EDITOR ’ S CHOICE QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY
QMS INTERNATIONAL
Why is quality management more important in manufacturing and engineering than ever before ?
Quality and consistency have always been benchmarks of good business in the manufacturing and engineering sectors , but after the turmoil brought by COVID-19 they have become even more crucial .
COVID-19 brought widespread disruption – and the manufacturing and engineering sectors were not immune .
Many businesses within these sectors had to temporarily down tools ; at the height of lockdown , the Engineering Insights Dashboard from Engineering UK revealed that nearly a quarter ( 24 %) of engineering businesses paused their work . This means that many businesses have faced , or are now facing , the reality of re-starting production on machinery that has been out of use with workforces that may still be limited due to ongoing social distancing .
Supply chains have also been badly damaged . According to Engineering UK , one-fifth of engineering businesses who normally export and import products have ceased to do so . This means that many businesses are having to establish new supply chains , which are inevitably struggling with demand . This has resulted in higher prices and longer delivery times .
Temporary closures and supply issues are also affecting contractors for both sectors . A backlog of work means contractors are stretched thin and projects are suffering with ongoing delays .
These issues are being compounded by a recent uptick in activity .
According to the latest HIS Markit / CIPS Purchasing Managers ’ Index for April 2021 , the UK ’ s manufacturing activity grew at its fastest rate since 1994 , when the index hit a record high .
The results of the latest Manufacturing Barometer carried out by SWMAS and the MGP also shows that two-thirds of SME manufacturers expect to increase sales between now and October , while 48 % of respondents believe that they will return to , or even exceed , their pre-COVID position within the next three months .
With supply chains under pressure , the cost of materials rising , ongoing COVID restrictions in the workplace and a desperate need for more trained staff , ensuring that quality and consistency is maintained is even more important – and even more difficult .
18 PECM Issue 51