The Client:
SIC has been working in partnership with UK’s leading food service manufacturers. We supply a range of bespoke electrical wiring looms and specialist control panels and boxes, which are used in the UK.
The Challenge:
The Client was seeking to improve internal efficiencies by outsourcing their sub-assembly work for the first time.
Their challenge was to find a multi-discipline contractor who could deliver quantifiable cost and quality benefits with no compromise to the demanding customer-led supply and delivery times.
They were not simply looking for a supplier, but for a long-term strategic partner who could work as an extension of their team, allowing internal resources to be focused on their core competencies.
The client was understandably cautious about committing to a fully-outsourced solution. There were obvious business risks associated with shutting down their internal electrical manufacturing facility and securing international UL approvals. However the inherent benefits of outsourcing – improved cost, flexibility and quality – meant the new strategy could pay huge dividends.
The challenge of course was in finding the right partner fit.
The Solution:
Working in partnership with the client, SIC developed a total supply solution.
We first analysed their manufacturing portfolio and implemented a structured review. This highlighted an unnecessary reliance on bespoke products which had far reaching implications on manufacturing costs and lead times.
Where possible we replaced bespoke solutions with standard products to meet worldwide approvals. This resulted in reduced production lead times, and also opened up profitable new markets for the Client’s products. SIC introduced a new control which was suitable in specification and application for all client markets (current and potential). This resulted in reduced inventory and component liabilities, improved build costs and a 3 week reduction in lead-times.
As a result of these changes the Client has secured a number of high value new contracts, freed up their internal resources to focus on sales, marketing and R&D and are now entering new markets.
SIC now handles all the wire preparation, harnessing and control panel builds for this Client, using bespoke test equipment and a 100% quality performance guarantee.
Our expertise in this sector continues to grow and our specialist wire processing, harnessing and control panel capabilities are now used by a variety of market leaders in the commercial food services industry.