Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section, specially tailored for existing and new clients of Coler Supply. Here, we aim to provide comprehensive answers to the questions that you, as our valued client, most commonly ask. Whether you're seeking clarification on our products, services, or policies, this section is designed to assist you with timely and accurate information. Our commitment to supporting your needs is reflected in this carefully curated resource, ensuring that your experience with Coler Supply is both seamless and satisfying.

What is the difference between manufacturing and procurement?

Manufacturing refers to the process of producing goods, often on a large scale, using machinery, labour, and other resources. Procurement, on the other hand, involves the process of sourcing and acquiring the raw materials or services needed for manufacturing.

Why should we use Coler when we could just go direct and save the margins?

We’ve done this for over 25years we're market leaders in this industry. Why wouldn’t you lean on experts in their field to yield the greatest value/return for your business?

Because we offer a vast amount more value than just costings… What are they?

  • We offer full liability on issues that may crop up if you brought from China yourself giving you full peace of mind that even if there are problems they will be resolved.
  • We offer far better payment terms than 99% of suppliers will give you in China improving your company cash flow
  • We give you complete time freedom on the headache of procuring all the products yourself (this can lead to saving on staffing costs in a lot of cases)
  • We give you a night & day direct UK contact
  •  We offer a far improved stockholding option than you would going direct once again improving cash flow
  • We handle all the quality inspection for you (once again saving you time and potential staffing costs).
  • Our 25+ years of procurement and 60+ years of experience in manufacturing means we tend to source better costing than you could yourself.
What if I don’t need the parts straight away?

We allow all customers to order stock up to 12months in advance so it gives you plenty of time to utilise existing stocks and in some cases allow for the sample approval process.

What if I need samples before we go ahead?

We try to offer free samples where possible if required. In the cases where upfront tooling/moulds are required we would look to work on a solution that allows you to pay as little as possible up front.

What if we need to pay for tooling?

We allow flexibility in the payment of tooling through amortisation into the piece price of the part or in some cases even offering a 50/50 payment (half up front & half upon delivery).

What if the goods are delayed?

We have a dedicated supply chain team as well as a sophisticated web portal that is updated daily allowing for us to have full control of products and their location and production cycle. In the cases of unforeseen and uncontrollable delays we will always endeavour to update well in advance and work on a solution that keeps productions running at a fair cost.

What if I need the parts quickly?

We have global sourcing solutions allowing for rapid turnarounds and lead times as short as 24hours in some cases.  

What happens if there’s a quality issue?

We have an incredibly robust quality system that incorporates 3 stages of checking components before they reach our customers but in the rare event an issue arises we will work towards reaching a solution that rectifies the issue in the most efficient and cost effective manner to ensure production isn’t disrupted.

What are you doing to improve sustainability?

We care deeply about sustainability and have our own go green plan. We have retrofitted our warehousing and office facilities with energy saving lighting and technologies, we utilise the greenest cargo transport available where applicable and are actively develop and supply heavily in to green technology such as wind power, solar, EV auto, Hydro & battery technologies.

“At Coler Supply Solutions we spend extensive time and resources controlling the quality of the parts from both our European and overseas base of operations through our premium manufacturing and procurement solutions"