We ran a multi-region price check for a client replacing fuel injection nozzles on a MAN B&W 6S50MC-C engine. Same OEM part number, same specification, same delivery window.
- Korea: USD 145 per piece
- China: USD 68 per piece
- Japan: USD 195 per piece
- Europe: USD 310 per piece
That is a 4.5x gap between the cheapest and the most expensive quote for the same part.
Before reaching for the lowest number: the Chinese quote came from a maker with no classification society approval. The Korean quote was fully certified, with a three-week lead time, from a supplier who had made this part for the same engine series many times.
Price is never only price. It is price plus certification plus lead time plus the cost of getting it wrong. Most procurement teams never see all four numbers because they quote from one or two familiar regions and assume that is the market.