A second supply base in India.
SourceSquid built a second supply base in India for VR, a Dutch bicycle maker. It started with a five-foundry investment casting RFQ and extends to the metal parts that go into every frame, fork and handlebar.
- 5
- foundries quoted
- 4
- cities visited
- 1,000–10,000
- pieces per part a year
- Investment castings
- Turned and milled parts
- Laser-cut and welded assemblies
- Bent tubes
- Chrome-moly forks
What the client asked for.
VR designs and builds specialist bicycles in the Netherlands. Every model draws on a wide mix of precision metal parts, from castings to bent tubes.
The brief: a dependable second source in India for many part families at low-to-mid volumes, with European quality from the first shipment and prices that stand up against target costs.
Step by step, decision by decision.
The real choices behind the result, in the order we made them.
- 01
One RFQ, five foundries
One clean RFQ pack went to five investment foundries in Rajkot, Pune and Solapur, so every quote answered the same questions.
OutputRFQ pack - 02
Quotes against target prices
Every quote was modelled line by line against VR’s target prices, so the gaps and the negotiation points were visible at a glance.
OutputQuote comparison model - 03
Factories seen in person
We hosted the VR team on factory visits in Delhi, Rajkot, Pune and Solapur, so they could see each process for themselves.
OutputHosted factory visits - 04
Split sourcing
We recommended splitting the castings across qualified foundries, so volume and know-how sit with more than one supplier.
OutputSplit-sourcing recommendation - 05
Every metal part family
The same method covers turned and milled parts, laser-cut and welded assemblies, bent tubes and chrome-moly forks.
OutputSourcing plan by part family
The results.
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Five foundries on one basis
Quotes compared like for like against target prices, line by line.
-
Decisions made on the factory floor
VR’s team saw every shortlisted process in person, in four cities.
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Resilience built in
A split-sourcing plan spreads volume and knowledge across qualified foundries.
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One route for every part family
Castings first, then machined, fabricated and bent parts, on the same method.
Deliverables, in hand.
- 01RFQ packDrawings, materials, volumes and quality requirements in one package.
- 02Quote comparison modelFive foundries compared against target prices.
- 03Hosted factory visitsDelhi, Rajkot, Pune and Solapur.
- 04Split-sourcing recommendationA clear allocation of castings across qualified foundries.
The services and tools behind this work.
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