ABSTRACT
Vendors of capital equipment and key components should be as much involved in product development as manufacturing engineers, and this is one more facet of concurrent engineering where the Japanese have built their own advantage. The more enlightened companies seek long-term relationships with vendors. The advantage to vendors of the less formal approach is that they spend less time preparing competitive quotations and have some idea of their likely work load. Some vendors of plant have complained that in the initial selection phase they are obliged to include details of their latest ideas, and that if they lose the contract, then the customer and their competitors gain details of their research. Vendors of sheet steel and castings are key suppliers as well as the makers of specialist components. Early involvement in the task force benefits both manufacturer and vendor.
