Re-examine role of materials management in Singapore industries

I wish to build on the point in the letter “Proper materials management key to tackling rail hitches” (March 21), that certain aspects of materials management are not well regarded by top management at Singapore companies.

In my experience of working with local and overseas organisations, such issues as incorrect materials usage and planning indeed stem from the problem that materials management is sometimes overlooked. This is not simply a result of a lack of knowledge.

Many companies employ specialists in materials and operations management. These individuals are often highly trained and experienced in core areas such as materials inspection and vendor rating. Hence, such oversights do not usually result from a lack of competency.

Rather, the deeper issue is how materials are conceived within company philosophies. In many cases, materials management activities are sidelined relative to other operations.

Although materials are at the core of many service providers and production companies, they are sometimes not treated as such and are relegated to secondary status in the organisation’s productivity mechanisms.

To avoid serious consequences due to material oversight, it is essential to re-evaluate how materials management is positioned within the constellation of company production functions. This applies to core service providers such as SMRT, as well as telecoms and freight organisations.