Equipment and Supplies Guide and Directory
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Various types of equipment and supplies are necessary, or at least desirable, in the conduct of most human endeavors.
Equipment may be defined as implements or articles that are used for a particular purpose in an occupation or pastime.
In a logistics context, equipment comprises the nonexpendable items that are needed to outfit or equip an individual or an organization.
Supplies are consumable or expendable items that usually have a fairly short life span and are readily available for use.
All organizations need supplies for their ongoing operations. Supplies are sometimes called MRO items, which refers to maintenance, repair, and operating items.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has published criteria for distinguishing equipment from supply items. The NCES publication considers an equipment item to be any instrument, machine, apparatus, or set of articles that meets all of these criteria:
- It retains its original shape, appearance, and character with use.
- It does not lose its identity through fabrication or incorporation into a different or more complex unit or substance.
- It is nonexpendable. Under normal conditions of use, including reasonable care and maintenance, the item can be expected to serve its principal purpose for at least one year.
Items that do not meet all of the above criteria are considered supplies.
For more information about equipment, visit the Association of Equipment Manufacturers and National Sporting Goods Association websites, which relate to heavy equipment and sports equipment respectively. For more information about supplies and the supply chain, visit the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and Institute for Supply Management sites.
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