Case Study: Air Duct Supply for a bus operator in Eastern Europe
Source:Case /
Time:2026-09-18
Air Duct for A bus operator in Eastern Europe
A bus operator came to us with a air duct programme for Eastern Europe. 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
- Warranty claims traced back to a single lot
What was specified
| Part | Air Duct |
|---|---|
| Client | A bus operator |
| Market | Eastern Europe |
| Volume | 10,000 pieces across 3 specifications |
| Base material | Reinforced Nylon |
| Sampling rounds | 3 |
| Delivery window | 4 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | SAE J431 |
How it was resolved
- The specification was rebuilt around Reinforced Nylon 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
- 10,000 pieces delivered inside the 4-week window.
- Unit cost held within 2.0% of the original quotation.
- Inspection-related rejection stayed under 1.5%.
- 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?
Ask for the current catalogue and the specification sheet for this line.
