ISO 9001 is an international standard for quality management systems. It helps organizations demonstrate that their processes and procedures achieve customer satisfaction and business goals. In other words, it ensures a company’s services or products are of high quality, efficiently produced, and cost-effective.
Operating under the principles of continuous improvement, ISO 9001:2015 sets guidelines to help businesses implement a QMS to meet customer needs and industry standards. This article explains what ISO 9001:2015 and the changes made from its predecessor – the 2000 version of ISO 9001. Keep reading to know more about this version of the standard.
What Does ISO 9001:2015 Mean?
ISO 9001 is an international quality standard that certifies that a product or service meets the requirements for quality and safety. This standard is set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which works with member countries to develop standards, define products and services, and maintain databases.
The 9001 certification defines nine elements that must be included in a quality system: planning, organization, operation, maintenance, quality assurance, product development and product improvement, environmental management, and safety management.
These nine elements are then further broken down into specific focus areas such as planning, organization, and maintenance. The most important aspect of ISO 9001 is its ability to certify that a company has taken steps to ensure quality throughout every stage of production and service delivery.
Why is ISO Certification Important?
ISO certification is important when it comes to quality. ISO certifications show that the organization meets the standards set by organizations like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which are essential when it comes to ensuring product safety and quality.
Having An ISO 9001 certification tells customers that a company has a certain level of competence and lets them know that you are compliant with the rules and strictures laid out by ISO.
In essence, it sets out the requirements of a Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure a consistent product.
Furthermore, ISO certification demonstrates to potential customers that you are committed to providing high-quality products, and your employees are trained to a high standard, it, therefore, represents a “sign of quality”.
It helps a company that they ensure the following:
- have a mutually beneficial relationship with their suppliers
- their employees are competent to do their job
- collect and act upon (where necessary) customer feedback
- identify where and when corrective or preventive action is needed
- record and implement corrective and preventive action
- monitor the effectiveness of their written procedures and change/update them when necessary
- users of their system (employees) always have access to the most recent and up-to-date documents/procedures
- records are retained as required by legislation or company policy
- measurable quality objectives are set across the company
- top-level management are committed to the 9001 standard, the QMS, and how they are implemented within their company
- product non-conformances (when they end up with something other than their target end product) are recorded and acted upon (corrective action, concession request to customer, etc)
- where necessary, that certain steps in the design process are implemented and followed.
Benefits of ISO 9001 Certification
Based on the above, the key benefits of the certification include:
Increased business credibility
ISO 9001 certification demonstrates that your organization has a clear commitment to quality and sustainable operations. It also demonstrates an understanding of best practices and an ability to adapt to changes in the market.
Improved organizational efficiency
Through ISO 9001 certification, companies can implement effective systems for product and service quality control, procurement, and production, resulting in increased efficiency. This efficiency can allow organizations to respond more quickly to customer needs, increase sales volume and reduce costs.
Reduced risk
ISO 9001 certification helps companies avoid unnecessary expenses by ensuring that they are meeting customer needs and standards. It also helps them avoid penalties for noncompliance with standards such as health, safety, or environmental regulations.
Why is ISO 9001:2015 is Important for Contract Manufacturing?
The Customer Receives Consistent Quality
Due to the strict requirements necessary to achieve an ISO 9001 certification, customers can be assured that they will always receive consistency in their final products, even between separate orders.
On-time Delivery
Employee competency and many years of experience in handling wires within the ISO 9001 certification framework ensure that customers receive their deliveries on time and in full to help them get their products to market faster.
Improved Customer Satisfaction
With the consistent results achieved with each delivery and the delivery being on time and in full, customer confidence improves each time consequently boosting brand loyalty.
Continuous Improvement
The certification requires each company to conduct annual audits to ensure all processes, procedures, and policies are performing at optimal levels.
Proven Results
The thorough process involved in attaining the certification can provide reassurance to customers that the company is dedicated to providing quality products and services.
Key takeaways
ISO 9001 is a process laid out by the ISO whereby a company codifies and standardizes its practices. It is a rigorous inspection process to show how a business works and that it meets the international standards of the ISO. An ISO 9001 certification provides customers with the reassurance that they will receive high-quality products with each delivery they receive from a Contract Manufacturer.
Laser Wire Solutions provides a Contract Manufacturing service for laser ablation which is ISO 9001:2015 certified. This service can support you through prototyping stages or low-volume, high-quality product outputs for your wire processing needs. Get in touch with our laser ablation experts today to find out more.
