Seven core reasons for shipment in garment industries

Seven core reasons for shipment delay

The garment industry is based on material and manpower. Managing them well only could avoid delay in shipment. Most garment manufacturing industries are working on committed quantity, quality, and delivery time. If not achieve these three key factors, then, its ultimately lead to loss. Avoid loss and maintaining customer reliability is the primary key to success. Exceeding product cost will create a situation of “Operation Success, But Patient Dead”

Being successful managers, we should avoid this kind of critical situation. For that understanding core reasons and finding solutions are very important. End of a long study, we concluded below the seven reasons are often leading to delay in garment delivery.  

Based on the case study below points are often caused by shipment delay.

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The above seven factors are highly affecting garment lead time. we will over-review them with remedial actions.

1. Sample and developments 

Sample development primary process in garment manufacturing industries. Understanding the customer's requirement, developing accordingly, timely getting sample approval. Often fully understanding of customer development requests is missing. This ultimately leads to rejection or re-make the sample.

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The above steps are important to achieve the planned production start date. Often delay in preparing samples is leading to the delay in counter samples approval and delay in preproduction meeting.

Solution:

a)       Plan T&A for sample activities to follow strictly

b)      Arrange samples materials in time

c)       Develop patterns, materials and get approval from the buyer

d)      Closely work with CAD, Sample, QA, others to submit the sample in planned time

e)      Follow up with the buyer and get timely approval    

2. Material arrangements (Supply chain)

Delay in materials arrangements is leading to a delay in shipment. Some of the parameters i.e. Fabric development, Fabric approval, Trims and accessories approval and work out bulk consumption are to be followed to meet the planned date.

Flow process of inventories procurements to check and ensure.

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Solution:

a)       Develop fabric and other materials in time

b)      Get approval from the buyer before order placing for raw materials

c)       Check bulk consumption and place raw materials order  

d)      Inspect fabric and other materials once arrived in the factory

e)      Follow closely materials consuming act immediately any deviation      

3. Capacity based planning

Understanding the factory capacity is essential for marketing and production planning. Common mistake happens in apparel industries due to incorrect capacity calculation and production plan.

a)       Underestimated and low planning – is leading for production line idle

b)      Overestimated and higher planning – is leading to delay in shipment

c)       Unstable capacity and poor planning – is leading for production line idle and delay in shipment

d)      Correct estimated but poor planning – is leading for low factory efficiency and delay in shipment

Solution:

a)       Check available capacity, Based on that plan for bulk production

b)      Follow closely to meat T&A and production planned

c)       Take corrective and remedial action if any variance between planned and actual

4. Quality and quantity

Most shipments delayed caused by the insufficient quantity of raw materials or quality of raw materials are not acceptable level. Store team often contacting quality and quantity audit in late. This kind of situation is leading to end minute surprise.  Based on the porches order (PO), Bill of materials (BOM) should be prepared. BOM should e contain clear details of materials, Consumption per garments and required for order. Required allowances and wastage should be added. Short of materials led to short in production.

Solution:

a)       Prepare clear BOM with consumption and order materials.

b)      Contact quality and quantity audit immediately arrived the materials to factory store.

c)       Ensure all materials arrive in time, Take action on quality issues or quantity shortage,

d)      Ensure bulk production consumption and wastage.

 5. Production execution  

At production function, Sliding in T&A and not achieved as per planned qty are often leading to the shipment delay. In most cases, order risk analysis and critical path monitoring are not so effective. Same way closely monitoring production and order execution also missed. Being manager, the production should be tracked in order wise, delivery wise and plan versus actual.

Refer to the flow process of cutting and sewing section for check and ensure all process.

Flow Process of Cutting Section	Flow Process of Sewing Section - Shirt

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Solution:

a)       Plan and follow up on T&A, Planned production  

b)      Arrange timely materials, Machinery, Cut panels, Line set up, Production starting, Reach pean production, so on.

c)       Take corrective and preventive action on sliding.

d)      Ensure proper quality management system placed to ensure the quality and needlepoint.

e)      Follow on Printing, Embroidery, washing, finishing, and packing activities.  

6. Final Inspection and re-check

Based on sewing line output, The washing and finishing production process should be planned. Based on the planned finishing, all inspections should be scheduled i.e. initial Inspection, Mid inspection, Pre-final inspection, and final inspection. Also, an internal process-wise quality checking system and the quality gate should organize. A main key focus of the team should be to pack quality garments to avoid rejects in the inspection. The delivery plan should be prepared with a tentative packing list. Once completed all, Final inspections and repack should be done minimun3 working days early of ex-factory date.

7. Transport and logistic

In such a case, Goods will be ready, but we could not able to ship due to pending logistic and transportation arrangements. Transport is considered a lot of outer petameters i.e. Holiday, Strike, Road close, Container availabilities, etc. Poor arrangements on this function are leading to a delay in shipment.

Solution:

a)       During the production itself, required documents and bank permits should be generated.

b)      Ensure the container booking and local transportation arranged.

c)       Ensure the customs and required documents are arranged to get approval to dispatch the finished goods.

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