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How Well Do You Know Your Supply Chain?
01 Jul 2005
The recent removal of products from supermarket shelves due to the use of banned, carcinogenic food dyes prompted the largest recall of food products in UK history. It highlighted the importance of building strong communication lines with your supply chain. All manufacturers, regardless of whether they are in food, electrics or mechanical manufacturing, must have traceability systems in place to identify the origins of raw material and standards of suppliers, says Arthur Richardson of the South West MAS.
The requirements we place on our suppliers evolve over time, yet supply chains are often based on historical requirements. Your supplier network needs to be aligned to your business and its current way of working, especially if you have moved to lean manufacturing.
The bigger the supplier network and product portfolio, the more unwieldy the supply chain can become. A few gaps could be closed by:
Mapping your supply chain.
How well do you understand your network, its lead times and bottlenecks?
Setting up a series of supplier meetings and site visits. Where does raw material come from?
How good are their working conditions and standards?
Reviewing your supplier relationships. Are you happy with the level of service?
Allocating responsibility for supplier data. Who updates records on all suppliers and their practices?
To see what SWMAS is doing to address supply chain issues in the South West, visit www.swmas.co.uk
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