Non-export tooling is tooling built outside of the US that cannot be transferred from the molder/mold maker. Tooling will often be built to non-standard specifications using local steels. It will have a stated tool life. At the end of the tool life a new tool will have to be purchased in order to produce more parts.
The most important part of "Non-Export Tooling" is the non-export part. The tool is considered proprietary and cannot to leave the molder's facility. That means you cannot change molders for any reason using this tool.
Why would I want Non-Export tooling?Non-export tooling is almost always substantially cheaper depending on the configuration. It is a good choice for short run, limited production parts or when a product life time is not known. For tax and accounting purposes it is often considered a non-recurring engineering fee (NRE) not as an asset.
Unless explicitly requested APP does source non-export tools on any of our tooling programs.
We can provide cheaper tooling alternatives, for instance Unit Insert Molds combined with prototype or bridge tooling, that reduce tooling cost and provide you full control of your tooling.