Growing consumption and increased consumer demands are driving a more international approach to sourcing. SMEs are going further and further afield in the hunt for the lowest cost suppliers. Due to its maturity and stability, a lot of companies are using China as a foundation when low-cost country sourcing and then, depending on how big the business is, looking at other countries from there. For small or medium-sized companies China is the perfect place to start.
SMEs, in terms of procurement capability, are often at a disadvantage when compared to big multinationals. They don't have the same scale necessary to garner mass savings or, when needs must, to set up factories wherever required. SMEs, more or less, have to follow the market and more and more, the market is looking to China.