Case Study: Air Suspension Bag Supply for a government fleet in East Africa
Source:Case /
Time:2026-09-18
Air Suspension Bag for A government fleet in East Africa
A government fleet came to us with a air suspension bag 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
- Lead time that slipped twice before bulk started
- Premature wear on the first batch
- A supplier who changed material without saying so
What was specified
| Part | Air Suspension Bag |
|---|---|
| Client | A government fleet |
| Market | East Africa |
| Volume | 5,000 pieces across 6 specifications |
| Base material | PU Leather |
| Sampling rounds | 3 |
| Delivery window | 6 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | ISO/TS 16949 |
How it was resolved
- The specification was rebuilt around PU Leather 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 6-week window.
- Unit cost held within 3.0% of the original quotation.
- Inspection-related rejection stayed under 2.0%.
- The specification is on file, so reorders reproduce the approved sample.
What we would repeat
Fix the specification count early. Adding variants after production starts is the most expensive change a client can request.
Planning something similar?
Share a sample or a drawing and we will quote against a written specification, not against a photograph.
