Start here: Your current resin picture

• How frequently does your site place resin purchase orders for pelletized grades, and which cadence feels most natural for your planners? Options: Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Ad hoc
• Tell me about the resin grades your lines run today, including the melt index and density ranges you accept for each product family.
• On average, how many metric tons per month does your site consume by resin family (HDPE, LLDPE, LDPE, PP, PVC)? Options: <50 tpm, 50–200 tpm, 200–1,000 tpm, >1,000 tpm
• Which internal teams at your company are involved when you evaluate a new supplier or grade, and who signs the final go/no-go? Options: Procurement, Quality, Operations/Production, R&D/Process Engineering, Site Leadership
• Give an example of a recent grade change you accepted and explain how your process metrics (scrap, cycle time, finish quality) responded.
• Should your six-month forecast drop by 30% from typical levels, would you pause qualification activities, reduce committed volumes, or continue as planned? Options: Pause qualification, Reduce committed volumes, Continue as planned, Unsure

Where a missed delivery actually hits your P&L

• If a one-week supply interruption occurred during a planned high-efficiency run, what immediate costs or production losses would your plant incur?
• Estimate the typical number of downtime hours your site experiences per event when resin arrives late or out of specification. Options: <4 hours, 4–12 hours, 12–24 hours, >24 hours
• Who on your team makes the call to switch to an alternative grade or to pause production when material is constrained, and how fast can that decision be executed?
• How quickly can your operations qualify and run an alternative grade without a full trial, given your current changeover and QC processes? Options: Same shift, 24–72 hours, 1–2 weeks, >2 weeks
• What single supply failure in the last 12 months would make you permanently rule out a supplier, and why?

Grade acceptance and the people who sign off

• Which recurring lab or lot-level test variation has most often caused you to reject a shipment, and how was that usually discovered?
• Describe your qualification workflow from sample receipt to final sign-off, including typical durations for sampling, lab testing, and operations approval.
• When you run melt index and density tests, which specific numerical tolerances and test methods must be met before you allow material into production?
• If a candidate grade met average specifications but showed a recurring mismatch in additive profile, would your team pause qualification or accept the grade with mitigation steps? Options: Pause qualification, Accept with mitigation, Accept as-is, Escalate to technical review
• Who must sign the technical acceptance certificate before a new grade may be used in continuous production at your site? Options: Site Quality Manager, Production Manager, Procurement Lead, R&D/Process Engineer, Plant Director

Lead times, logistics, and the calendar that governs your runs

• State the number of reliable days of lead time your team requires between order confirmation and plant delivery to avoid schedule disruptions. Options: <7 days, 7–14 days, 15–30 days, >30 days
• List your preferred transport modes by distance and terminal type, for example rail hopper, bulk truck, bagged truck, or ocean vessel, and note any hard limits. Options: Rail (hopper), Bulk truck (tanker/pony), Bagged truck, Ocean vessel, Pipeline
• Name the scheduling owner and the escalation contact at your plant who manage inbound deliveries and exceptions.
• Point to the downstream step that breaks first when a full lot arrives outside your unloading window: production line, quality control, or storage capacity. Options: Production line, Quality control, Storage capacity, Other
• Select the typical receiving hours window at your site. Options: 24/7, Mon-Fri 7:00–17:00, Mon-Fri 8:00–18:00, Mon-Sat daytime, Appointment-only

Hidden risks that threaten first runs and steady supply

• Point out the single upstream constraint—plant outages, feedstock shortages, or allocation policies—that has most often reduced grade availability for your operations. Options: Plant outages, Feedstock shortages, Allocation policies, Seasonal maintenance, Other
• For how long have you tolerated intermittent quality variation before switching suppliers or changing specifications? Options: <1 month, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, >6 months
• Choose the consequence you fear most when quality drifts: increased scrap, customer claims, rework, or line stoppages. Options: Increased scrap, Customer claims, Rework, Line stoppages, Other
• Would you stop qualification and begin a supplier replacement search if recurring contamination appeared in trial shipments? Options: Yes, stop and search, No, open corrective action first, It depends on severity
• Identify who on your side would lead incident response for a cross-plant quality failure and how fast they can be mobilized.

