The new handbook explains the standards required of all existing and potential suppliers.
This is the first time that all of Wärtsilä’s requirements and standards have been gathered into a single, easy-to-read overview. The handbook is also testimony to the many years of dedicated work performed at Wärtsilä to achieve a sustainable, world class supply chain.
We strive for world-class performance in quality and on-time delivery. For this purpose, we have put much effort into managing our supply chain so as to offer the best possible service to our customers while being a responsible contractor,” says Jaap Huisman, Director, Supplier Development & Quality at Wärtsilä.
The role of Wärtsilä Supply Management (WSM) is to ensure that all products and services are produced and delivered on time, with the right quality, and at optimal cost. The scope of supply management covers all businesses and support functions in all regions, globally. Currently WSM employs more than 200 experts in 15 countries in Asia, Europe, and North and South America.
Centralising the organisation has been only one of the ways that Wärtsilä has focused on supply management over the years. Global ways of working have also been standardised, while related documentation and requirements have been harmonised.
The newly published Supplier Handbook represents the latest evidence of this commitment to continuous improvement. For the first time it gathers all of Wärtsilä’s requirements into a single overview, which can now be easily communicated to suppliers. The handbook lists a number of minimum requirements for suppliers. It also clarifies what actions suppliers should take to ensure the continuous development of their systems, processes and structure.
“We had hundreds of people involved in the creation of the handbook and spent some 12 months working on it. It’s been a huge, but also a very meaningful, task. We believe our suppliers will also appreciate it,” Huisman notes.