SE1 E01 Back to Basics: How to Fix a Broken Supply Chain | Nick Pennell

S01 E04 Quality Management Systems, ISO Compliance & AI Auditing Insights | Charlotte Mahoney

Most companies think quality management is about passing audits, maintaining ISO 9001 certification, and completing annual supplier questionnaires. But according to quality management consultant Charlotte Mahoney, that's often just compliance theatre. In this episode of Inside the Chain, Charlotte shares what a truly effective Quality Management System (QMS) looks like, why so many organizations struggle with quality despite being ISO certified, and how businesses can move beyond paperwork to create systems that genuinely improve performance. Drawing on years of practical experience as the owner of QSA Limited, Charlotte explains how strong quality management creates clarity, accountability, and consistency across an organization. She also discusses supplier evaluation, leadership responsibility, auditing best practices, and the growing role of AI in quality assurance and compliance. Whether you're responsible for ISO 9001 implementation, supplier quality, manufacturing operations, procurement, compliance, or business improvement, this conversation offers practical insights you can apply immediately. 🔹 Topics Covered: • What a successful Quality Management System actually looks like • Common ISO 9001 mistakes businesses make • Why many companies fall into "compliance theatre" • Supplier evaluation using the QCD framework (Quality, Cost, Delivery) • Context of Organization reviews and risk assessment • Quality culture vs audit culture • Production managers carrying quality responsibilities • Internal auditing best practices • AI applications in quality management and auditing • How to improve ISO 9001 systems without starting from scratch 🔹 Key Takeaways: ✓ A strong QMS becomes part of everyday operations ✓ Undefined responsibilities create firefighting and inconsistency ✓ Supplier performance can be measured effectively through Quality, Cost, and Delivery metrics ✓ Honest self-assessment is critical for continual improvement ✓ Quality roles require training, support, and authority ✓ AI can enhance auditing and quality reviews while human judgment remains essential Connect with Charlotte Mahoney: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qsa-charlotte-mahoney/ Website: https://www.qsaconsultltd.co.uk/ If you have questions about quality management, ISO 9001, supplier quality, auditing, or business improvement, Charlotte welcomes conversations and is happy to provide initial guidance. #QualityManagement #ISO9001 #QualityAssurance #SupplyChainManagement #ContinuousImprovement #QualityControl #SupplierManagement #Auditing #Compliance #Manufacturing #OperationalExcellence #BusinessImprovement #QualitySystems #SupplyChain #AI I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Matt and the Inside the Chain podcast team Connect with Matthew McSharry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-mcsharry-i4b Visit the insight4business website here: www.insight4business.co.uk #InsideTheChain #MatthewMcSharry #SupplyChain #OperationsManagement #Manufacturing #Procurement #LeanSixSigma #SupplyChainManagement #BusinessTransformation #ContinuousImprovement #ManufacturingLeadership #OperationalExcellence Inside the Chain is the podcast for operations and supply chain leaders who want real conversations, not textbook theory. Hosted by Matthew McSharry — founder of insight4business and a Lean Six Sigma practitioner with over 20 years of hands-on experience across manufacturing, FMCG, and engineering — each episode brings you honest, practical insight from the people actually doing the work. From turnarounds and transformations to the everyday challenges of planning, procurement, and performance, Inside the Chain cuts through the complexity and gets back to what really drives results: people, process, and the right systems. Every guest has been in the thick of it — leading operations, fixing what's broken, and building businesses that perform. Whether you're a CEO, MD, head of supply chain, or someone who simply wants to make operations work better, this is the show for you.

