1. Certifications and materials
Ask for FSC certification and confirm it covers the board and paper actually used in production — not just a general company claim. Responsibly sourced materials are now a standard requirement for most retail chains and are easy to verify through FSC's own chain-of-custody records.
2. Production capability, not just capacity
A fully automated machine park matters less than what it can actually produce: offset print resolution, board thickness options, die-cutting precision and piece-count range (from 100-piece mini formats up to 3000-piece adult puzzles). Ask for technical specifications, not just a capacity number.
3. Minimum order quantity and flexibility
MOQ varies by piece count, box complexity and packaging. A supplier that can quote clearly for both a small campaign run and a recurring wholesale order — without pushing you toward one or the other — is usually easier to scale with over time.
4. Samples before commitment
A reliable OEM puzzle manufacturer will produce a physical sample from your actual artwork before mass production, so print colour, board weight and cut accuracy can be checked against your brand standards.
5. Lead time and export experience
- Clear lead time from artwork approval to shipment
- A track record of regular export shipments, not a one-off order
- Export-grade packaging suited to your logistics route
6. Communication and location
Time zone and responsiveness matter more than they seem to on paper — a supplier a few hours from Europe, replying within the working day, avoids the delays that come with revisions crossing a 10+ hour gap.
How Phoenix Puzzle fits this checklist
Phoenix Puzzle has been in the printing industry since the 1990s, running a fully automated, FSC-certified facility in Turkey that produces both our own brand and OEM/private-label puzzles for retail chains and brands worldwide — from sample to scaled export supply.