Small parts, big efficiencies

Pugh and Sanders has been supplying quality fasteners and fixings to the rail industry for over a decade. Today, its clients include Hitachi, Alstom, Network Rail, CAF and Siemens.

In this Guest Writer article, Head of Sales Daniel Harne discusses the business’ new contract with Pullman Rail – and explains how it is delivering efficiencies for its growing customer base.

Any supplier can shave pence off the cost of C-Class parts. But for Pugh and Sanders, it’s about the bigger picture. We believe that real savings are achieved through supplier consolidation, supply chain visibility, and shop floor efficiency.

This approach recently helped us to secure a contract with Pullman Rail. Following a tendering process, Pugh and Sanders was appointed to supply fasteners to the rolling stock overhaul and refurbishment specialist. Our team understood that, while price was a consideration for Pullman, it had another important focus: continual development at its depot.

Of course, cost is important – but it’s not the only factor at play in the supply of C-Class parts for rail. Supply partners should strive for continuous development, focusing on areas like production efficiency and just-in-time delivery performance.

We understood Pullman Rail’s vision and set out to develop a solution that supported it. Because, without aligned supply solutions, companies will struggle to realise their production goals.

Supply chain visibility and quality assurance are also key concerns, particularly in the rail industry. It’s quite simple: the customer should be in control, with access to the supply chain information it needs – all while trusting that it can rely on its partner to manage the process.

And Pullman Rail trusts us to deliver, with Mark Parker, Managing Director, commenting: “We’re excited to begin this partnership with Pugh and Sanders. For us, this is more than just about sourcing components – it’s about working with a supplier that shares our commitment to continuous improvement. This collaboration is a significant step in our journey to enhance operational efficiencies, streamline processes, and ultimately deliver even greater value to our customers.”

Streamlining stock management: Just-in-time delivery and supplier consolidation

But how can Pugh and Sanders deliver these efficiencies for major rail companies like Pullman Rail? Is the business of supplying nuts and bolts really that complicated?  

Stock is one area of focus. Using historic data and our stock management system, we can develop a supply chain solution that allows for just-in-time delivery, with a safety stock element to support continuous production.

Our team can then review usages regularly, amending as required – and with the agreement of the customer. For organisations like Pullman Rail, it’s a more flexible, efficient, and cost-effective approach to stock management.

We also offer expert supplier consolidation services. When it comes to C-Class components, customers often find themselves procuring from as many as 120 different suppliers. Pugh and Sanders can help them rationalise this supply base, selecting the right vendors and even overseeing the purchase and management of stock.

This doesn’t just consolidate purchase orders and outgoings, improving efficiency and freeing up resource for the customer. It also lowers costs, improves supply chain stability, and makes compliance easier. Learn more about the benefits of supply chain consolidation here.

As part of this consolidation process, Pugh and Sanders’ procurement team meets regularly with the supply base to ensure it is delivering as required. We can also set up dedicated warehouses in our SAP system, monitoring usage. This supports efficient Material Requirements Planning (MRP).

Pugh and Sanders’ quality department, meanwhile, works closely with the supply chain so that it can carry out full quality audits, ensuring parts are correct before they are sent to the customer.

And, as my team and I collect data on parts usage, we can plan and forecast more effectively. This means better buying – which, in turn, benefits our customers.

The strategies I’ve outlined aren’t new, and many companies are already trying to employ them. But when a small procurement team is buying 500 parts from 120 suppliers, this can prove challenging. Specialist partners like Pugh and Sanders are on hand to help.

Kitting solutions

And we’re always looking for new ways to deliver efficiencies. We can even use the data we’ve collected to develop a bespoke kitting solution, creating kits for specific tasks. A single activity can involve as many as 20 – 30 C-Class parts – and, if the wrong part is selected, problems arise. Kitting doesn’t just further optimise the maintenance or production process – it reduces the risk of costly mistakes.

Ultimately, it’s not just about supplying nuts and bolts at the best price. We position ourselves as a trusted partner, advising customers and helping them to realise much-needed efficiencies across their operations. And we also deliver bespoke services, recognising that – while the components might be standardised – a one-size solution rarely fits all.

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