The American Production and Inventory Control (APIC) defines materials control as:
“The function of maintaining a constantly available supply of raw materials, purchased parts and supplies that are required for the manufacture of products. Functional responsibilities include the requisitioning of materials for purchase in economic quantities at the proper time and their receipts, storage and protection, the issuing of materials to production upon authorised requests, and the maintenance and verification of inventory records.”
The above definition clarifies that an efficient material control system should aim at efficient purchasing of materials, their efficient storing and efficient use and maintenance of proper records to provide material cost information for decision making and financial reporting to the management of a business firm.
