Chinese factories, he added, have mastered the machining needed to mass-produce the cases. The country also has a strong network of ports, bridges, power grids and airlift needed to bring them to market.
But that Chinese advantage is being eroded to some extent by U.S. tariffs that are making Otter’s products more expensive. And that has this company, and many others, thinking about ending long-standing relationships and moving their factories elsewhere.