Supplier quality assurance
The demand to maintain a safe, reliable and high performing railway infrastructure and the increasing pressure to improve customer service on the rail network means that having confidence in the supply chain is critical.
Quality underpins everything we do in our supply chain, right from procurement through to delivery and is one of the hidden benefits of the service we provide.
To minimise the risk and impact of supplying poor quality critical products to the rail infrastructure and to deliver safe, efficient and reliable railway Supplier Quality Assurance is a must.
Network Rail’s Quality Team is the industry expert in undertaking Supplier Quality Assurance activities utilising its railway specific product knowledge and expertise of overhead line electrification and power, signalling, telecoms, track and components.
We have established mutually beneficial relationships with key suppliers in the industry and have a deep understanding of their Quality Assurance processes and systems and together we respond rapidly to customers’ demands.
Our team of multidisciplinary experts comprises an effective mix of skills capable of assuring the supply of critical products to any railway.
Supplier quality assurance
With more demands on infrastructure, technology moving at a fast pace and the pressure to make supply chain efficiencies, it is vital that suppliers continually improve their quality assurance processes and systems to enable them to provide safe and reliable quality products whilst meeting the requirements of industry standards and legislation.
The afforded level of supplier quality assurance allows the customer to procure products from suppliers that are capable of supplying products which are fit-for-purpose and enhance both reliability and safety on the network and improved customer satisfaction.
In addition, strong networks are formed with suppliers and manufacturers enabling a customer focused service provision.
Supplier quality assurance
Our teams can provide the following services:
- supplier quality assurance activities
- quality and technical audits on new and existing suppliers of critical materials, products and components
- customer focused response and resolution to in-service product failures
- development of ISO:9001 Quality Management Systems
- development of material quality specifications, work instructions and procedures for materials recycling.