Alternatives you're weighing and what's keeping you there

• Assume your incumbent met the next three deliveries on time but at higher price, what specific condition would still make you switch suppliers?
• Select which alternatives you are currently evaluating alongside new supplier options. Options: Current incumbent supplier, Spot market purchases, Vertical integration / internal production, Regional distributors or terminals, Other suppliers
• State the single thing that must be true about your current approach for you to stay with it rather than change suppliers.
• Has anyone internally proposed solving supply or grade issues by building capability in-house, and what was their primary rationale? Options: Yes—cost control, Yes—security of supply, No, Discussed but not proposed
• Name the timeline or KPI that, if achieved by a new supplier, would make you switch within 30 days.

Can your plant take, test, and pay for this supply?

• Assuming your ERP and scheduling owners cannot accept EDI or API order flows within 60 days, would that prevent your team from moving forward with this engagement? Options: Yes, it prevents moving forward, No, we can use manual workarounds, Possibly with temporary measures
• Identify which systems at your site must integrate for a clean order-to-invoice flow: your ERP, WMS, TMS, or a third-party portal. Options: ERP, Warehouse management system, Transport management system, Third-party portal, None / manual
• Do you have a dedicated quality contact and a shipping contact who can accept and review certificates of analysis at time of receipt? Options: Yes—both assigned, Only quality assigned, Only shipping assigned, No
• Rate your data readiness for sharing monthly forecasts and inventory positions with a supplier. Options: Full automated feeds exist, Manual uploads currently, Forecasts shared occasionally, No regular forecasting process
• Should credit approval not be completed within your required window, would your team suspend ordering or accept smaller pre-paid shipments? Options: Suspend ordering, Accept smaller pre-paid shipments, Negotiate payment terms, Unsure

The deal-stoppers and green lights that move you to sign

• Pinpoint the single acceptance metric—melt index variance, density tolerance, or contamination level—that will stop you from approving a pilot.
• Choose the test methods you require on Certificates of Analysis for acceptance. Options: Melt index (ASTM or equivalent), Density (DSC or equivalent), Additive content analysis, Contamination/ash test, Color/viscosity
• Would your team sign a commercial agreement if the trial meets technical acceptance but logistics SLAs are outside your preferred window? Options: Yes, proceed with conditions, No, require SLA compliance first, Depends on the gap
• Within what time period must a corrective action close after a failed lot before you reject continuing the relationship? Options: 48 hours, 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, Depends on severity
• List the internal approvals that would still block signing within 30 days even if the pilot showed the promised yield or quality improvements.

Decision rhythm and the first actions that accelerate progress

• Suppose everything lines up on quality and logistics, who on your team is authorized to sign the commercial agreement within two weeks?
• Choose the deployment timeline you prefer for qualification to move from trial to full production at your site. Options: 4–8 weeks, 8–12 weeks, 3–6 months, 6+ months
• Provide the name and role of the person your team prefers the seller contact next to schedule a technical workshop or site visit.
• When would your team be prepared to begin sample shipments for grade qualification if the paperwork and logistics are agreed? Options: Immediately, Within 2 weeks, Within 4–6 weeks, Longer than 6 weeks
• Will a passing first shipment authorize your team to place a commercial quantity order within 14 days, or are there other gating approvals required? Options: Yes, immediate order, No, additional approvals required, Depends on contract terms

• Production Fit Workshop

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm at least one available grade meets your melt index and density acceptance and that expected lot variability fits your production window.
• Deliver a grade-fit report for the buyer's top three SKUs including lot variability analysis and recommended grade(s) within five business days.
• You confirm the proposed lot-level QA and sampling plan prevents unexpected line adjustments and reduces scrap risk.
• Map available grades to your specs
• Provide your production acceptance parameters, including melt index and density ranges, target batch sizes, and the list of qualification stakeholders within three business days.
• Propose a sample shipment schedule and a sampling/test plan for the Grade Qualification Trial within seven business days.
• You confirm that one of the presented logistics options meets your lead-time constraints for initial shipments.
• Show lot-level quality controls and COA/sample plan
• Review logistics options and lead-time scenarios
• You agree on the Grade Qualification Trial scope, sample schedule, and measurable acceptance criteria to move to the next stage.
• Confirm preferred delivery modes, terminals, and lead-time constraints for routing validation and final logistics selection.
• Apply to a production scenario
• Validate alignment and agree next steps

