Case Study: Heater Hose Supply for a taxi fleet in West Africa
Source:Case /
Time:2026-09-18
Heater Hose for A taxi fleet in West Africa
A taxi fleet came to us with a heater hose programme for West 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
- Packing that arrived crushed at the port
- Inconsistent hardness between lots
- Premature wear on the first batch

What was specified
| Part | Heater Hose |
|---|---|
| Client | A taxi fleet |
| Market | West Africa |
| Volume | 50,000 pieces across 6 specifications |
| Base material | Polypropylene |
| Sampling rounds | 2 |
| Delivery window | 5 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | ISO/TS 16949 |
How it was resolved
- The specification was rebuilt around Polypropylene 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 5-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
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.



