“Jo bana, woh bikega” is not a strategy — unless what you make it consistently good.

In today’s competitive B2B market, buyers expect standardised, reliable products. A single bad batch can cause you to lose a client or get blacklisted on a marketplace.

This post covers:

• How to set up quality control processes

• Small improvements that reduce rework and waste

• Lean manufacturing basics for Indian MSMEs

• Why improving efficiency isn’t just for big factories

1. Set Up a Simple But Effective Quality Control (QC) System

Even if you're a small unit, establish a basic 3-stage QC process:

✅ Maintain a QC register: Item, date, checked by, issues found, corrective action taken.

📌 Assign one person per shift who is not part of production to conduct QC.

2. Track Your Rejection Rate — and Reduce It

Every rejected item = wasted money. Maintain a defect sheet by category:

• Shrinkage

• Scratches

• Cracks

• Incorrect fitting

• Contamination

Look for patterns: Is it the same worker? Same machine? Same shift?

3. Reduce Wastage — It’s Hidden Profit ♻️

Common causes of material waste:

• Cutting errors

• Poor machine maintenance

• Inaccurate mixing (for paints, chemicals, etc.)

• Storage damage

✅ Counter these with:

• Regular machine calibration

• Worker training every 60–90 days

• Organised raw material storage (label + FIFO)

• Recording daily scrap & reuse potential

📦 Track which raw materials result in the most scrap — it might be worth switching suppliers.

4. Improve Production Efficiency (Even Without a Plant Manager) ⚙️

Start with simple metrics:

• Output per hour

• Downtime per shift

• Material used per unit

• Labour productivity

This helps you spot where to focus improvements — often, small fixes give big gains.

5. Introduce Lean Thinking & Kaizen (Continuous Improvement)

You don’t need a Japanese consultant. Here's how Indian MSMEs can implement basic Lean principles -

✅ Try a weekly 30-min review with your team to discuss one improvement idea.

6. Should You Go for ISO or Other Certifications?

If you’re planning to:

• Export

• Work with MNCs

• Join government tenders

• List on B2B platforms like IndiaMART or GlobalSources

Then certifications like:

• ISO 9001 (Quality Management)

• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management)

• GMP (for pharma, food) …can help build trust and improve process discipline.

📝 Cost of certification: ₹50,000–₹1.5 lakh depending on your size & consultant.

7. Common Mistakes to Avoid

📌 Build a culture where everyone is responsible for quality — not just QC staff.

Key Takeaways

• A clear QC process and log is a must, even for small manufacturers

• Track rejection, downtime, and output weekly

• Reducing scrap directly increases margins

• Small, regular improvements beat one-time overhauls

• Quality is not an expense — it’s your entry ticket to serious B2B clients

Let’s Talk

How are you currently managing quality in your factory? Do you track scrap, downtime, or worker output? Share your thoughts in the comments or start a thread at Manthan.