• Production Fit Workshop
• Production Fit Workshop Deck
• Production Fit Solution Brief

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• Fulfill long‑term resin contract shipments
• Execute spot resin shipment and delivery
• Produce specialty grade resin lots
• Deliver qualification sample lots for testing
• Provide certificate of analysis per lot
• Perform melt index, density, and contamination testing
• Supply additized resin batches to specification
• Repack resin into bags and boxes
• Load and ship by rail
• Load and ship by bulk truck
• Load and ship by ocean vessel
• Transfer product via pipeline to buyer facility
• Store bulk inventory at regional terminals
• Provide consigned inventory with on‑demand release

Fulfill long‑term resin contract shipments

• Do you have an annual committed volume for the long‑term contract (in metric tonnes)? Options: Less than 1,000, 1,000-10,000, 10,000-50,000, More than 50,000, Undecided / Need guidance
• Which resin grades should the contract cover (identify grade codes or melt index and density targets)?
• How many distinct delivery points will you schedule under the contract? Options: 1, 2-5, 6-10, More than 10
• When do you expect the first contract shipment to be delivered to your plant? Options: Within 30 days, 30-90 days, 90-180 days, After 180 days
• Where should performance obligations be measured (e.g., delivery to buyer dock, regional terminal, or CIF‑vessel berth)? Options: Buyer dock / door, Regional terminal, CIF vessel berth, Other
• Who in your organization will own monthly forecast updates and delivery schedule approvals?

Execute spot resin shipment and delivery

• List the typical lead time tolerance you accept for spot shipments (days from booking to delivery). Options: 1-3 days, 4-7 days, 8-14 days, More than 14 days
• Provide the preferred incoterms for spot transactions (e.g., EXW, FCA, CIF) for your receiving locations. Options: EXW, FCA, DDP, CIF/CFR, Open to discussion
• Specify the maximum acceptable deviation in melt index and density for spot purchases compared with your production target (give units: g/10 min and g/cm3).
• Indicate whether you require guaranteed allocation for spot volumes during force majeure or low availability windows. Options: Yes, No, Conditional — discuss thresholds
• Choose the transport modes you will accept for spot delivery to your site. Options: Bagged truck, Truck bulk, Rail car, Vessel, Pipeline
• Are there specific receiving window constraints at your plant for spot shipments (days/hours)? Options: Yes, No

Produce specialty grade resin lots

• Describe the specialty resin formulations you require including target melt index, density, and key additives (for example, slip agent percentage, antioxidant class).
• Confirm the minimum lot size you can accept for a specialty production run (metric tonnes). Options: Less than 1, 1-5, 5-20, More than 20
• Select whether you need traceable lot tagging and production batch genealogy for specialty lots. Options: Yes — full genealogy, Yes — basic lot ID and date, No
• Identify any regulatory or food‑contact specification the specialty grade must comply with (for example FDA food contact, EU food contact regulations). Options: Food contact (FDA/EU), Automotive spec, Medical device spec, None, Other
• Estimate the forecasted annual volume for specialty grades you will need (metric tonnes). Options: Less than 100, 100-1,000, 1,000-5,000, More than 5,000
• Are there required on‑site qualification steps at your plant for specialty grades (pilot runs, trial extrusion, molded part evaluation)? Options: Yes — pilot and process trials, Yes — lab testing only, No

Deliver qualification sample lots for testing

• Do you require representative sample lots to be shipped as bagged samples, supersacks, or small bulk tote for appraisal runs? Options: 25 kg bags, Supersacks (bulk bags), Small bulk tote, Sample sachets / bottles
• Provide the number of sample lots and quantity per lot you need for lab and in‑line process testing. Options: 1 lot (trial), 2-3 lots, 4-6 lots, More than 6 lots
• Specify the preferred sampling and chain‑of‑custody method required for qualification (for example retained sample per lot with unique lot number). Options: Retained 1 kg per lot with chain‑of‑custody, Retained full production sample per lot, No retained sample required
• Indicate the target timeline from sample shipment to receipt at your lab for qualification trials (days). Options: 1-3 days, 4-7 days, 8-14 days, More than 14 days
• Identify the production tests you will run on the sample lot at your facility (for example extrusion melt flow, density, haze, tensile). Options: Extrusion melt flow, Density, Haze/transparency, Tensile/impact, Other
• What acceptance criteria will validate a qualification sample lot for production use (state melt index tolerance, density tolerance, and acceptable additive profile ranges)?

