UCT manages over 500 suppliers. Although we constantly consolidate and reduce our supply base, every new product typically introduces new vendors. Some of these become part of UCT's trusted partners, and others are removed as their performance warrants.

Our Supply Chain team is separated into three groups:

• Sourcing and Quoting,
• Order Management, and
• Supplier Management.

Sourcing and Quoting

We work with vendors throughout the world who have proven their performance in quality, delivery, and price. Both new and existing products are quoted to multiple vendors to ensure the best available prices are achieved. UCT provides a full "Open Book" quote to our customers, which means we share the price quoted for every component. Working with our customers, we obtain the lowest cost possible while maintaining quality and delivery requirements. This team leads the cost reduction efforts that UCT consistently demonstrates to our customers.

UCT has a dedicated team sourcing parts from low cost region suppliers. Our approach is to locate, train, and develop a select group of suppliers primarily in Asia and Eastern Europe. This ensures that low cost is accompanied by high quality and consistent and reliable delivery.

Order Management

Our Order Management Team is headed by our Materials Manager and consists of Senior Buyers, buyer/planners and expeditors. Our MRP runs nightly, and we consistently place lead time orders with vendors within 24 hours of customer order placement. We provide a full forecast to every UCT vendor for every part supplied on a weekly basis via an automated email. UCT employs proprietary software to manage materials in a way that ensures all vendors and all internal departments work in concert to deliver products with the shortest lead time and meeting our customer's dynamic schedules. We invite all prospective customers to view a demonstration of our proprietary tools.

Supplier Management

UCT's dedicated Supplier Management Team has developed an extensive suite of vendor metrics to evaluate and develop our supply chain. These metrics, and the continual dialogue we foster with our vendors, have resulted in a supply chain that understands the needs of our customers and consistently delivers the quality needed on time. Sieger has a supplier recognition program which moves business to those who perform best, and reduces or eliminates business from suppliers who are unable to meet our standards and requirements.