Qube Procurement has reinvented the supply chain. We are proud to offer seamless imported product solutions by providing access to our vertically integrated network of supply chain systems to deliver products from initial concept directly to our warehouse, your distribution centre or direct to customer.
Who are we?
Qube Procurement is a team of highly experienced Asian market specialists, based both in Australia and throughout Asia, who are experts in managing offshore purchasing and logistics. Following the acquisition of Lasso in 2019, Qube Procurement formed as a division of Qube Logistics. Lasso was founded in late 2006 by two partners who sought to provide a more streamlined way to manage offshore purchasing and logistics. Combining the expertise of Qube Logistics with the decades of experience offered by the Lasso team, Qube Procurement effectively works with stakeholders across the supply chain, face to face, offering a truly unique supply chain model. We work on existing products under manufacture, new product development and enhancement.
We pride ourselves on working closely with our customers to assess our customer’s needs to identify, recommend and implement efficiencies in their supply chain.
01
Client Brief
A comprehensive overview of our client requirements to ensure in depth product knowledge and benefits are included in the brief
02
Sourcing Solutions
Detailed market research of prime manufacturing locations within China and Southeast Asia with the aim with the aim of identifying a minimum of 25 potential suppliers.
03
Supplier Assessment & Shortlists
The potential supplier facilities will be audited against a detailed due diligence checklist. We present the leading three suppliers with full audit reports, comparison tables and a consolidated recommendation report. Our teams ensure that the recommended suppliers are capable of consistent, quality manufacture in line with Australian quality expectations
04
Supplier Audit
Our Supplier Audit Report includes a review of:
- Supplier legitimacy and ownership
- Management and production systems
- Storage and sourcing of raw materials and batch processing identification
- Assessment of samples and product options
- Quality control checkpoints and processes
- Potential improvements and preventative actions
05
Production Supervision
Being on ground, in the factory, and supervising production ensures consistent, quality manufacture. Importantly, as your sales grow, realising the benefits of direct procurement, our production oversight means increased demand will not equal increased headaches or quality fade.
06
Quality Control & Inspections
Four stage Quality Control process
- Initial production inspection
- During production inspection
- Final pre-shipment inspection
07
Logistics
With a global network of Qube offices and facilities we are able to land cargo as required, on time and on budget.
Why Qube Procurement?
- Dedicated Australian account manager to work directly with you meaning a single point of customer contact to keep our clients informed of each step of the process and the delivery schedule
- Our own expert western teams strategically placed in Asia covering China, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia
- Vast networks of suppliers to provide you with the best quality products for your needs
- Globally recognised quality assurance standards during production and packing
- Shipping managed in a timely and cost-effective manner
- Management of all documentation processing, customs and AQIS clearances
- Delivery direct to your warehouse including transportation from the wharf to the designated site, including unpacking and palletisation. Where warehousing is required, we handle stock coordination and control
- Our focus is refining your supply chain, creating efficiencies and fine tuning your product and importation costs
- We’re not just your service provider, we become an extension of your business, one of your team members
Free Supply Chain Audit
Challenge our team to improve your sourcing and supply chain costs.
Due to QUBE Procurement’s unique vertical integration we can offer customers a free Supply Chain Audit whereby we can identify, recommend and implement changes to increase efficiency and save costs to your overall supply chain.
Case Study
Natural Stone
REQUEST:
QUBE Procurement was tasked with finding suppliers of various types of natural stone that would dramatically improve on current quality of stone coming from China. The importers set a precedent by accepting 20-40% unusable product as the norm.
CHALLENGE:
Lack of familiarity with standards abroad and high demand within China meant suppliers were hesitant to make changes in their production processes
- Majority of suppliers did not understand strict requirements abroad. QUBE Procurement regularly removed 30% of product during inspection and packing of cargo. This was met with indifference by many suppliers as they could not understand how large variations in thickness resulted in very high installation costs in Australia
- Large demand in the domestic market meant factories had little incentive to improve standards. Suppliers were content producing domestic product with essentially no tolerance and did not require quality control or inspections
RESULT:
QUBE Procurement worked with numerous suppliers over a period of 18 months and we were successful in helping them better understand the importance of controlling tolerances during production. We implemented quality checks at the beginning of production to reduce final rejection rates. Cut stone slabs were checked for imperfections as well as thickness prior to being cut to size. Through this process we dramatically reduced pre-inspection rejection rates from 30% + to 5-10%, with final rejection rates under 5%. Stone supplied by QUBE Procurement is now considered the industry leader.
Case Study
Fertiliser
REQUEST:
Following a referral to help import mixing machinery for a new client, Qube Procurement was also asked to look at a cost effective way of sourcing raw materials for a new liquid fertiliser plant.
CHALLENGE:
The client was a new fertiliser company that wished to vertically integrate the supply and distribution for all raw material and packaging of this product. The issue the client faced was lack of reliable quality control, access to raw products or a supply chain of their own. The product was also very unique, so confidentiality was also a concern.
SOLUTION:
QUBE Procurement worked closely with the client and formed a strategic alliance to source, conduct QC, ship, unpack, store and distribute not only the raw products but the finished goods as well. All supply chain is now under one banner and all control is in-house to satisfy the confidentiality aspect.
Case Study
Packing Ply
REQUEST:
A client requested QUBE Procurement source low cost plywood used in the transport industry as product packaging and protection in transit. The client requested a special sheet size to meet truck/trailer restrictions.
CHALLENGE:
Packing ply is a consumable product in the industry – an operational overhead to be minimised. There is a large amount of ply that is lost or used by other transport companies in error. At the same time we needed to supply a superior grade of ply with an acceptable lifespan.
SOLUTION:
QUBE Procurement sourced ply that met the client’s size requirements. Custom 45 degree corners were suggested and implemented to reduce corner damage and allow airflow when used in refrigerated containers thus enhancing its lifespan and safety when handling the product. The client’s logo was added to both sides of each sheet to reduce misuse/loss . Savings of 34% were achieved for this product.
Case Study
Aluminium Profiles
REQUEST:
QUBE Procurement was asked to provide a cost-effective solution to supply extruded aluminium profiles and other accessories used in our client’s terracotta wall façade system.
CHALLENGE:
The cost to manufacture the aluminium profiles in Australia was prohibitively high, which led to the clients wall façade system being less competitive in the market. The cost to produce the rails in China was indeed lower, however very high import tariffs in Australia meant little to no saving.
SOLUTION: QUBE Procurement began looking outside of China and visited six factories in Vietnam and Thailand. Thailand was selected as
the new manufacturing location due to Thailand’s experience in working with the exacting requirements of the Japanese auto industry. Through our search we found several suppliers that would ensure the quality and precision needed. QUBE Procurement was responsible for a large cost saving compared to profiles being produced in Australia. QUBE Procurement now send aluminium products to the USA and Australia.
