Case Study: Idler Pulley Supply for a construction contractor in the Caribbean
Source:Case /
Time:2026-09-18
Idler Pulley for A construction contractor in the Caribbean
A construction contractor came to us with a idler pulley 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
- A supplier who changed material without saying so
- A fitment that looked right on paper and failed on the bench
- Inconsistent hardness between lots
What was specified
| Part | Idler Pulley |
|---|---|
| Client | A construction contractor |
| Market | the Caribbean |
| Volume | 20,000 pieces across 3 specifications |
| Base material | Ceramic Composite |
| Sampling rounds | 2 |
| Delivery window | 6 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | RoHS |
How it was resolved
- The specification was rebuilt around Ceramic Composite 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
- 20,000 pieces delivered inside the 6-week window.
- Unit cost held within 4.5% of the original quotation.
- Inspection-related rejection stayed under 0.5%.
- The specification is on file, so reorders reproduce the approved sample.
What we would repeat
Keep one accountable owner on both sides. Most delays come from hand-offs, not from machines.
Planning something similar?
Send the part number, the annual volume and the target market, and we will come back with a specification and a sampling plan.
