FAQs
Q. What is an APL?
A. APL is an acronym referring to Approved Products List. An Approved Products List is a record of all items a customer requires Avchem to Manage. Before implementation, Avchem requests that customers provide a listing of all the materials they wish for Avchem to include in to the Chemicals Management Program. The customer list of items should contain each commodity's customer part number, description, package size, and specification by type, class, and grade (if applicable). Avchem will create an equal Material Identification Number (MID) for each item and maintain the Approved Products List for each customer. Users will be able to access a cross-reference table to obtain basic information on each product by searching on the customer's part number or by searching the Avchem MID. Avchem will update and add new items to the APL as required by the customer.
Q. What does Avchem mean by "Chemical Management" services?
A. As a part of Avchem's full service Chemical Management offering, we procure chemicals and production support materials on behalf of our clients and supply them as needed at the point of use on the shop floor. This concept allows our clients to focus on their core business and has been proven to reduce both waste and the overall cost of chemical use. An added benefit of this system is the electronic tracking of chemical storage and consumption, which provides accurate data for material planning and environmental reporting.
Q. What is Lynx Online? Is Avchem just another software provider?
A. Lynx Online is not a software package, it is a web-based portal to Avchem's integrated set of procurement, chemical data (MSDS), and material delivery databases. This state-of-the-art system is maintained by Avchem Information Technology (IT) professionals, and access to Lynx Online is provided as part of our Chemical Management service offering, reducing our clients' software licensing, hardware, and maintenance costs.
Q. How is Avchem different from the competition?
A. Our core focus is chemical lifecycle management. Avchem is not a product distributor or a "product pusher" company. We are driven to reduce ALL of our customers' chemical-related costs - the total cost of ownership (TCO). Our business model rewards us for reducing ALL the costs associated with the chemical lifecycle, not just product price.
Avchem has the best Chemical Information Management System (IT program) in the industry, and is also the only CMS provider certified to ISO 9001:2000, AS9100 Rev. B, ISO 14001, and ISO 18001 standards.
Q. Who are Avchem's customers and what type of services do you provide?
A. Avchem's customers include many of the aerospace, avionics, and defense industries' manufacturing leaders. These companies use chemicals and regulated materials, such as paints and adhesives, in their manufacturing and production processes. Because these products are regulated or hazardous substances, they require extra attention. Avchem provides a tailored and unique service program to manage each of our customers' regulated materials, operating as an extension of the customer. Generally, a Chemical Management Services program includes, but is not limited to:
- Procurement and Purchasing
- Supplier Management
- Receiving / Storage / Warehousing
- MSDS Management
- Dispensing / Kitting / Handling
- Point-of-Use / Shop Floor / Tank Line Delivery and Maintenance
- Waste Management
- Environmental Reporting
- Hazardous Communication (HAZCOM) Training