Local supplier to the pulp and paper industry, Valve & Automation, recently attained its ISO 9001/2000 certification - and in the words of director Ron Nel, found the system to be comprehensive. Probably the most important plus to the company and to the industry is the guarantee of quality. As Ron points out "Our principals, both Naf and Sftasjo, are ISO compliant as are our customers so we needed to join them and so complete the circle of guaranteed quality." Ron goes on to say "It is one of the best things we have ever done, we now have a system by which we can measure ourselves. It also offers both us and our customers a measure of protection, for example if they want something immediately and we have to deliver direct from the airport without inspecting it, asking if they want to waiver our ISO quality check, is a way of putting the immediacy of their order in perspective."
Back row from left: Lee-ann Mitchell, Ron Nel, Mandy Radloff, Barry Loock, Dee Coleman, Gerard Lefrevre, Grant Howes, Kubashnee Reddy. Front row from left: Keith Mitchell, Sean Spies, Clayton Joseph, Greg Woolfuth, Ismail Khan
Ron says the comprehensiveness of the process meant they identified some areas where there was 'opportunity for improvement'. For example, the company now provides an even more comfortable environment for staff. The process also involved a great deal of teamwork and so resulted in a greater camaraderie among the staff. A key feature of the new standard is process mapping. The company's processes, and their interaction with other processes, must be documented in the company's quality manual.
From left: Keith Mitchell, Ron Nel, Greg Woolfuth, Mark Cardy (of SGS), Dee Coleman
The awards were presented in January - and now the hard work has just begun, as the system needs to be fully implemented to truly make a difference and maintenance is imperative if adoptees of the system wish to retain their certification. Valve & Automation look forward to running with the system and guaranteeing their usual high standard, both of products and of service delivery to the industry.
About ISO 9000 and ISO 14000
The ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 families are among ISO's most widely known standards ever. ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 standards are implemented by some 610 000 organisations in 160 countries. ISO 9000 has become an international reference for quality management requirements in business-to-business dealings, and ISO 14000 enables organisations to meet their environmental challenges.
The ISO 9000 family is primarily concerned with 'quality management'. This means what the organisation does to fulfil:
* The customer's quality requirements.
* Applicable regulatory requirements.
* Enhance customer satisfaction.
* Achieve continual improvement of its performance in pursuit of these objectives.
The ISO 14000 family is primarily concerned with 'environmental management'. This means what the organisation does to:
* Minimise harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities.
* Achieve continual improvement of its environmental performance.
The majority of ISO standards are specific to a particular product, material, or process. However, the standards that have earned the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 families a worldwide reputation are known as 'generic management system standards'. 'Generic' means that the same standards can be applied:
* To any organisation, large or small, whatever its product.
* Including whether its 'product' is actually a service.
* In any sector of activity.
* Whether it is a business enterprise, a public administration, or a government department.
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