The chemical manufacturing sector is vital to the South African economy. According to the Chemical and Allied Industries Association, it generates around 25% of the country’s industrial revenue and is the most advanced of its sort in Africa.
When supply chains and international politics collide, the chemical industry is among the hardest hit. The industry’s capacity to serve its clients successfully is hindered by factors such as port congestion, container shortages, rising shipping costs, and increased energy prices, which has a knock-on effect on the automobile and electronics sectors. While manufacturers deal with an ever-increasing transition towards environmentally friendly chemical goods and corporate teams react to the rise in regulation around ESG reporting, fears about future demand have been stoked by slowing economic growth and rising interest rates.
Supply chains are one of the top concerns of corporate executives today. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and tectonic geopolitical developments have substantially exacerbated an already difficult position brought on by the global COVID-19 outbreak.
To ensure that the final chemical product is up to par with all the manufacturer’s stated requirements, stringent quality control methods must be implemented throughout the whole production process. Controlling the purity of chemicals during production is essential to making reliable, high-quality goods. From the arrival of raw materials to the shipping of finished goods, strict quality control measures must be established and adhered to. We examine the importance of quality control in chemical supply from a South African perspective in this article.
The Importance of Quality Control in Chemical Supply: A South African Perspective
Defects and Scrap
Production lines as a whole can become inefficient and lead to higher defect rates in the final chemical product inventory if raw materials are defective. Because of this, overall manufacturing efficiency will decrease, and failure rates will rise. Companies also often have to spend more money on machining or refining inferior raw materials.
Finding ways to detect flaws and discards in the chemical industry’s supply chain in South Africa is important for a number of reasons. The first is that it guarantees the manufacture and distribution of high-quality chemicals to consumers, which is crucial to retaining their patronage.
Early defect detection allows manufacturers to halt production of low-quality goods, protecting them from dissatisfied consumers, unwanted product returns, and possible brand harm.
Second, finding the causes of waste and errors is useful for keeping costs down and making the most of available assets. In addition to causing monetary losses, defective products waste resources like time, money, and energy. Chemical manufacturers can boost profits by cutting down on waste, boosting productivity, and eliminating flaws as soon as they are discovered. The industry as a whole benefits from improved safety and regulation compliance when flaws and waste are uncovered. Defective chemicals may be hazardous to people, animals, and ecosystems, and may also be in violation of regulations. Companies can reduce risks, adhere to regulations, and preserve ethical standards if they proactively identify and handle such concerns. The chemical sector in South Africa relies heavily on defect and scrap identification in the supply chain to guarantee product quality, cost control, safety, and regulatory compliance.
Problems Caused By External Suppliers
Raw materials, intermediates, and other critical components for South Africa’s chemical industry are sourced through a vast and intricate supply chain. Delays in manufacturing, shortages of essential resources, and even company interruptions are all possible outcomes of problems in the external supply chain. This is most clearly shown in how loadshedding has devastated South African businesses. Companies can keep operations running smoothly, keep a steady supply of resources on hand, and keep up with client expectations if they manage external supply problems well.
Supply interruptions from the outside can have serious financial repercussions. To lessen the impact of a supply failure, businesses may spend more money on measures like expedited shipping or finding replacement suppliers. Long-term problems with the supply chain might also lead to a drop in business. As a result, mitigating financial risks and maintaining profitability calls for proactive management of external supply problems.
When a company’s external supply chain fails, it can have a domino effect on the company’s credibility and reputation. Customers, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders in the chemical sector may become concerned about product quality and safety if there is a disruption or compromise in the supply chain. A company’s ability to handle unexpected obstacles, preserve consumer trust, and protect its brand can all be showcased through its handling of failures in external supply.
To maintain business as usual, maintain financial stability, and manage one’s reputation in South Africa’s chemical industry, it is essential to effectively manage disruptions in external supply.
Constant Evaluation of All Procedures and Products
Companies that have a lot of faults and other waste during production sometimes resort to manual inspections to maintain quality. Quality controls should eliminate the need for inspections, which drive up operating expenses. Continuous inspections on the production line can be avoided with proper quality control methods and supplier relationship audits.
Otherwise, time that may be spent adding value would be wasted on inspections of raw materials and final goods.
Toxic Material
Chemical production, involves the usage, storage and transport of potentially harmful substances. Employees and other stakeholders can benefit from quality control measures since it reduces the likelihood that they will be exposed to dangerous substances. Quality control is especially crucial in the chemical industry where the average order of the final product often exceeds a 50 000 litres load.
Chapter VIII of the National Road Traffic Act, 1996 and Chapter VIII of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2000 (commonly referred to as the Dangerous Goods Regulations) regulate the transportation of dangerous goods for the safety of all parties involved, including consignors, carriers, and members of the emergency services and the general public.
The Dangerous Goods Regulations, which incorporate the following SA National Standards (SANS) developed by the SA Bureau of Standards, require transport operators involved in the carriage of dangerous goods to take the necessary precautions to reduce the likelihood of incidents and ensure a satisfactory response.
The risk of financial sanctions for noncompliance makes quality control an absolute necessity. All stakeholders benefit when hazardous products move through the supply chain quickly and safely.
Chemi is a well-established bulk chemicals supplier in South Africa. We are also well known for being the best Ethylol 95 suppliers and SLES 70% suppliers. Get in touch with our team today.