OEM & ODM
Legom is a Chinese HVAC manufacturer that builds heating, cooling, and purification products under our partners' brands. We started as a component supplier of wax thermostatic elements and grew into a full OEM and ODM factory serving more than 400 partners across over 90 countries. That history matters when you evaluate us: we understand your product from the sealed element outward, not just from the enclosure inward.
This page covers what we can build for you, how OEM and ODM differ in practice, what we can customize, our minimum order quantities by product line, and how a project moves from first inquiry to shipped goods.
What Legom Manufactures Under OEM and ODM
Every product line on this site is available for OEM and ODM work. Some partners take a single line, others source an entire hydronic system from one factory so that components arrive matched and pre-tested.
HVAC and Underfloor Heating
Wax thermostatic elements are the core sensing component behind thermostatic valves, mixing valves, and TP valves. We produce them in-house on automated equipment, which means partners who buy our finished valves get elements from the same production line rather than from a third-party subcontractor.
Thermal actuators cover Normally Closed and Normally Open configurations, 12V through 230V, on/off and 0 to 10V modulating control, plus first-open, manual-lever, easy-disassemble, and pump-control variants. This is our most flexible line for customization and carries one of our lowest MOQ figures.
Room thermostats are where branding work is heaviest, because the thermostat is the only part of a heating system the end user actually touches. Our current platforms include the Apus RT-A1, FC FC1D, Volcano RB-2305HT, and RT-X1 Ascent, each of which can be re-skinned, re-badged, and re-configured for your market.
HVAC valves, manifolds, and floor heating pipe complete the hydronic loop. Manifolds can be built to your port count, material preference, and flow meter specification. Base stations tie zone actuators, thermostats, and pump control together, and are frequently customized around a partner's existing wiring conventions.
Heat pumps carry our lowest unit MOQ of any product because of their value per unit. Partners entering the air-to-water market often start here with a small first batch, then scale once installer feedback comes back from the field.
Purification Systems
Air purifiers and fresh air systems and water purifiers are the two lines where private label work moves fastest, since retail brands typically need housing design, packaging, and app branding rather than deep electromechanical changes.
OEM vs ODM: Which Model Fits Your Project
These two terms get used interchangeably in sourcing conversations, and the confusion costs buyers real money when tooling ownership turns out to be different from what they assumed. Here is how we define them at Legom.
| Factor | OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) | ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns the design | You do. We build to your drawings and specification. | Legom does. You license and rebrand an existing platform. |
| Tooling investment | Usually required, paid by the buyer | Usually none, tooling already exists |
| Time to first shipment | Longer, because of tooling and validation | Shorter, often limited only by certification |
| Unit cost | Lower at high volume, amortized against tooling | Competitive at low and medium volume |
| Design exclusivity | Exclusive to you | Shared platform, appearance and branding exclusive |
| Best suited to | Established brands with engineering resources | Distributors and brands entering a new category |
Most partnerships start as ODM and migrate toward OEM. A distributor rebrands our existing actuator platform, learns what their installers complain about, then commissions a tooled variant that fixes those specific complaints. That path costs far less than committing to custom tooling before you have field data.
Customization Scope
Customization runs deeper than a printed logo. These are the areas partners most commonly change.
What we do not do is compromise on the sealed internals without validation. If a request changes the thermal or mechanical behaviour of a product, it goes through sample testing before it reaches mass production, regardless of how minor it looks on a drawing.
Minimum Order Quantity by Product Line
Most factories keep MOQ hidden until you are three emails into a conversation. We would rather you know upfront whether a project is a fit.
| Product Line | Standard MOQ | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Pump | 50 units | Lowest unit MOQ on the catalogue |
| Water Purifier | 50 units | Suited to retail brand pilots |
| Thermal Actuator | 100 units | Per configuration, not per order |
| Manifold | 100 units | Port count and material configurable |
| Floor Heating Pipe | 100 units | Diameter and coil length to specification |
| Air Purifier and Fresh Air System | 500 units | Housing and packaging customization included |
| Room Thermostat | 1,000 units | Higher for firmware and display changes |
| HVAC Valve | 1,000 units | Per size and configuration |
| Base Station | 1,000 units | Zone count configurable |
| Wax Thermostatic Element | 1,000 units | Depends on stroke, force, and temperature rating |
These figures are starting points, not hard gates. MOQ is negotiable in both directions and depends on configuration complexity, whether tooling is involved, and whether you are combining several product lines in one shipment. A partner ordering actuators, manifolds, and thermostats together is a very different commercial conversation from one ordering a single custom thermostat run. Talk to us before you rule a project out on volume.
The OEM and ODM Development Process
A well-run project follows the same seven stages regardless of product line. Skipping stages is where sourcing projects go wrong.
