Raw clay materials and high-quality stoneware components prepared for kiln firing at Cerages factory

Supply Chain Governance · Mortágua, Portugal

Suppliers Area & Quality Governance

Building high-performing B2B supply chain partnerships rooted in quality consistency, safety compliance, ESG sustainability, and operational integrity.

Procurement Standards

Uncompromising Quality & Ethical Supply Chain Excellence

At Cerages, SA, our reputation as a trusted Portuguese stoneware manufacturer rests on strict supply chain governance. We value long-term partnerships with raw material suppliers, glaze chemical producers, and logistics vendors who share our dedication to superior quality, workplace safety, environmental responsibility, and social ethics.

Every supplier impacting our final ceramic product undergoes a rigorous selection, technical audit, and continuous performance monitoring process aligned with our ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

Supplier Evaluation Pillars

Four Fundamental Benchmarks for Partner Qualification

To safeguard our global retail, hospitality, and design brand partners, we evaluate every supplier against four non-negotiable operational pillars.

1. Quality Standards

We are dedicated to maintaining absolute physical and chemical consistency across clay bodies and glazes. Approved suppliers must demonstrate compliance with strict international quality benchmarks and ISO certified practices.

2. Health & Operational Safety

Suppliers are required to enforce complete compliance with occupational health and safety regulations, non-toxic material standards, and international food-contact safety compliance (FDA / EU Directives).

3. Environmental Sustainability

We prioritize suppliers that actively integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into their manufacturing, minimizing carbon footprints and adopting sustainable waste management practices.

4. Human Rights & Ethical Labor

Our vendors must uphold core human rights, fair compensation, and safe labor environments across all operational tiers, fostering industrial relationships grounded in mutual respect and ethical accountability.

Supplier Qualification Index

Quantitative Supplier Qualification Index (SQI)

Cerages employs a transparent mathematical model to evaluate supplier impact on overall ceramic manufacturing quality and delivery reliability.

Evaluation Formula

SQI = 80% × PG (Performance Grade) + 20% × FG (Flexibility Grade)

This structured index ensures that vendor evaluation directly reflects their contribution to defect-free stoneware production and agile order fulfillment.

Performance Grade (PG)

Weight: 80% of total SQI

Calculated using three vital operational compliance metrics:

Material Quality Compliance65%
On-Time Delivery Rate25%
Quantity Accuracy10%

Flexibility Grade (FG)

Weight: 20% of total SQI

Evaluates a supplier's responsiveness and operational adaptability:

Payment Terms Flexibility60%
Delivery Schedule Flexibility40%

B2B Procurement Impact

By enforcing the SQI algorithm, Cerages guarantees global importers, hotel supply chains, and retail store networks absolute batch-to-batch color stability, structural durability, and predictable shipping schedules for all private label stoneware collections.

Collaborate With Cerages

Discuss Your Private Label Stoneware Sourcing Needs

Connect directly with our engineering and procurement specialists in Mortágua, Portugal to review custom shapes, reactive glazes, or supply chain specifications.