Three examples of how an engagement may work.
Practical procurement and supply chain support, built around the problems product businesses commonly run into.
Supplier diversification for a consumer products business
A growing consumer products company depends on a small supplier base, with inconsistent pricing and few alternatives to compare against.
An engagement of this type would begin with written supplier criteria agreed with the client. Novion would approach candidate suppliers on a single written specification, organise the available supplier information and documents against those criteria, and set the responses side by side. Third-party checks would be coordinated where required, and the client would approve any supplier and terms before a commitment is made.
Illustrative example. Scope, timing and outputs are agreed per engagement.
Inventory planning for a multi-SKU business
A product-based business purchases reactively, ending up with excess stock on slower-moving lines and recurring shortages of higher-demand items.
An engagement of this type would review purchasing and sales patterns across the catalogue, map supplier lead times as stated by each supplier, and set out a structured forecasting and reorder approach for the client to adopt. Purchasing decisions remain with the client.
Illustrative example. Scope, timing and outputs are agreed per engagement.
Multi-supplier shipment coordination
A client needs orders from several suppliers coordinated across locations, alongside production schedules, documentation and freight bookings.
An engagement of this type would align production readiness across the suppliers, consolidate the documentation set, and coordinate freight bookings and documentation with appointed providers, including consolidation where practical. Customs clearance, carriage and inspection are performed by appropriately appointed third parties.
Illustrative example. Scope, timing and outputs are agreed per engagement.
What a supplier comparison looks like.
Shortlisted suppliers set side by side on the terms that decide the order, with a recommendation and the reasoning behind it. The supplier names and figures below are invented for illustration and are not taken from a client engagement.
| SUPPLIER | FOB / UNIT | MOQ | LEAD TIME | DOCUMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier A | 4.20 | 2,000 | 35 days | Registration, ISO 9001 |
| Supplier B | 3.95 | 3,000 | 28 days | Registration, ISO 9001, test report |
| Supplier C | 3.80 | 5,000 | 42 days | Registration only |
| Supplier D | 4.65 | 1,000 | 21 days | Registration, test report |
Recommendation in this example: Supplier B — the best quoted unit price at a workable MOQ, with registration and test documents provided. This is an illustrative preference based on the stated criteria, not a certification or compliance conclusion. The decision stays with you; we set out the trade-offs.
No two briefs look the same.
Some clients need a new supplier. Others need stronger commercial terms, tighter inventory planning, or one person to hold the moving parts of a cross-border order together.
Tell us where your supply chain is getting stuck.