S01 E03 How Data-Driven Supply Chains Build Better Businesses | David Morgan

🎙️ Inside the Chain Podcast | David Morgan on Supply Chain Leadership, Operational Control & Manufacturing Excellence In this episode of Inside the Chain, Matthew McSharry sits down with David Morgan for an insightful conversation on supply chain leadership, operational control, and building resilient manufacturing operations across complex industries. With experience spanning aerospace, automotive, healthcare, MRO, and advanced manufacturing, David shares how supply chain acts as the foundation of successful operations — enabling agility, resilience, and long-term growth. From accidentally “falling into” supply chain as a data-driven graduate to leading operational transformations across global businesses, David offers practical lessons on leadership, problem-solving, data-driven decision making, and the realities of high-pressure manufacturing environments. In this conversation, we explore: 🚀 How David accidentally started his career in supply chain 📊 Why data and analytics are critical for operational success 🏭 The differences between automotive, aerospace, and MRO supply chains ⚡ Managing operational pressure in fast-paced manufacturing environments 🔧 Building operational control through visibility and accountability 📈 The importance of S&OP / SIOP processes in modern businesses 🌍 Lessons from managing international supply chain operations 🤝 Breaking down silos between supply chain and manufacturing teams 🧠 Leadership lessons for future operations and manufacturing leaders 🔥 Why strong supply chain foundations create resilient businesses A key theme throughout the episode is that supply chain is far more than logistics — it’s the system that connects strategy, operations, manufacturing, and customer delivery. This episode is packed with valuable insights for professionals in supply chain, operations, manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and leadership roles. 🔔 Enjoyed the episode? Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more conversations with industry leaders sharing real-world insights on supply chain, manufacturing, leadership, and operational excellence. #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #Operations #Leadership #SupplyChainManagement #OperationalExcellence #ManufacturingLeadership #Logistics #SIOP #SNOP #InsideTheChain #BusinessLeadership I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Matt and the Inside the Chain podcast team Connect with Matthew McSharry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-mcsharry-i4b Visit the insight4business website here: www.insight4business.co.uk #InsideTheChain #MatthewMcSharry #SupplyChain #OperationsManagement #Manufacturing #Procurement #LeanSixSigma #SupplyChainManagement #BusinessTransformation #ContinuousImprovement #ManufacturingLeadership #OperationalExcellence Inside the Chain is the podcast for operations and supply chain leaders who want real conversations, not textbook theory. Hosted by Matthew McSharry — founder of insight4business and a Lean Six Sigma practitioner with over 20 years of hands-on experience across manufacturing, FMCG, and engineering — each episode brings you honest, practical insight from the people actually doing the work. From turnarounds and transformations to the everyday challenges of planning, procurement, and performance, Inside the Chain cuts through the complexity and gets back to what really drives results: people, process, and the right systems. Every guest has been in the thick of it — leading operations, fixing what's broken, and building businesses that perform. Whether you're a CEO, MD, head of supply chain, or someone who simply wants to make operations work better, this is the show for you.

S01 E02 How to Improve Cash Flow and Operations | Davie Thomson

In this episode of Inside the Chain, we sit down with Davie Thomson, a seasoned supply chain expert and former Nissan practitioner, to explore how world-class companies manage procurement, supplier relationships, and cash flow. From his early days in procurement to working with supply chain systems inspired by Toyota and Nissan, Davie shares powerful insights on how businesses can move beyond cost-cutting and focus on long-term value creation. We dive into topics like supplier trust, target costing, lean supply chain thinking, and how companies can stabilize or grow by understanding their cash cycle from end to end. Davey also explains his “timeline” approach, showing how inefficiencies in operations quietly drain cash, margin, and revenue. Whether you’re a CEO, procurement professional, or supply chain leader, this episode will change how you think about cost, partnerships, and performance improvement. 🚀 What You’ll Learn: Why choosing the cheapest supplier can hurt your business How Nissan built strong, long-term supplier partnerships The concept of target costing and how it drives profitability How to identify hidden cash trapped in your operations Practical ways to improve supply chain performance and resilience 📌 Who This Is For: Supply chain and procurement professionals Business leaders and CEOs Operations and manufacturing teams Anyone interested in lean thinking and business improvement 🔔 Don’t Forget: Like, comment, and subscribe for more insights on supply chain, business growth, and leadership. I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Matt and the Inside the Chain podcast team Connect with Matthew McSharry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-mcsharry-i4b Visit the insight4business website here: www.insight4business.co.uk #InsideTheChain #MatthewMcSharry #SupplyChain #OperationsManagement #Manufacturing #Procurement #LeanSixSigma #SupplyChainManagement #BusinessTransformation #ContinuousImprovement #ManufacturingLeadership #OperationalExcellence Inside the Chain is the podcast for operations and supply chain leaders who want real conversations, not textbook theory. Hosted by Matthew McSharry — founder of insight4business and a Lean Six Sigma practitioner with over 20 years of hands-on experience across manufacturing, FMCG, and engineering — each episode brings you honest, practical insight from the people actually doing the work. From turnarounds and transformations to the everyday challenges of planning, procurement, and performance, Inside the Chain cuts through the complexity and gets back to what really drives results: people, process, and the right systems. Every guest has been in the thick of it — leading operations, fixing what's broken, and building businesses that perform. Whether you're a CEO, MD, head of supply chain, or someone who simply wants to make operations work better, this is the show for you.