Provide certificate of analysis per lot

• Specify which analytical attributes must appear on the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for each lot (for example melt index ASTM D1238, density ASTM D792, additive ppm). Options: Melt index (ASTM D1238), Density (ASTM D792/D1505), Additive profile (ppm), Contamination level (ppm), Other
• Enter the preferred CoA delivery method and format to your quality team (for example PDF emailed, EDI/CSV via integration endpoint). Options: PDF email, EDI/CSV, API/JSON endpoint, Portal upload
• Identify the required lot traceability fields on the CoA (for example plant code, production date, lot number, shift).
• Select the maximum allowable turnaround time from production to CoA availability. Options: Same day, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72+ hours
• State whether you require third‑party lab verification or internal producer lab CoA is sufficient. Options: Producer lab CoA is sufficient, Independent third‑party verification required, Decision varies by grade
• What evidence will validate that a delivered lot meets the CoA values you rely on (for example independent lab report, in‑house verification test results)?

Perform melt index, density, and contamination testing

• Identify which standardized test methods you will accept for melt index and density results (for example ASTM D1238 for melt index). Options: ASTM D1238, ISO equivalent, Other standards — specify
• Choose whether testing will be performed by the producer lab, a mutually agreed third‑party lab, or your designated contract lab. Options: Producer lab, Third‑party lab, Your lab
• Provide the contamination thresholds that will trigger rejection or remediation (for example ppm of polar contaminants, visual contamination count).
• Select how often lot sampling for contamination testing should be performed during production runs. Options: Every lot, Every nth lot (specify), Weekly composite, Per customer request
• Report the acceptable measurement uncertainty for melt index and density tests that you will tolerate (units and percent).
• How will you verify or dispute test results on delivery (for example split sample testing within X days at your lab)?

Supply additized resin batches to specification

• Specify the target additive package and maximum/minimum concentrations (for example 500-1,000 ppm antioxidant, 0.1-0.3% slip agent).
• Indicate whether additives must be pre‑approved and whether you require supplier SDS (safety data sheets) and additive declarations. Options: Pre‑approval required with SDS, SDS only, No pre‑approval
• Choose whether additive blend homogeneity verification is required at production (for example test samples from head and tail of the run). Options: Yes — homogeneity samples required, No — standard QC sampling
• Identify any restricted or prohibited additive classes (for example phthalates, certain slip agents) for your application. Options: Restricted list provided, No restrictions, Will provide list separately
• Estimate acceptable variability in additive concentration expressed in ppm or percent.
• Who on your quality team will sign off on additized batch certificates or deviations?

Repack resin into bags and boxes

• Which packaging formats do you accept for repacked resin (for example 25 kg bags, 500 kg supersacks, lined boxes)? Options: 25 kg bags, 500 kg supersacks, Lined boxes/gaylords, Other
• Specify required bag or box material and contamination controls (for example virgin polyethylene liners, metal‑free pallets).
• Choose the palletizing and unitization standard you require (for example shrink‑wrapped pallets, strap‑secured, pallet height limit). Options: Shrink‑wrapped, Strapped, No palletizing — bulk only
• Indicate labeling and barcoding fields required on each packaged unit (for example lot number, production date, grade code, CoA URL).
• Provide the maximum tolerated foreign material contamination in repacked units (visual or ppm threshold).
• Are you able to accept mixed‑grade pallets for smaller orders or do you require single‑grade pallets only? Options: Single‑grade pallets only, Mixed grades allowed with clear labeling

Load and ship by rail

• Select the rail car types you can receive at your plant or preferred terminal (for example hopper car, gondola with liner). Options: Hopper car with liner, Gondola with liner, Tank cars (for liquid monomer), Intermodal containers
• State the maximum rail car unloading rate or window your operation can accommodate (cars per day). Options: 1-5 cars/day, 6-15 cars/day, 16-30 cars/day, More than 30 cars/day
• Identify any rail interchange or siding restrictions at your site that affect scheduling (for example car length limits, weight limits).
• Provide the required documentation you need with rail shipments (for example bill of lading, CoA, packing list). Options: Bill of lading, CoA, Packing list, Customs docs if cross‑border
• Indicate whether you require load‑to‑order sequencing or release notifications prior to rail loading. Options: Yes — release notifications, No — standard scheduling
• Who will manage rail demurrage responsibilities and dispute escalation at your site?

