Aside from the cost and delivery of the product, what criteria can be applied in the decision making process? Read more.

1. "Can I trust you?" A Brief Guide to Credit Ratings for Engineers
As an Engineer, I am often asked by our purchasing
department whether a supplier is suitable for our company to
use for a project. To try and help other engineers in the same
position as me, I have put together a quick run down of what
I look for when selecting a supplier.
Selecting a supplier
Aside from the cost and delivery of the product, what criteria
can be applied in the decision making process?
A technical appraisal of the particular product and company
is an obvious first step:
 Has the supplier tested and independently certified the product?
 Does the product’s performance meet our requirements?
 What are the shortcomings of the product?
 What are the shortcomings of the supplier?
It is generally relatively straightforward to get answers to these questions, except for the last one. This
is because, if a company is doing badly, the last thing it wants is for their customers to know about it.
So if a company is in trouble, how can you tell?
How can you tell if a supplier is in trouble?
We at Colt ensure our supply chain is robust and our customers have the ability to pay their debts
when they become due by using Credit Agencies to support our credit management systems. The
Dun & Bradstreet credit rating system acts as a starting point to decide whether the organisation is
suitable to do business with. It is important that a supplier, or a customer for that matter, is solvent
and capable of meeting all of its obligations under the contract and that any warranties that have
been provided on the product are worth the paper they are written on.
What do credit ratings mean?
But what do these credit ratings mean? In the words of Dun & Bradstreet, the credit rating is an
insight into the failure risk of a company.
© Colt UK

2. Financial strength and risk indicator. The credit rating is based on a company’s latest published
accounts and comes in the form of a financial strength code and a risk indicator. This indicator will
provide a rating of 1 to 4, whereby 1 is the lowest risk and 4 the highest. Companies with a 4 rating
and a low level of financial strength carry a significant level of risk, and guidance should be sought
regarding extending credit facilities.
Failure score. The report also provides a failure score out of 100, which measures the way a
Company manages its debts and pays its suppliers. A score below 50 would suggest that the
Company is experiencing financial difficulties and as such caution should be taken when extending
credit facilities.
To learn more about D&B Scores and Ratings, visit their web page: http://www.dnb.co.uk/rating.asp
Interpreting D&B credit ratings: Colt
For example, Dun & Bradstreet’s Financial Strength indicator for Colt is 3A, which means that our
tangible net worth is in the category from 7 to 15 million pounds; our Risk Indicator is 1, which is the
best, as it indicates a minimum risk; and our Failure Score is 100 out of 100, indicating the lowest
possible risk.
Related news: Colt credit recommendation raised by D&B - News July 2012
Conor Logan is a Technical Manager of Colt UK, Smoke and Climate
Control Division. Designing innovative smoke control and HVAC systems
Conor is also Chairman of the Smoke Control Association.
© Colt UK

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