Nicobar Group -- China Manufacturing and Logistical Gurus

Manufacturing good quality products efficiently is difficult.  The slew of cultural and language difficulties make doing so in China even tougher.  Barrett Comiskey and Andy Mulkerin, of the Nicobar Group are the ones to call for help in this arena.  I find it hard to imagine anyone better. 

The Nicobar Group focuses on assisting manufacturing companies in improving their cost structure in China and in establishing manufacturing strategies and supply chains.  Their Chinese headquarters is located in one of Shanghai's hippest neighborhoods, on a side street, tucked in among some of Shanghai's leading art galleries.  Nicobar is on the third floor of a building mostly inhabited by galleries and art businesses.

Barrett and Andy are Nicobar Group's Managing Partners. Like so many doing big things in China, they are both in their early thirties.  Both have strong engineering and business backgrounds. 

Barrett speaks fluent Mandarin and has spent ten years in technology, the last five years focusing on China.  Barrett co-founded E-ink in 1997 and he still serves as its Executive Advisor.  E Ink is in the forefront of developing electronic books and Sony is using E Ink's technology in its just released, and highly touted,  Librie e-book. Barrett pioneered E Ink's original research at the world renowned MIT Media Lab and then led the development and transfer to manufacturing of E Ink electronic materials. Barrett then moved to the business side to structure manufacturing alliances with electronics companies throughout Asia.  He is sole or co-inventor on 40 US Patents and was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer. Barrett holds a BS from MIT in Mathematics with a minor in Mechanical Engineering, and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business where his focus was on Supply Chain Management.

Andy Mulkerin has similarly eye popping credentials.  Andy graduated from Columbia University with a BS in chemical engineering focusing on manufacturing plant design and then ran the Domino Sugar specialty sugars refinery in New York for few years.  From there, he built and managed E Ink's chemical and electronics manufacturing operations and then pulled down an MBA from Harvard Business School.  Andy has extensive experience in manufacturing/process management, manufacturing transfer, and the design and implementation of quality systems.  Andy worked in product strategy for Sony and developed Sony's strategy for commercially introducing its Blu-ray optical disc technology which will debut in Sony�s Playstation 3 product.

Nicobar's third manager, whom I have never met, is JoJo Tsai.  Ms. Tsai speaks Mandarin, Taiwanese, and English, and conversational Cantonese.  She has a law degree from Fu Ren University in Taipei.  She is Nicobar's cultural and linguistic liaison with the China facilities with whom Nicobar is working. 

Nicobar's forte in China is using advanced engineering and supply chain knowledge to reduce the manufacturing costs for its (mostly) Western clients.  Nicobar achieves these savings by clearly defining the US clients� sourcing goals and ensuring that the sourcing activities � whether they involve technology transfer, or simply the enforcement of rigorous technical specifications � is in line with the clients� strategy in Asia as well as their overall corporate strategy. Business 2.0 featured them in an article on China last year, entitled, "Making It In China." 

Their approach is refreshing in its simplicity. They�re honest, straight-shooting guys who know how to get stuff done in China. If you need sourcing and consulting work and want to work with top shelf professionals, you�ve just found your team.