Case Study · Marine
US Marine Manufacturer: Alternative Materials Cut Cost, Win Tooling Approval
Flagging alternative materials in red on the BOM and backing them with certifications and test data won cost approval and the tooling phase.
United States · 2025 · Marine harnesses
Alternative materials flagged in BOM
Certifications + test reports provided
Tooling phase approved
Background
A US marine vessel manufacturer was in the quoting phase for a custom wire harness program. Cost competitiveness against the incumbent suppliers was a critical decision factor.
The Challenge
The customer required strong cost competitiveness, but standard materials drove pricing higher. Substituting alternative Chinese-manufactured materials raised customer concerns about reliability and compliance.
Our Solution
We clearly flagged the alternative materials in the BOM, marked in red for visibility, and assembled comprehensive quality certifications, test reports, and reliability data to prove their equivalence to international brands.
The Result
We overcame the customer's hesitation around alternative materials and demonstrated cost-effectiveness without sacrificing quality. The customer approved the tooling phase as a result.
Program Specifications
| BOM Approach | Alternatives flagged in red |
|---|---|
| Validation | Quality certs, test reports, reliability data |