My recommendation is: 1. Supplier Qualification: Conduct a thorough evaluation of the new supplier, including quality systems, certifications, and audits. 2. Material Testing: Perform comprehensive testing on incoming raw materials to ensure they meet specifications. 3. Risk Assessment: Conduct a risk analysis to identify potential impacts on product quality. 4. Change Control: Implement a formal change management process 5. Validation/Trial Runs: Perform validation batches or trial runs to assess product performance and consistency. 6. Regulatory Compliance: Notify regulatory authorities if required and update dossiers accordingly. 7. Monitoring: Increase in-process and final product testing to confirm quality.

One thing I understood from my experience is such changes are best managed by following thorough validation procedures. In fact there should be a process in place to validate alternative materials proactively as risk mitigation measure. This helps to handle such sudden changes efficiently without impacting productivity and customer service. This preparedness helps customers also to understand the situation and support to switch to the alternatives.

First of all a back-up supplier with a risk assessment of existing supplier would have not put you in this situation. However, a few tips: 1) Assess Quality versus Grade. Quality is meeting functional requirements whereas Grade is about technical characteristics of the material. Decide where is the compromise and act accordingly. 2) Rapidly on-board the supplier without impacting the production while in parallel stabilizing the supplies for future. 3) Simplest and easiest is to look for and leverage your competitor suppliers while establishing a strategic relationship with a new supplier. 4) Learn lessons to avoid single- supplier dependency in future.

When dealing with sudden changes in raw material suppliers, maintaining product quality consistency is crucial. This can be achieved by implementing a robust quality control process, including thorough testing and validation of incoming materials, aligning with standardized specifications. Engaging cross-functional teams for rapid adaptability, conducting risk assessments, and establishing contingency plans ensure smooth transitions. Building strong supplier relationships and maintaining open communication further aid in mitigating disruptions and securing quality consistency.