing a particular product may not be commercially practical at the expected volumes — a point best raised early rather than discovered late.

Our Approach

Feasibility first, then sampling

01 — Starting with the existing product. The customer shared product specifications, packaging details and, for selected items, reference samples. Our team reviewed these against our existing manufacturing capabilities, and these points were normally discussed with the customer before moving too far into development.

02 — Sampling and evaluation. For the products that were suitable for development, initial samples were prepared based on the agreed specifications and evaluated for dimensions, weight, appearance and burn performance. Feedback from the customer was incorporated wherever changes were required.

03 — Packaging reviewed separately. Packaging was reviewed based on the customer’s branding, pack configuration and export requirements, with a few rounds of discussion and adjustment before both sides were comfortable with the proposed specifications.

04 — Production planning. Once products and commercial terms were agreed, the selected items could be planned for manufacturing in India, taking into account raw-material availability, packaging lead times and expected order quantities.

The Outcome

A new sourcing option, built on an honest feasibility assessment

The project provided the customer with an additional sourcing option from India for selected candle categories. For Welburn, it was also representative of the way we typically work with international customers who already have established candle ranges: rather than assuming that every existing product can be replicated exactly, we first understand the requirement, assess manufacturing feasibility, and then develop samples for the products that are a good fit for our facility.