The success of the product depends upon the quality of the product. Having a unique idea or any useful product in your mind is not the only factor in success. It is among one of the several factors. To meet all the quality factors and leaving no stone unturned, audit expert are highly recommended
A factory auditing is a client-based program aimed at assessing the environment, and capabilities set by the client or the organization. It ensures that the appropriate suppliers are used or selected so that the companies requirement should be understood properly. It mainly focuses on factory details like:
- Environment
- Machinery
- Quality
- Facilities
- Equipment
- House Keeping
- Manpower
- Delivery
Table of Contents
Ø Why is it so important?
It also ensures that a manufacturer no matter new or existing, can deliver quality products, undergo continuous improvements and operate effectively and efficiently. It determines whether the product to be delivered meet the correct requirements or not. By providing the means of the quality check, it helps you to compare the manufacturer or source.
Ø Types of factory audits
Professional organizations or buyers that are in the importing game do not fear with the formal audits from the customer’s side. They are already prepared for the day when such audits can be made. They, hence, undergo a pre-audit to check whether their requirements meet the requirements.
The different types of factory audits are:
- Social Compliance Auditing: It mainly deals and verifies with working conditions and labor practices. It monitors the supply chain of the retailers to verify the working conditions. It also includes areas concerning fire exists, protective gears for workers, storage of hazardous materials and workers’ insurance.
- Quality System Auditing: It mainly deals with quality management. It ensures whether the supplier is producing the products in a way, which will ensure quality and on-time delivery. It is generally performed at a regular time intervals and includes evaluating quality systems, management techniques, and other vital factors.
- Security Auditing: It mainly looks for the threat of terrorism. It is the least common among these auditing techniques. It focuses on determining the production site is secure and what risks are associated with the facility.
Ø Benefits
- Save time and money by improving the efficiency and productivity of the vendors and suppliers through the improvement process as well as repair and reduced rework.
- Minimum risk as the audits ensures that the suppliers or vendors will deliver the products or services that will meet your requirements.
- Guaranteed quality by the audits done with confidence in reliability and quality of products from the supply chain.
· How can you prepare for the factory audit?
It is mandatory to establish a Quality Management System for the vendors or suppliers and at the same time, documents should be prepared and checked on the list. The suppliers should conduct an internal audit and apply the corrective measures in case any gap is determined.