Case Study: LED Headlight Bulb Supply for a motorcycle assembler in North America
Source:Case /
Time:2026-09-18
LED Headlight Bulb for A motorcycle assembler in North America
A motorcycle assembler came to us with a led headlight bulb programme for North America. 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
- Packing that arrived crushed at the port
- Reorders that did not match the approved sample
What was specified
| Part | LED Headlight Bulb |
|---|---|
| Client | A motorcycle assembler |
| Market | North America |
| Volume | 20,000 pieces across 4 specifications |
| Base material | Aluminium Alloy |
| Sampling rounds | 2 |
| Delivery window | 6 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | REACH |
How it was resolved
- The specification was rebuilt around Aluminium Alloy 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
Approve a pre-production sample made from the actual bulk material. Substitute material behaves differently in service.
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.
