Case Study: Heater Core Supply for a bus operator in the Caribbean
Source:Case /
Time:2026-09-18
Heater Core for A bus operator in the Caribbean
A bus operator came to us with a heater core programme for the Caribbean. 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
- Lead time that slipped twice before bulk started
- A supplier who changed material without saying so
- Reorders that did not match the approved sample
What was specified
| Part | Heater Core |
|---|---|
| Client | A bus operator |
| Market | the Caribbean |
| Volume | 5,000 pieces across 6 specifications |
| Base material | Cast Iron |
| Sampling rounds | 4 |
| Delivery window | 5 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | IATF 16949 |
How it was resolved
- The specification was rebuilt around Cast Iron 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
- 5,000 pieces delivered inside the 5-week window.
- Unit cost held within 2.0% 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?
Tell us the model, the fitment and the quantity and we will hold a production slot for you.
