10 April 2006 | Helen Gilbert

A new guide will allow construction buyers to measure supplier performance against standards set by the industry.

Measuring for Success: Action Plans for Manufacturers, Their Customers and Trade Associations examines the benefits of key performance indicators (KPIs) for performance monitoring and comparing results.

Published last week by the Construction Products Association in partnership with Constructing Excellence and the Department of Trade and Industry, the guide uses three manufacturing companies as case studies.

It demonstrates how KPIs have been successfully introduced, how performance is monitored against set targets and how improvements have been put in place.

Findings from the case studies showed an improvement in client-supplier relationships, reduced environmental impact and lower staff turnover.

But they also revealed a need for leadership at board level, implementation of transparent, realistic and easy to collect KPIs and the involvement of employees.

Roy Harrison, president of the Construction Products Association, described KPIs as one of the "easiest and most effective ways to show improvement".

"The report demonstrates the clear advantages of measuring those KPIs which are critical to the success of a manufacturing business - customer satisfaction, environment and people," he said.

The report is available at: www.constprod.org.uk

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