AiEInkSmart labels are designed by PanPanTech in Guangzhou and built by three long-term partner factories in the Pearl River Delta — in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Foshan — each with a clear role. Samples, small batches and new products run in Guangzhou, volume orders run in Foshan, and the Classic series and our base stations are built in Shenzhen. First-article and outgoing inspection are done jointly by our team and the factory. This page explains who does what, what each site can do and how an order moves through production.
Label samples, housing sealing on our own dispensing fixture, and an SMT line at our partner factories.
Three partner factories, three roles
We work with three factories rather than one, and we give each of them the work it does best. A small order should not wait behind a large one, a large order needs real capacity, and no project should depend on a single production line.
| Site | Role | Why this site |
|---|
| Guangzhou | Samples, small batches, new products | The most flexible partner and the closest to our office. The dispensing machines, pressure-holding fixtures and assembly tools we bought for our labels are installed on this line. |
| Foshan | Volume production | The largest site: a 15,000 m² plant with 8 SMT lines and SMT capacity for up to 100,000 label PCBAs a day. |
| Shenzhen | Classic series and base stations | Many years of e-paper reader production. Builds the Classic series (2.13", 2.66", 2.9" and 4.2") and the AES-AP01 base station. |
Which series is made where
| Product | Made at | Notes |
|---|
| Lite, Slim and Rock series | Guangzhou (samples, small batches) and Foshan (volume) | Our own hardware designs and production files; production orders are placed and paid by our manufacturing company, Guangzhou Neural Grid Intelligent Manufacturing |
| Classic series | Shenzhen | Delivered as finished labels, inspected before shipping |
| AES-AP01 base station | Shenzhen | Works with the Classic, Lite, Slim and Rock series |
| ESL management software | Our own team | Developed and supported by PanPanTech |
The Swift series is not covered on this page. See electronic shelf labels for all series.
What each site can do
The figures below come from the factories’ own documents and are rounded down. Together the three sites run more than 15 SMT lines.
| Guangzhou | Foshan | Shenzhen |
|---|
| Production floor | About 3,000 m² (new site, 2026) | 15,000 m² (new building, 2025) | 3,200 m² |
| SMT | 4 lines, planned capacity about 20 million placements a day | 8 lines, about 10 million placements a day | 3 lines, about 8 million placements a day |
| Inspection | 3D SPI, AOI, X-ray, first-article inspection system | SPI and AOI on every line, X-ray, first-article inspection | AOI on every line, automated module testing |
| Assembly and test | Assembly and test line with our own dispensing and pressure-holding fixtures | 6 assembly lines, 4 packing lines, ageing rooms | 2 assembly and packing lines, automated RF test line, 200 m² class-10,000 cleanroom |
| Quality systems | ISO 9001; MES, WMS and ERP; serial-number traceability | ISO 9001, IATF 16949, BSCI; MES; reliability laboratory | ISO 9001:2015 |
More detail, with photos, is on partner factories, display modules, SMT and assembly and testing and quality.
Display modules from two leading makers
The e-paper display module decides most of what a shopper sees: sharpness, colour and how the label behaves in the cold. Our labels use modules built on E Ink electronic-ink film from two leading, publicly listed module makers — one in Jiangxi, one in Dalian and Zhejiang — and every main size is qualified with both. Modules are sampled on arrival, powered on the finished label, tested at low temperature and put through ageing. See e-paper display modules.
How an order moves through production
Samples (Guangzhou)→Engineering check→Materials kitted→SMT and inspection→Assembly→RF and display test→Ageing→Outgoing inspection→Packing and shipping
- Samples and pilot. New labels, custom housings and first orders are built in Guangzhou, where small runs do not wait for line time.
- Engineering check. We confirm the bill of materials, firmware version, display type and template before production starts.
- SMT. Boards are printed, inspected (SPI), placed, reflowed and checked by AOI; X-ray is used where hidden joints need it.
- Assembly. Display, board and battery go into the housing; the housing is sealed by dispensing and held under pressure while it sets.
- Test. Every label is powered, paired over the air and shown a test image before packing.
- Outgoing inspection. Our team and the factory sample each batch against the agreed criteria before it ships.
- Volume. Once a product is proven, larger orders move to Foshan using the same production files and test criteria.
Who is responsible for what
| Our team (PanPanTech) | Partner factory | Both together |
|---|
| Hardware design of Lite, Slim and Rock, firmware, management software, bill of materials, acceptance criteria, our own assembly fixtures, customer support | Material handling, SMT, assembly, in-process inspection, packing | First-article approval, outgoing inspection, handling of any quality issue |
Because the designs and test criteria are ours, the same label is built the same way at whichever site produces it, and a quality issue is handled by one team that knows both the product and the line.
Why three sites instead of one
- Small orders move quickly. Samples and short runs have their own line in Guangzhou.
- Large orders have capacity. Foshan can take volume without displacing other work.
- Supply has a backup. Our own designs can be built in both Guangzhou and Foshan from the same files.
- Each product goes to the right line. The Classic series and base stations stay with the factory that has built them for years.
Factory visits and audits
Customers from Europe and Japan have visited our partner factories with us. You are welcome to do the same: tell us your dates and we will arrange a visit to the site that makes your products, accompanied by our team. If travel is not practical, we can run a live video walk-through of the line, and we can share the quality-system certificates held by our partner factories.
Customer visits to the Guangzhou and Shenzhen partner factories.
FAQ
Are you a manufacturer or a trading company?
We are a design and brand company with our own manufacturing company. PanPanTech designs the Lite, Slim and Rock hardware, the firmware and the management software; production runs at three long-term partner factories in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Foshan, with inspection done jointly.
Can we visit the factory?
Yes. We arrange visits to the partner factory that makes your products and accompany you on the line. Video walk-throughs are also available.
Do you accept small orders and samples?
Yes. Samples and small batches are built in Guangzhou, so they do not wait behind large orders. See the ESL demo kits for a quick start.
How much can you produce for a large order?
Our Foshan partner has SMT capacity for up to 100,000 label PCBAs a day. Finished-label output depends on the size and series; we confirm a delivery schedule for each order.
What happens if there is a quality problem?
Every batch is inspected by our team and the factory before shipping. If an issue appears in the field, our team handles it directly with the factory under warranty, and labels are traceable to their production batch.
Planning an order or a factory visit? Send us the series, sizes and quantities you need and we will propose a schedule and the production site — or start with an
ESL demo kit.
