How can supplier quality be made more reliable in an international context?
Against a backdrop of gradually increasing production volumes and the integration of new suppliers, a car manufacturer wanted to strengthen the quality control of its equipment manufactured in China for distribution in France. The aim was to guarantee GPS conformity prior to shipment and to structure effective supplier performance management.
Objective: To support the customer in implementing an outsourced quality control approach, enabling :
- Identify non-conformities upstream,
- Reliable deliverables for each production batch,
- Structure a long-term supplier relationship based on continuous improvement.
The different phases :
Phase 1 – Start-up
- Stakeholder training,
- Deployment of an adapted control range,
- Modelling and organisation of standard reports, schedule management.
Phase 2 – Actions
- Regular visits to supplier sites,
- Carrying out quality controls according to a defined protocol (AQL),
- Structured feedback to the customer (reports, NC monitoring, proposals for corrective action).
Key figures
-
30000
GPS devices manufactured per year
-
37
quality criteria followed by production
-
2
country scope: France & China
Results obtained
- Product picking: Selection of products to be inspected in accordance with the AQL standard, guaranteeing representative sampling.
- Data collection and validation: Verification of technical data to confirm product compliance with specifications.
- Identification of non-conformities: Identification of non-conformities with documentation for accurate monitoring.
- Recommendations: Suggestions for corrective and preventive action to resolve and avoid problems.
- Action monitoring: Checking that the defined actions are being implemented, with monthly monitoring via optimisation meetings.
The deliverables produced by our EPSA experts (inspection reports, deviation monitoring, corrective action reporting) provided clear visibility for the purchasing and quality teams, facilitating rapid decision-making.
An approach focused on reliability and industrial control
By deploying an operational purchasing consultancy solution, our EPSA teams acted as an interface between the customer and its suppliers. Thanks to a tried-and-tested methodology, standardised control processes and fluid communication, we helped to make the production chain more reliable, secure supplies and anchor a sustainable performance approach in the supplier relationship.
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