Timberland emphasise importance of quality

The US-based Timberland Company is working with Satra to establish a comprehensive testing regime throughout its worldwide footwear supply chain. Every company which manufactures footwear for Timberland will soon have a laboratory located on site to carry out a specified range of physical and chemical tests. The technology centre's consultants provide equipment and training for the laboratory personnel and accredit each individual technician, as well as the company, as they reach the required standard. Timberland works to continuously improve its already high quality standards for footwear products and this latest initiative follows an earlier collaboration with Satra to establish similar laboratories in each company that supplies leather into Timberland's global supply chain. 'This is an excellent example of how a major resourcing company is working with Satra to raise overall standards of product quality', says Satra's global resourcing expert Phil Shaw. 'Our consultants will also carry out periodic visits to ensure that the level of testing is maintained and, as Timberland's requirements change, we will assist the supplier companies to grow to meet each challenge.'