Case Study: Power Steering Pump Supply for a bus operator in East Africa
Source:Case /
Time:2026-09-18
Power Steering Pump for A bus operator in East Africa
A bus operator came to us with a power steering pump programme for East Africa. The brief was ordinary and unforgiving at the same time: a fixed launch window, a landed cost that had to survive freight and duty, and a part that had to match an existing sample. This case records what was specified, what went wrong in sampling and how the bulk order landed.
The starting point
- A fitment that looked right on paper and failed on the bench
- Documentation that arrived after the container shipped
- Reorders that did not match the approved sample
What was specified
| Part | Power Steering Pump |
|---|---|
| Client | A bus operator |
| Market | East Africa |
| Volume | 50,000 pieces across 2 specifications |
| Base material | PVC Coated Fabric |
| Sampling rounds | 2 |
| Delivery window | 8 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | RoHS |
How it was resolved
- The specification was rebuilt around PVC Coated Fabric and the tolerance locked before bulk.
- A pre-production sample was approved and kept as the golden reference.
- Production ran with in-line inspection and a mid-run photo report.
- Cartons were packed to the client's own barcode and ratio specification.
- Documentation shipped with the goods instead of after them.
Result
- 50,000 pieces delivered inside the 8-week window.
- Unit cost held within 3.0% of the original quotation.
- Inspection-related rejection stayed under 1.0%.
- The specification is on file, so reorders reproduce the approved sample.
What we would repeat
Approve a pre-production sample made from the actual bulk material. Substitute material behaves differently in service.
Planning something similar?
Share a sample or a drawing and we will quote against a written specification, not against a photograph.
