Quality Control in the Supply Chain Management

1. Introduction

Eximex UK Ltd have adopted the principal of TQM (Total Quality Management). Allow this declaration and study to illustrate the model we use.

2. Quality In The Purchasing Process

When the purchasing department are looking at the procurement of materials from suppliers they will have been given some guidance by the manufacturing department, research and development, or the quality department.

This should include a variety of information about the item to be sourced, such as physical description, dimensional measurements, chemical composition, performance specifications, standards to conform to, or even the brand name of the product.

Physical Description – the purchasing department must know the physical attributes of the part they are required to source. For example, if the required material must be made of a certain shade of a blue, then the purchasing department must be able to communicate that requirement to the potential suppliers to ensure that the specification can be met.
Chemical Composition – this is very important for sourced materials that are used in the chemical process. The quality department should give the purchasing team a detailed list of chemical specifications of the required material. This should include a list of characteristics and specifications that the materials should conform to, as well as the ranges that the materials must lie within.
Dimensional Measurements – for a part to be used in the manufacturer of a machine the part must conform to certain dimensional specifications.
Performance Specifications – if a part is required to withstand certain forces or perform in a particular manner, the purchasing department must find a supplier that can achieve those specifications.
Industrial Standards – some parts required in the production of finished goods must conform to certain industry standards. These standards are set by a number of trade or industry groups who try to maintain a certain level of quality. By having an item that conforms to a particular industry standard, the customer will have a level of confidence in the product.
Brand Name – sometimes the quality department or development team will inform the purchasing department to only source a particular brand name. This may be due to the specific nature of the part made by one company or the level of quality it has over competitors.

3. Supply Chain Management Structure

RAW MATERIALS
FACTORY THAILAND (Manufacture)
CONTAINER
SHIPPING – Laem Chabang Port, Thailand
UK PORT
UK WAREHOUSE
Delivery Van / UK Pallet Network to Customer

4. Quality Control Guide

RAW MATERIALS

The “raw materials” are bought with precision as we demand the highest standards of purity and quality, as we manufacture over 130,000 tons of plastic bags per year.

The majority of our manufacturing plant use Virgin plastic, as this can be used for food grade packaging such as soda, milk and other food products where the food or food product comes in contact with the plastic.

FACTORY
Our factory manufactures “food and freezer bags” – this alone demands food regulatory cleanliness and efficiency.

CONTAINER
Each container before shipping is fumigated

SHIPPING
From port in Laem Chabang, Thailand to Southampton UK … the whole journey is regulated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Our shipping company, The Warrant Group are ISO 9001 certified.

UK PORT
The majority of port operations are administered by statutory harbour authorities, who are each governed by their own legislation tailored to the needs of each port. The Docks and Harbour Act 1972, places statutory responsibility on the harbour master to ensure navigation and safety within the harbour limits. In addition, ports have a duty to have regard to the environment under the Harbours Act 1964

UK WAREHOUSE
Meeting: ICS 55.220: Storing. Warehousing

Our warehouse is dry, secure with ambient temperatures throughout the year to ensure that “our customers” goods remain in perfect condition throughout their stay with us. We are proud of our warehousing standard.

Our warehouse also stocks for Coca Cola, Marks and Spencer and B&Q.

5. Deliveries

We use reputable, reliable and approved hauliers to deliver our products.
Our delivery protocol is Day 1 for Day 3 or Day 4.
We have a facility for Emergency and Next Day Deliveries.
Those in the extremities of the UK or/and occasionally Central London we use a National Haulier.
Plus … and where appropriate, on next day timed deliveries we may use the National Haulier.

6. Quality Control Systems in the Factory

We have two sections to control our production process quality.

Quality Control: our QC staff inspects the products in each production process.

Quality Assurance: our staff tests the product properties and performance with methods and instruments in compliance with international standards.

7. Supplier Contractor Evaluation Process

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Motivating our Contractors

These are five ways that we base and improve our evaluation:

Simplification
Set Expectations
Explain the “Why”
Give Contractor Feedback
Enforcement

8. The Conclusion on Supply Chain Management

Since its formation in the UK, Eximex UK Ltd, have adopted the same principles. We put our needs first. Our goal is to make sure that our suppliers and contractors are safe, financially solvent and expose us to the least amount of risk possible.

These five steps will help us to enhance our currently supply chain management efforts, but if we see an area where you could use additional support, let us know. We would welcome suggestions from potential contractors / tenderers.

9. Summary

Quality is an important part of the supply chain, whether it is quality inspections during the manufacturing process, quality checks before goods arrive at the customer, or checking quality as raw materials and parts enter the factory.

Before any part or raw material is used in a manufacturer of a finished good that will be delivered to a customer, it is the responsibility of the purchasing department to ensure that the materials that arrive are of the correct quality specification.

The quality of the parts and raw materials that are used by our company makes a difference to the finished products that are sold to our customers.

By ensuring that the purchased parts are of a specific quality as defined by the development, manufacturing, or quality departments, the purchasing department are ensuring that the quality of the finished goods are maintained.