The client is a fast-growing discount non-food retailer with stores located all across Europe.
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The client was already working with a partner for all audit and inspection services; however, they were concerned with a number of quality issues appearing in their products. The client needed a partner who was able to protect the brand’s image by ensuring the production of good quality products, as well as implement process-oriented improvement.
As a fast-growing business, the client was looking for a provider who was able to keep up with the growth and pace of their business, and provide a customized solution that covered safety and critical points but was still realistic for the lower price point of their business.
QIMA began working with the client in 2019 to provide Technical Audits at their supplier factories. Our manufacturing audit and product safety experts worked collaboratively with the client and their existing partner to create tailor-made product-oriented evaluation grids and checklists for eight product categories including clothing, children’s products, furniture and electrical and electronics.
The customized Technical Audit protocol was designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the systems and processes in the client’s factories to ultimately improve overall quality levels and ensure the client’s standards are being met consistently.
The audit protocol reviews:
Product test plan (test and control overview, evaluation of potential undetected safety risks)
Supply chain management and traceability (supplier overview, selection methods, procurement planning, chain of custody)
Resource management (hiring and training of staff, equipment maintenance and calibration)
Waste and hazardous substances (waste management, prevention of contamination, chemical risk management)
Depending on the quantity and severity of the identified risks during the initial audit, the factory may be required to implement relevant corrective actions before it starts production. Desktop reviews or follow-up audits are used to verify that any non-compliances have been resolved by the factory after the audit.
In 2019 we carried out 100+ Technical Audits for the client’s suppliers, extending to four more product categories in 2020 with 500+ audits completed. “We’re very pleased to have found a partner in QIMA that can meet the needs of our rapidly growing business and adapt quickly,” the client says. “We’re now working with QIMA on inspections too, as well as audits.”
In total to date, QIMA has carried out 179 post-audit desktop reviews on the client’s factories and a total of 2,960 non-compliances have been resolved. In the client’s words: “The non-compliances that have been resolved post-QIMA’s audits mean that the performance of our suppliers has progressed considerably – the overall quality of our products has improved, and we’ve prevented a lot of issues at our factories that used to cause us problems.”
Additionally, with a small sourcing team the client relies heavily on QIMA’s data and dashboards. Incorporating this valuable data into their daily decision making processes has transformed the client’s supply chain visibility.
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