Winning an account from an incumbent supplier takes more than offering a lower price. Manufacturing companies often have trusted suppliers, which makes it hard to win new accounts. Supplier changes depend on various factors such as quality assurance, contract scope, production risk and supply chain concerns etc.
To replace an incumbent supplier, a practical and logical entry point would be to become a second source for one part. Owners and sales teams at suppliers of parts, packaging, raw materials and contract manufacturing that want to increase account value without making a whole supplier consolidation pitch will benefit greatly from this strategy.
Once the first part performs well, the supplier can use that relationship to identify additional opportunities and increase the annual account value over time. For suppliers looking to identify more opportunities, manufacturing lead generation companies can help generate new accounts and connect with potential buyers.
What a Plant Has to Do Before It Can Switch Suppliers
Before a plant can buy a part from you, it must re-approve that part. The process depends on the plant’s customers. Automotive customers usually request PPAP at Level 3, and aerospace buyers require a new First Article Inspection (FAI) under AS9102. Medical device makers follow federal quality rules, while general industrial plants apply their own supplier controls.
The medical device rule is the Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It pulls in ISO 13485, the medical device standard from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). General industrial plants typically use ISO 9001, the general quality standard from the same body. Its clause 8.4 covers how plants control outside suppliers.
Also, confirm the document format the quality team needs. When using a multi-channel marketing approach for manufacturing leads, having the right documents early can help keep the approval process moving.
Manufacturing Supplier Approval by Industry
| Industry | Governing rule | What triggers re-approval | What to have ready before the call |
| Automotive | PPAP, usually at Level 3 | A new supplier for the part | A PPAP package for each part number |
| Aerospace | FAI under AS9102 | A change in manufacturing source that can affect fit, form or function | A first article plan and inspection records |
| Medical devices | FDA QMSR, built on ISO 13485 | The device maker’s own supplier evaluation | Quality records the buyer can use to evaluate you |
| General industrial | ISO 9001 clause 8.4 | The plant’s own supplier approval criteria | Quality certificates and inspection data |
Treat the table above as a starting point, not the universal rule. The actual requirements that can be determined are the buyer’s customer contract, quality system and sourcing agreement.
What the Table Means for Your First Call
On the first call, confirm by asking which approval process the plant’s customers need. The standard requirements rely on its customers, industry standards and the agreement between parties.
General industrial plants may have their own supplier qualification procedures. These can include quality certifications, inspection records, production capability checks, audits and other supplier controls.
Script Example:
“Is this {{Prospect Name}} from {{Company Name}}? I’m reaching out because we work with manufacturing plants to provide reliable second-source options. I just wanted to ask, when you consider a new part supplier, does your team typically require PPAP, FAI, or follow your own internal approval process?”
3 questions cover most first calls.
- Which approval do your customers require for a new supplier?
- Which parts on your line have only one approved source?
- Who on your team signs off on a new supplier, depending on your internal contract structure?
If you sell a service, such as machine repair, the plant would approve you through its general supplier process even though this can be contracted.
Why Do Plants Stay With a Supplier They Complain About?
A plant may have concerns about its current supplier and still keep the relationship. Switching suppliers takes time and can involve approval work, testing, tooling, and supply chain changes.
- Approval and technical-related work: New suppliers may need technical review, quality approval, testing and tooling transfer.
- Production and supply chain risk: A sudden supplier change can influence production planning and need for additional supply chain coordination.
- Cost and uncertainty: A lower quote may not be sufficient to justify the engineering effort, approval requirements, production risk, and uncertainty associated with switching.
- Potential disruption: If a replacement part happens to fail or arrives late, then the plant could face production delays or other operational issues.
For a sales team, this creates an important distinction:
| Weak sales approach | Lower-risk sales approach |
| “We can replace your supplier.” | “We can provide a backup source.” |
| Focus only on price | Focus on risk and sourcing needs |
| Ask for the entire account | Ask for one part |
| Require a large change | Start with a small approval |
| Criticize the incumbent | Respect the existing relationship |
The Events That Reopen a Locked Account
A locked account can reopen due to various negative events, such as if the incumbent fails on quality or delivery, runs out of capacity or shows financial strain. It can also reopen when the plant’s main contract changes. Each of these mentioned negative events can raise concern regarding the cost of staying with the incumbent. This is the moment when your approach will sound like help.
Analyze scenarios for these signals:
- Repeat quality failures that corrective actions have not fixed.
- Late deliveries or lead times the plant’s own customers will not accept.
- Capacity limits as the plant scales toward peak demand.
- Signs of financial trouble at the incumbent, such as requests for prepayment.
- A new buyer, plant manager or quality lead with no history with the incumbent.
- An upcoming contract renewal or change in the renewal cycle tied to the total contract value of the existing agreement.
Log these events in your customer relationship management (CRM) system for every target plant. A trigger note on the account tells your team when to call back.
Some of these show up from the outside. New names on a leadership page or job posts for supplier quality roles can hint at change.
How Do You Get In Without Replacing the Incumbent?
Ask for second-source approval on one part number. The plant then re-approves only that part, and the incumbent keeps everything else. Automotive suppliers’ PPAP guidelines require a separate Part Submission Warrant (PSW) for each part number. LMI Aerospace’s FAI guideline asks for a separate package for each detail part, so one part means one approval.
Who signs off mainly depends on plant size. At smaller plants, owners usually directly approve new suppliers, while larger plants route decisions through a buying group. That’s why understanding who buys in manufacturing and maintaining accurate key decision-maker data can help sales teams target outreach more effectively.
