China-Plus-One Plastic Molding, Engineered in Malaysia.

China Plus One FAQ

What is China Plus One manufacturing?

China Plus One is a sourcing strategy that keeps some production in China but adds a supplier in at least one other country, to reduce tariff, supply-disruption and geopolitical risk. Malaysia is one of the most common China Plus One destinations for injection molding. Ichiplas, a Johor Bahru molder since 1994, serves US OEMs and contract manufacturers moving tooling and production out of China.

Do Section 301 tariffs apply to plastic parts molded in Malaysia?

No. Section 301 tariffs apply to goods of Chinese origin, and parts molded by Ichiplas in Malaysia are of Malaysian origin. Most injection molded plastic parts enter the US under HS 3926.90, which carries a 5.3% MFN duty rate. Other US tariffs on Malaysian imports may also apply, so confirm the current rate for your HTS code with your customs broker.

Can Ichiplas take over molds from our Chinese supplier?

Yes. Ichiplas accepts injection molds transferred from other suppliers, including tools currently running in China, so you can move production to Malaysia without necessarily cutting new tooling.

Is injection mold tooling in Malaysia more expensive than in China?

Usually a little. Based on our own quote history, Malaysian tooling typically costs 10–30% more than Chinese tooling of equivalent quality. In return you get English-language engineering communication, contracts under a common-law legal system and faster design iteration. As a guide, a single-cavity mold for a small part in low-grade steel typically costs USD 3,000–15,500.

How long does it take to ship parts from Malaysia to the US?

Sea freight from Port Klang or Pasir Gudang typically takes 18–25 days to the West Coast, 25–30 days to Houston and 28–35 days to New York/New Jersey, port to port. Air freight reaches any major US airport in 3–5 days. Ichiplas ships FOB as standard and supplies the full export documentation package, including a certificate of origin.

How long does it take from RFQ to production parts?

We reply to enquiries by the next business day and send a full quotation, covering tooling cost, unit price, lead time and DFM feedback, within 2–10 days. Mold build typically takes 4–6 weeks for a simple single-cavity tool, 6–10 weeks for a mid-complexity multi-cavity tool and 10–14 weeks for complex tooling, followed by T1 samples and a pilot run before production. Add freight time for delivery to the US.

How does Ichiplas protect my designs and IP?

We sign a mutual NDA before any technical files are exchanged, using your company's template or ours. Agreements are drafted in English and enforceable in Malaysian courts, under a legal system familiar to Western legal teams. Access to customer CAD files is restricted inside the company.

What certifications and quality documentation does Ichiplas provide?

Ichiplas is certified to ISO 9001:2015, which is the only certification we hold. Our facility has been audited under Intertek's Workplace Conditions Assessment (WCA), and our operations are aligned with the RBA Code of Conduct. On request we supply PPAP/FAIR packages, CMM first-article reports, certificates of conformance, RoHS and REACH declarations, California Prop 65 statements and UL-recognized resin documentation.

What volumes and tolerances can Ichiplas handle?

Ichiplas runs production from about 3,000 to 15 million pieces a year on 55–397 US ton (50–360 tonne) presses, holding ±0.002 in (±0.05 mm).