Load and ship by bulk truck

• Choose the truck loading configurations you accept (for example pneumatic bulk trucks, gravity bulk trucks, bagged pallets). Options: Pneumatic bulk truck, Gravity bulk truck, Bagged pallets, Supersack on flatbed
• Specify truck weight and cubic limits at your receiving dock and any axle restrictions.
• Indicate your preferred appointing and receiving window process for trucks (for example fixed appointment, first‑come first‑served). Options: Fixed appointment windows, First‑come first‑served, Hybrid
• Provide required driver and vehicle documentation for site access (for example insurance, HAZMAT papers, ID).
• State whether you require in‑gate and out‑gate weight tickets and proof of delivery (POD) images. Options: Yes — weight tickets and POD, No — POD only, No documentation required
• Are temperature or moisture protection measures required during bulk truck transit for your resin grade? Options: Yes — moisture control required, No

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• Master Supply Agreement (MSA)
• Purchase Agreement / Order Confirmation
• Pricing & Commercial Schedule
• Force Majeure & Allocation Annex
• Logistics Service Level Agreement (Logistics SLA)
• Quality, Sampling & Acceptance Plan (QA Annex)
• Packaging, Handling & Transfer of Title Terms
• Credit, Payment & Security Terms

• Go-live health check (weeks 1-4)
• First measurement review (weeks 4-10)
• 90-day performance validation
• Quarterly performance and continuous improvement review

• Update the KPI dashboard thresholds and notification rules as agreed.
• Re-confirm scoped acceptance criteria and owners
• Publish the source-data definitions and the reporting schedule for each metric discussed.
• Initiate any agreed sample retests or disposition workflows for out-of-spec lots.
• 90-day performance presentation
• Validate whether quantity fill-rate and average lead-time from order to delivery meet the operational targets recorded in Supply & Qualification Scope.
• Close completed remediation items and set firm timelines for remaining open issues.
• Confirm the long-term operational owners, SLAs, and escalation paths for ongoing supply management.
• Publish the 90-day performance report and trend charts to the shared channel.
• Capture remaining enhancement requests and unresolved issues in the shared backlog with target resolution windows.
• Update operational runbooks and SLA documents to reflect any agreed changes.
• All acceptance criteria recorded in Supply & Qualification Scope are re-acknowledged and owners confirmed.
• Trend review and variance analysis
• Keep on-time delivery rate and lot-level quality pass rate aligned with the targets recorded in Supply & Qualification Scope.
• Prioritize the top three improvement initiatives for the upcoming quarter and document expected outcomes.
• Ensure no critical issues are aging without remediation and that contingency plans are current.
• Publish the prioritized improvement list with target completion windows to the shared channel.
• Schedule the next quarterly performance review and circulate the data pack one week prior.
• Initial shipment and handover are validated and any critical blockers are documented with remediation target dates.
• Shared issue channel is active and being used to log every open operational exception.
• Publish the go-live validation checklist and circulation log to the shared channel.
• Log all open issues from the session in the shared channel with remediation target dates.
• Schedule the First Measurement meeting within the weeks 4-10 window.
• Present first-period performance vs targets
• Determine whether on-time delivery rate and lot-level quality pass rate are meeting the targets recorded in Supply & Qualification Scope.
• Agree a prioritized remediation plan with concrete actions and completion dates for any metric gaps.
• Confirm the data sources and reporting cadence that will feed the 90-day validation.
• Create issue tickets in the shared channel for each identified metric gap with remediation dates.
• Open issue resolution status
• Backlog and enhancement prioritization
• Root cause diagnosis for any gaps
• Deployment and initial shipment validation
• Early adoption and operational signals
• Operational readiness and handover confirmation
• Issue aging and risk review
• Review sample and COA exception cases
• SLA adherence and exception trends
• Open issues triage
• Operational readiness checkpoint
• Agree corrective actions and timelines
• Agree immediate remediation actions
• Confirm data sources and reporting cadence
• Agree ongoing cadence and escalation paths
• Confirm next quarter priorities and meeting cadence