A Driving Force in the Industry: The Supplier Excellence Alliance

The Supplier Excellence Alliance (SEA) is a partnership of aerospace, defense, and space prime and Tier One contractors, and leading sub-tier production suppliers who are leading an unprecedented conversion of the global supply chain, making it more aligned, adaptive and agile. Members of SEA are working together to accelerate supply chain performance and provide opportunities for collaboration among suppliers to develop integrated supply chain solutions.

Prime-empowered and supplier-led, SEA was formed in 2003 to create a unified vision and a collaborative, industry-wide approach to supplier development that eliminates duplication and aligns existing resources. SEA member companies now represented on its board of directors include: The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, United Technologies, Inc, Parker Aerospace, Rockwell Collins, Cessna Aircraft Company, Honeywell Aerospace, Hitco Carbon Composites, Dresser-Rand, Roberts Tool Company, Cristek Interconnects, Photo Etch Company, Bodycote Thermal Processing, and DRS Technologies.

Prime contractors like Boeing, Lockheed, and Northrop Grumman are adopting a Lead Systems Integrator strategy to support "moving production lines" on new programs. These strategies call for moving more engineering, design, production - and risk - down the supply chain. It means expanded partnerships with Tier One suppliers - organizations such as Honeywell and Rockwell Collins - and with sub-tier production suppliers that produce parts, kits, and smaller assemblies. This has generated an urgent need for suppliers to expand capabilities and improve their effectiveness to meet the increasing demands for shorter lead times, 100% on-time delivery, perfect quality, and lower cost.

SEA is the leading voice and guiding industry force that has developed the industry-standard SEA Roadmap for continuous improvement, based on lean principles and Six Sigma techniques. The Roadmap provides the path for suppliers to improve business performance, effectively manage processes, expand capabilities, and collaborate with other suppliers to create supply chain solutions. Supplier organizations that adopt the SEA Roadmap determine the speed at which they wish to implement improvements, the rate of investment, and the resources they wish to use. SEA Authorized Service Providers - leading consultants certified by SEA to support the implementation of the Roadmap - can guide a supplier's journey or the supplier may choose to use internal resources, or a combination of both. Many suppliers begin the implementation of the Roadmap with support from a SEA Authorized Service Provider and then migrate to internal resources over time.

Suppliers implementing the SEA Roadmap may then pursue SEA Certification, a coveted certification that distinguishes their companies as high-performing suppliers.

Suppliers are discovering that participation in SEA means more than the improvement of their internal processes and business performance. SEA suppliers are gaining unprecedented visibility at a highly strategic level with their customers and prospective customers, as well as other suppliers who may represent future partners. The annual SEA Aerospace & Defense Supply Chain Awards was introduced in 2007 to provide further recognition and acknowledgement of high performing suppliers.

In just a short period of time, SEA has become the driving force in the industry. SEA offers a proven approach for developing high-performing, low-risk suppliers as well as a high level of visibility for suppliers with their customers and prospective customers. Most importantly, SEA provides unique opportunities to collaborate with other suppliers to enable breakthrough supply chain solutions that benefit customers and suppliers.