- Inquiry and requirement capture. You tell us the product, target market, expected annual volume, and any regulatory constraints. If you have drawings or a competitor sample, send them at this stage rather than later.
- Technical review and specification. Our engineering team confirms what is buildable as specified, what needs adjustment, and whether the project is OEM or ODM in practice. You receive a written specification sheet to sign off.
- Quotation. Unit price against volume tiers, tooling cost where applicable, and packaging cost quoted separately so you can see what drives the number.
- Sampling. We produce samples against the signed specification for your functional testing and visual approval. Changes at this stage are inexpensive. Changes after tooling are not.
- Tooling and validation. For OEM projects requiring new moulds or fixtures, tooling is cut and first-article samples are validated against the specification before production is released.
- Mass production. Built on our automated lines under standing quality control, with in-process inspection rather than end-of-line inspection alone.
- Pre-shipment inspection and dispatch. Final inspection, packing to your specification, and export documentation prepared for your destination market.
Quality Control and Certification
Our products carry CE and RoHS certification, with EN 60730 compliance across the actuator and control range. Housings on the actuator line use PA66 with 30 percent glass fibre, and operating draw on standard models is 2W.
The more meaningful point for an OEM buyer is where inspection happens. Because we manufacture wax thermostatic elements in-house on automated equipment, the sensing component that determines whether an actuator or valve performs correctly is tested at the component stage, before it is ever assembled into a finished unit. Factories that buy elements from outside suppliers cannot make the same claim, and the failure mode shows up in the field rather than on the line.
Every unit passes structural and functional checks before packing. Partners are welcome to appoint a third-party inspection agency, and we accommodate factory audits from serious buyers.
Packaging, Labeling, and Export Support
Packaging is often treated as an afterthought and then becomes the reason a shipment is delayed at customs. We handle retail and bulk packaging design, barcode and SKU application, multi-language manuals, and carton marking to your requirements.
On the export side we prepare commercial invoices, packing lists, and certificates of origin, and can advise on HS classification for HVAC components. Partners shipping into the European market usually need documentation aligned to CE conformity, and we prepare that as part of the standard process rather than as an extra service.
Why Buyers Choose Legom
Claims are cheap in this industry, so here is what is actually verifiable.
- More than 400 OEM and ODM partners across over 90 countries
- Component-level manufacturing capability, not assembly-only
- CE and RoHS certification with EN 60730 compliance across the control range
- Published MOQ rather than volume gatekeeping
- Complete hydronic system available from one factory, so components arrive matched
- Automated production equipment on the element and valve lines for repeatable precision
If you want to see how this works in a specific category, our detailed guides cover partnering with a heat pump OEM factory, choosing an OEM thermostat manufacturer, and OEM air purifier manufacturing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between OEM and ODM at Legom?
Under OEM you own the design and we manufacture to your specification, which usually involves tooling investment. Under ODM you rebrand and configure an existing Legom platform, which removes tooling cost and shortens time to market. Many partners begin with ODM and move to OEM once they have field data.
What is your lowest minimum order quantity?
Heat pumps and water purifiers both start at 50 units, and thermal actuators, manifolds, and floor heating pipe start at 100. All MOQ figures are negotiable depending on configuration and whether you are combining product lines.
Can I order below the listed MOQ?
Often yes. MOQ is driven by setup cost, not by policy. Where a project combines several product lines or where an existing configuration is already in production, we can frequently go lower. Send us the requirement and we will tell you honestly whether it works.
Do you charge for samples?
Sample terms depend on whether the sample is an existing standard product or a custom build. Contact us with your specification and we will confirm terms before you commit.
Who owns the tooling I pay for?
Tooling commissioned and paid for by a partner is dedicated to that partner's product. This is confirmed in writing before tooling is cut, and we recommend every buyer insist on the same clarity from any supplier they evaluate.
Can you customize firmware and app branding on smart thermostats?
Yes. Display layout, icon set, menu language, default setpoints, and app branding are all configurable on connected models. Firmware-level changes carry a higher MOQ than cosmetic branding.
Which certifications do your products hold?
CE and RoHS as standard, with EN 60730 compliance across the control range. Where your destination market requires additional testing, we support the certification process.
Can I source a complete underfloor heating system from Legom?
Yes. Actuators, manifolds, valves, thermostats, base stations, and floor heating pipe are all produced by us, so a complete hydronic system can be sourced, branded, and shipped from a single factory with matched components.
Do you accept factory audits?
Yes. We welcome audits and third-party inspection from serious buyers, and our facility in Jiaxing, Zhejiang is open to partner visits.
Start Your OEM or ODM Project
Send us your product requirement, target volume, and destination market, and we will come back with a technical review and quotation. If your volume sits below the published MOQ, tell us anyway.