Why One Part Number Beats a Full Switch
The one-part strategy can reduce the plant’s risk and the amount of work required at the beginning. This way the buyer can evaluate your quality, delivery performance, communication and production capability without instantly changing the entire supply chain flow.
| Full supplier switch | One-part second source |
| Larger change | Smaller initial change |
| More parts to approve | One part to approve |
| Greater operational risk | More limited exposure |
| Larger sourcing decision | Focused sourcing decision |
| Harder initial conversation | Easier initial conversation |
If your first production order does a good job, then you may have an upper hand of reference inside the plant whenever new additional sourcing opportunities come up.
The Second-Source Entry Sequence
The entry sequence source runs within a 5-step process from identifying a problem to securing the first production order.
- Find the Problem Part: Find the part that causes the most trouble. Look for late deliveries, rejected lots or a single approved source.
- Quote That Part Only: Answer the request for quote (RFQ) for that part only. A narrow quote is easier for the buyer to approve and easier for you to price well.
- Prepare Approval Documents: Offer the approval documents the plant’s industry needs before anyone asks. Use the table above to pick the right package.
- Complete Supplier Approval: Pass approval through PPAP, FAI or the plant’s supplier audit. Expect questions from the supplier quality engineer (SQE) as well as purchasing.
- Earn the First Production Order: The first order would provide the buyer an opportunity to evaluate your performance. Earn the first order, then quote the next part. Each approved part lowers the risk of the next one.
If the prospect does not identify a problem part, ask which parts currently have only one approved source. That can reveal a potential supply chain vulnerability without directly criticizing the incumbent.
What to Say When a Plant Says “We Already Have a Supplier”
When a plant says it already has a supplier, try to find out by asking which part causes the most hassle. If a plant already has a supplier, don’t immediately try to replace them. Ask whether there’s a particular part causing problems. If there is, you can offer to quote it as a backup.
After knowing that, offer to quote that specific part as a backup source. That’s how the incumbent stays in place and you can respond without sounding pushy. You ask for a small role on one part.
- Agree first and never criticize the incumbent directly.
- Ask about one part and leave the wider relationship alone.
- Frame your offer as backup cover for that part.
Example:
“That’s completely understandable; most plants already have suppliers they’re comfortable working with. May I ask if there’s a particular part your team has been having challenges with? We’d be happy to provide a quote as a reliable backup source.”
CallingAgency’s manufacturing cold calling scripts included a supplier comparison script for this objection. Asking about one backup part keeps the conversation simple and avoids asking the buyer to change their current supplier.
How Much Outreach Does It Take to Reach Plant Decision Makers?
In CallingAgency’s 7-month Avalon Packaging Equipment campaign, 25,200+ calls produced 123 meetings with plant and production managers. Based on the published totals, that is at least 204 calls for each meeting. A second campaign for Gransori, a foam and polymer materials maker, booked 62 meetings from 4,500 calls in 3 months.
| Campaign | What the client sells | Contacts reached | Length | Calls | Meetings |
| Avalon Packaging Equipment | Packaging machines and automation | Plant, production and procurement managers | 7 months | 25,200+ | 123 |
| Gransori | Foam and polymer materials | Owners and executives at furniture, automotive, packaging, construction and textile manufacturers | 3 months | 4,500 | 62 |
The Avalon campaign also recorded 3,650+ conversations and 85+ qualified opportunities. Based on those totals, meetings came from up to 3.36% of conversations, while qualified opportunities came from at least 69.1% of meetings. Gransori averaged 72 calls per meeting.
These results show that outreach rates can vary widely. Product type, contact level and channel mix can all make a difference. Gransori, for example, used LinkedIn messages along with calls and emails. Use these numbers as a starting range, then track your own results from the first week. CallingAgency’s manufacturing and wholesale benchmarks show results across seven campaigns.
You can then turn your rate into a weekly target. For example, if your goal is 10 meetings, the Avalon rate would require about 2,048 calls. At the Gransori rate, you would need about 725 calls to reach the same goal.
Neither campaign measured wins against an incumbent supplier. However, both show the amount of outreach needed to reach people involved in supplier decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to go from first call to first order with a manufacturing account?
Typically it takes 3 to 9 months, but the timeline varies as it follows four stages: outreach, quote, approval and lastly first order. Approval often takes the most time. To be confirmed, ask the plant which approval it needs, then plan backward from there.
Should I undercut the incumbent on price?
Only low-cost service cannot win the account. There are plenty of other factors a plant considers while approving a new supplier, such as managing two suppliers at the same time and avoiding production delays. That’s why reducing the approval work first can make the price difference easier for the buyer to consider.
Who should I call first at a manufacturing plant?
The right contact depends on the plant’s size and buying process. Start with the Purchasing Manager, Procurement Manager, Production Manager, Plant Manager, Quality Manager, or Supplier Quality Engineer. At smaller plants, the Owner or President may handle supplier decisions directly. Identify the right buying group before you start dialing.
What is an approved vendor list and how do I get on it?
An approved vendor list (AVL) is the plant’s record of suppliers cleared to receive orders. You get on it by passing the plant’s supplier approval. A second-source request on one part is often the easiest route. The plant then approves one part from one new supplier at a time.
Does ISO 9001 certification make it easier for a plant to switch to me?
It may help, but it does not replace industry approvals. ISO 9001 clause 8.4 requires the plant to control its external providers. A certified supplier can fit that process with less checking. An automotive customer still asks for PPAP and an aerospace customer still asks for FAI.
