For Aerospace and Defense (A&D) manufacturers, the game has changed. In the past, these companies had more flexibility when it came to selecting and managing suppliers. But the current business, regulatory, and economic climate is different than it was. Between increasing pressure from stakeholders, stricter compliance requirements from federal regulators, and tighter budget constraints—particularly in Defense, as the Department of Defense cuts spending among contractors—A&D OEMs are becoming more and more selective and discriminating when it comes to choosing suppliers.
For example, we’re seeing the high degree of scrutiny that used to be reserved exclusively for key strategic suppliers now pushed out to all companies along the supply chain, big or small, strategic or comparatively minor. As a result, not only do suppliers need to have the capacity to deliver high-quality products through the most efficient processes, they also have to demonstrate that they have strong recordkeeping and traceability capabilities as well as the ability to collaborate closely with OEMs, showing ongoing visibility into performance.
In this increasingly competitive landscape, the suppliers that demonstrate these capabilities will be the ones that will win business and long-term relationships. However, these capabilities can only be truly achieved through the adoption of next-generation enterprise quality and compliance technology.
So what exactly do A&D suppliers need to do to adjust to this new reality? Well, to provide some high-level insights, we’ve put together the following infographic, "Why A&D Suppliers Need Next-Generation Quality, Compliance, and Traceability Capabilities." Take a look:
Learn more by attending tomorrow’s webinar, "Driving Profit and Quality Through Compliance: Success Strategies for A&D Suppliers." Alongside Quality Magazine, I'll provide insights drawn from a survey of over 900 manufacturers on how to improve quality and compliance across the A&D supply chain. Manufacturers from industries that deal with complex supply chains--not just A&D--should find some key takeaways in the event.
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