What does a factory visit consist of
A factory visit is an important part of supply chain management and quality assurance. It is an on-site inspection and evaluation of a manufacturing facility by representatives of a buying company, auditors, or other stakeholders to assess various aspects of the production process, quality control measures, and overall operations.
“AQM BD provides invaluable insights that can't be obtained through remote communication or documentation alone. It ensure that suppliers adhere to the required standards, and contribute to continuous improvement in the manufacturing process.
Purposes and key aspects of athe factory visit process
Factory visits evaluate manufacturing capabilities, capacity, assess
quality control processes and verify compliance with standards and regulations. They also build relationships with suppliers and dentify potential risks or areas for
improvement.
Regarding the Production facilities, we check the layout and organization, cleanliness and maintenance and the equipment and technology used.
Regarding the Manufacturing processes, we check the production flow and efficiency, the quality control measures and the use of automation and modern
techniques.
Regarding the Workforce, we check the working conditions, the safety measures and the employee skills and training.
In terms of Quality management, we check the quality assurance systems, the inspection procedures and the handling of non-conforming products.
Regarding the Supply chain management, we check the inventory control, the raw material sourcing and the order fulfillment processes.
When it comes to Compliance, we check the environmental practices, the labor laws adherence and the industry-specific regulations.
So we provide the following services:
- Production facilities checking
- Manufacturing processes checking
- Workforce checking
- Quality management checking
- Supply chain management checking
- Compliance checking
Insights gained from factory visits and processes
After our quality assurance managers, third-party auditors,
compliance officers and technical experts complete their tasks, we get a detailed audit report, a corrective action plans, an approval or rejection of the facility and
also recommendations for improvements.
The benefits include a first-hand verification of supplier claims, an identification of potential risks or issues, an improved supplier relationships,a better
understanding of production capabilities and also an opportunity for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
The process of a factory visits could be summed up as follows:
- Initial assessment visits (for new suppliers).
- Routine audits of existing suppliers.
- Problem-solving visits to address specific issues.
- Collaborative visits for process improvement.