How I Built a Small but Global B2B Lighting Business from Ningbo (and Looking to Connect with Other Import/Export Makers)

Hey Indie Hackers,

I wanted to share a bit of my journey building a small, independent B2B lighting business out of Ningbo, China — and hopefully connect with others working in supply chains, manufacturing, hardware, or international trade.

I started Illumi Electric back in 2012 as a tiny workshop focusing on LED string lights and LED strip lights. Over the years, we grew into a niche manufacturer + sourcing partner for overseas importers, especially in LATAM. Today we run a 10-person core team and help supermarkets, distributors, and hardware retailers build reliable LED product lines with factory-direct pricing and export-ready quality.

A few things I learned along the way:

Small teams can win in manufacturing if you stay extremely focused on product categories. For us it was string lights → strip lights → bulkhead lamps → one-stop lighting sourcing.

LATAM has huge potential, but logistics, testing requirements, and currency issues make relationships and long-term support more important than pricing.

CE certification has become a real advantage for clients in countries like Argentina where it can speed up customs clearance.

You don’t need to be a huge factory to be global—but you do need reliability. This is the hardest part to build.

One thing I’m thinking about right now:
How small manufacturing teams can create more predictable, subscription-like revenue instead of only relying on purchase orders.
(If anyone has experience with this, I’d really appreciate your insights.)

If you’re an importer, hardware founder, or supply-chain nerd, I’d love to connect. Happy to share manufacturing knowledge, China sourcing tips, or production videos if that's useful.

Looking forward to hearing your stories too.