We run a full custom cable manufacturing service from our Shenzhen facility — not just assembly, but sourcing, engineering review, production, testing, packaging, and shipping to your end customer if that’s what you need. Most clients come to us for one of three reasons: their current supplier is missing deadlines, they want to consolidate cable assembly and wire harness work with one factory, or they need an ODM partner who can help design from scratch. We handle projects from 100-piece prototypes to 100,000-unit annual volume. Lead time typically runs 10–14 days for repeat orders; longer if tooling or custom connectors are involved.
What Is Custom Cable Manufacturing?
Custom cable manufacturing means building cables, harnesses, or flexible circuits to a customer’s specific drawing rather than selling off-the-shelf parts. Everything we make falls into this category — we don’t sell stock cables from a catalog. Every project starts with either a drawing, a Bill of Materials, a sample to reverse-engineer, or a conversation about what the end product needs to do.
This sits alongside our three product categories: cable assembly (LVDS, eDP, micro-coaxial, RF, medical), wire harness (automotive, battery, industrial, waterproof), and FFC and FPC (flexible flat cable and printed circuits). Custom manufacturing is how these actually get built — with engineering input, traceable sourcing, certified workmanship, and the documentation automotive and medical clients need.
Core Manufacturing Services
Our custom manufacturing capability breaks down into three main service lines. Click through for technical details on each:
- Overmolded Cable Assembly — injection-molded strain relief, waterproofing, and branding directly onto cable ends. PVC, TPU, TPE, and silicone tooling. Small-batch friendly.
- IPC/WHMA-A-620 Certified Production — Class 2 standard by default, Class 3 on request. Certified operators, documented inspection, and full traceability for medical and aerospace work.
- Box Build Assembly — turnkey electromechanical assembly beyond just cables. PCB mounting, enclosure assembly, final test, retail packaging. If you want a finished product shipped instead of components, this is the service.
These three service lines often combine on a single project. A medical device client might need IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 cable assemblies, overmolded at the connector ends, installed into a plastic enclosure, tested, and shipped to their 3PL — that’s one project, one quote, one point of contact.
Production Capabilities
Quick reference of what our production floor can handle:
| Capability | Range |
|---|---|
| Volume Range | 10 piece prototypes to 500,000+ annual units |
| Cable Types Produced | Cable assemblies, wire harnesses, FFC, FPC, rigid-flex, hybrid |
| Connector Brands | I-PEX, JST, Molex, Hirose, JAE, KEL, TE, Deutsch, Amphenol |
| Overmolding Materials | PVC, TPE, TPU, silicone, epoxy |
| Testing Available | Continuity, hi-pot, pull force, insulation resistance, functional |
| Quality Standards | IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 2/3, ISO 9001, IATF 16949, ISO 13485 |
| Value-Added Services | Kitting, custom labeling, retail packaging, drop-ship fulfillment |
| Documentation | PPAP, FAI, material certificates, RoHS/REACH declarations |
| Lead Time (repeat orders) | 10–14 days |
| Lead Time (prototypes) | 7–10 days |
| Lead Time (new tooling) | 3–5 weeks |
| Minimum Order | 100 sets standard, lower for samples |
OEM and ODM Relationships
Our client base splits roughly 70% OEM and 30% ODM. Both have a place, and the workflow is different for each:
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). You send us a drawing with defined specs. We quote, produce, and ship to your AVL. Your engineering team owns the design; our job is to build exactly to print. This is the bulk of our automotive and industrial work.
ODM (Original Design Manufacturer). You tell us what the product needs to do and we help design the cable or assembly from scratch. Material selection, connector choice, routing, compliance — we handle it and sign off with a working drawing before production. Common for startups and smaller brands without in-house cable engineering. See our OEM and ODM services page for more detail on each workflow.
Value-Added Services
Beyond the core cable manufacturing, we offer several services that save clients time on their end:
Kitting and BOM scrubbing. For clients consolidating multiple suppliers, we can receive parts from your other vendors, kit them with our cables, and ship complete sets. BOM scrubbing checks for obsolete part numbers before you hit a production delay.
Custom labeling and branding. Printed labels, laser-etched connectors, custom heat shrink with logos, overmolded branding. Most clients need at least minimal identification; some need full retail-style packaging.