SE1 E01 Back to Basics: How to Fix a Broken Supply Chain | Nick Pennell

When Nick Pennell joined Natara Global as VP Operations and Supply Chain, he inherited a business that had been a quiet backwater inside a larger corporate — under-measured, under-invested, and under-performing. In this episode, Nick breaks down the no-nonsense approach he and his team took to turn things around: establishing consistent KPIs across four global manufacturing sites, identifying root causes through basic Pareto analysis, and shifting high-volume products from make-to-order to ship-from-stock. The results speak for themselves — OTIF improved by up to 12 percentage points at the lowest-performing site, all sites are now tracking in the low-to-mid 90s, and a third of excess inventory has been stripped out. Nick makes a compelling case that most supply chain transformations don't fail because of a lack of sophisticated tools — they fail because the basics aren't in place. From facing difficult customer conversations head-on to making small but visible investments that rebuild team confidence, this episode is packed with practical, experience-backed insight for anyone leading operations or supply chain in a business that needs to step up fast. Key takeaways: Start by measuring consistently — agree on definitions across all sites before anything else Run a Pareto on your OTIF failures to identify the handful of root causes driving 80% of the issues Separate your products into runners, repeaters and strangers — ship runners from stock to reduce planning complexity Speed over perfection: an imperfect metric tracked consistently beats a perfect one that takes months to agree Make a few visible improvements early — quick wins build team confidence and create momentum When communicating with customers, suppliers or senior leaders, keep the story simple: here's the problem, here's the root cause, here's the plan AI and advanced systems have their place, but getting the basics right first will deliver 80% of the benefit Connect with Nick Pennell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickpennell/ If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone in supply chain or operations who could use it — and subscribe so you don't miss the next one. I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Matt and the Inside the Chain podcast team Connect with Matthew McSharry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-mcsharry-i4b Visit the insight4business website here: www.insight4business.co.uk #InsideTheChain #MatthewMcSharry #SupplyChain #OperationsManagement #Manufacturing #Procurement #LeanSixSigma #SupplyChainManagement #BusinessTransformation #ContinuousImprovement #ManufacturingLeadership #OperationalExcellence Inside the Chain is the podcast for operations and supply chain leaders who want real conversations, not textbook theory. Hosted by Matthew McSharry — founder of insight4business and a Lean Six Sigma practitioner with over 20 years of hands-on experience across manufacturing, FMCG, and engineering — each episode brings you honest, practical insight from the people actually doing the work. From turnarounds and transformations to the everyday challenges of planning, procurement, and performance, Inside the Chain cuts through the complexity and gets back to what really drives results: people, process, and the right systems. Every guest has been in the thick of it — leading operations, fixing what's broken, and building businesses that perform. Whether you're a CEO, MD, head of supply chain, or someone who simply wants to make operations work better, this is the show for you.