Here is an amazing statistic: In 2012, world military expenditures hit a huge number—$1.7 trillion. North America alone made up 40% of that spending with $691.22 billion. To put these numbers into perspective, Russia’s entire GNP in 2012 was $1.8 trillion.
To manufacture trillions of dollars of military equipment, there are more military and defense suppliers than ever before. If you are thinking about getting into the lucrative military and defense manufacturing field, you need to learn how to select a military supplier that is experienced, respected and ultimately trustworthy.
Becoming a military supplier, especially in the U.S., is not easy. Suppliers must meet a complex set of exacting demands, referred to as Mil-Spec. At Keats, we know how challenging it can be to choose the right military supplier for your needs. All of these challenges are addressed and covered in our new eBook, Choosing a Mil-Spec Supplier: Criteria, Questions & Pitfalls.
This eBook provides a starting point for Mil-Spec contractors when selecting a Mil-Spec supplier, and gives readers a framework to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of Mil-Spec suppliers.
At Keats Manufacturing Company, we believe that when assessing potential Mil-Spec suppliers, there are 10 critical questions the supplier must answer correctly:
- Has the company manufactured for Mil-Spec before? Experience is a must in Mil-Spec work.
- Which Mil-Specs can the company meet? There are over 30,000 different Mil-Spec standards, so simply saying you are a Mil-Spec manufacturer is not enough.
- Does the company have the proper facilities and environment regulation? Thanks to painstaking levels of standardization, your supplier must be incredibly detailed-oriented.
- Do they track their supply chain? The Mil-Spec rules for procurement are vast and complex so you need a high level of tracking.
- Is the company prepared for the reading and research involved in Mil-Spec documents? There is no room for skimming in the Mil-Spec world. You need to do the work.
- Will they automatically provide you with the proper Mil-Spec documentation? Having to request documents after delivery causes delays across the board.
- Does the company have the volume capabilities- at both ends of the range? Your supplier needs to be able to handle orders as big as 50,000,000 pieces or as small as one.
- Do they have the right tolerance capabilities? Military equipment demands nothing less than the highest precision and the tightest tolerances.
- Does your manufacturer exceed, or merely meet, Mil-Spec standards? Just good enough won’t cut it, you need best.
- What technology and processes is the company using? If they are using out of date equipment, odds are good you are getting out of date products.
If a Mil-Spec supplier cannot give you an acceptable answer to these questions, then you need to continue looking.
We wrote Choosing a Mil-Spec Supplier: Criteria, Questions & Pitfalls because we have successfully fulfilled countless Mil-Spec orders throughout the years and we understand what it takes to get the job done right.
If you want to learn more about choosing the perfect Mil-Spec supplier, simply download your free copy of the e-book Choosing a Mil-Spec Supplier: Criteria, Questions & Pitfalls.
To discover why Keats just might be the perfect choice for all your Mil-Spec needs, contact us or give us a call at 800.KEATS.MFG. We look forward to working with you.