Drop-ship fulfillment. We ship directly to your end customer, 3PL, or regional warehouse — not just to your facility. Blind shipping with your branding is standard. Useful for clients running Shopify stores, Amazon FBA, or regional distribution programs.
Safety stock and blanket orders. For clients with steady monthly demand, we hold finished goods inventory and release on call. Typical blanket commitment is 6–12 months with monthly draws.
Consigned inventory programs. For large accounts, we can run consigned material — you own the raw materials at our facility, we bill only for labor and overhead when goods ship. Reduces your cash tied up in WIP.
Why Brands Choose SZFRS as Their Contract Manufacturer
Most of our new clients come from referrals or after a bad experience elsewhere. Here’s what tends to come up in the first conversation:
Direct engineering access. You talk to the engineer handling your project, not a sales layer. When a question comes up mid-production, you get a direct answer the same day.
One quote for mixed products. Clients who need a cable assembly, a harness, and an FFC for the same product get one quote and one shipment. Not three invoices from three factories with staggered lead times.
Predictable quality, not lowest price. We’re not the cheapest shop in Shenzhen. We are probably the cheapest shop that will build to IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 with documented traceability. See our quality and certifications page for specifics.
Transparent communication. If a shipment is delayed, you hear it from us first, not after the due date passes. If a spec change is going to raise cost, we quote it before doing the work, not in the invoice.
Global shipping experience. We ship to the US, Europe, India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East regularly. Tariff docs, CE declarations, India-specific BIS paperwork where applicable, and country-of-origin certificates are all part of our standard export package. See our capabilities page for more on our logistics setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between OEM and ODM manufacturing?
OEM means you own the design and we build to your print. ODM means we help design the product, usually based on your end-use requirements, and you own the resulting design. Most of our work is OEM, but we do handle ODM projects where a client needs design support or wants to get to market faster without hiring cable engineers in-house.
Can you handle both small-batch prototypes and mass production?
Yes. We run prototypes from 10 pieces up through mass production of 100,000+ annual units. The same team handles both, so the transition from prototype approval to production is smooth — no handoff to a different factory or team.
Do you sign NDAs and protect our IP?
Yes. Mutual NDAs are standard before any drawing exchange. We don’t sell your design to competitors, and our tooling stays with your project only. For clients with heightened concerns, we can run dedicated production cells and restrict drawing access to named operators only.
What documentation do you provide with orders?
Standard orders include a Certificate of Conformance, packing list, and material compliance declarations (RoHS, REACH). Automotive programs include PPAP packages. Medical programs include lot traceability records and DHR (Device History Record) elements if specified. We add what your industry requires.
Can you drop-ship to our end customers?
Yes. Blind drop-ship with your branding on the outer packaging is standard. We use your preferred carrier (FedEx, DHL, UPS account numbers are fine) and can generate your branded invoices for enclosure. Useful for clients running e-commerce brands or regional distribution programs.
What’s your payment process for new clients?
First order is typically 30% deposit, 70% before shipment. Wire transfer is standard for orders over $5,000; PayPal or Alipay for smaller prototype orders. For repeat clients with good payment history, we offer Net 30 or Net 60 terms on blanket orders.
Which industries do you serve most?
Roughly 30% consumer electronics, 25% automotive and EV, 15% medical, 15% industrial automation, and 15% mixed — robotics, IoT, drones, solar, and others. We aren’t tied to any single vertical, and the mix keeps us flexible when any one segment slows down.
Related Services and Products
Custom manufacturing is the service umbrella, but the specific products we make are organized into separate categories. Browse whichever matches your project:
- Cable Assembly — LVDS, eDP, micro-coaxial, MIPI, RF, and medical cable assemblies.
- Wire Harness — automotive, battery, industrial, and waterproof wiring harnesses.
- FFC and FPC — flexible flat cable and flexible printed circuit assemblies.
- OEM and ODM Services — detailed breakdown of our contract manufacturing workflows.
Ready to Discuss Your Project?
Whether you have a finished drawing or just a product idea, send us the details. Our engineering team replies within 24 hours — usually faster. No long sales calls, no generic capability decks, just a direct answer about whether we’re the right partner for your specific project.