A number of businesses within various industries use ISO certification as a recognised method of producing and delivering control of quality products and services and customer service. ISO accreditation not only provides improvements and quality to processes and methods but is often recognised as a mark of uniformity of both products and services across countries, languages and cultures. Therefore, by a business obtaining ISO certification, it is seen as a huge positive in terms of reputation and image, as well as in terms of practicality. Some businesses, however, may benefit more than others from the implementation of ISO practices, such as manufacturing companies.

How ISO Certification Helps Manufacturing Companies

Specific clauses within ISO certifications, such as ISO 9001, outline guidelines and processes on the way a business should carry out certain practices. These help manufacturing companies to improve crucial areas of their business, such as;

• Standard of Product - As mentioned, ISO certification addresses the issue of product quality. By implementing specific processes, product definition can be accurately prescribed to ensure that each product is consistently manufactured to a consistent level of standard.

• Corrective Action Processes – Section 10.2 of ISO 9001 concerns itself with ‘nonconformity and corrective action.’ To prevent nonconformity is of utmost importance, but if an incident was ever to occur then displaying corrective measures and ensuring that it doesn’t get repeated is vital to any quality management system, as well as an exceptional way to develop trust between business and customer.

• Quality Tollgates – An integral part of many sections of ISO 9001, there are many instances where the application of evaluation and measurement is necessary to create a ‘tollgate’ on product quality. The enables manufacturing companies to gain data and knowledge to be able to drive continuous improvement needed by all organisations.

• Knowledgeable and Motivated Employees – With the implementation of ISO practices, issues such as ‘awareness’, ‘competence’ and ‘organisational knowledge’ are covered which enable members of staff within a manufacturing company to perform to a high standard in producing products and services. As well as being highly competent, with ISO certification, manufacturing businesses will put into place strict and clear training processes, roles and the ability to show accountability of management. All of which will lead to a more satisfied and motivated workforce.

These are just a few of many elements that enable manufacturing companies to perform more effectively with ISO certification. If you require advice on ISO accreditation, please do not hesitate to contact NPT Management Systems today.

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When you want to get ISO accreditation for your company, you have to do so via a UKAS-accredited certification body. There are hundreds of certification companies out there, all offering the same service as one another, but they don't all charge the same - far from it! Often, there will be a HUGE disparity in costs between two certification bodies.

Here at NPT, we have years of experience of matching the right certification body to the right client, helping people to achieve their certification goals at very competitive rates. Now we are challenging you - if you hold ISO 9001 certification with a UKAS-accredited certification company, give us the opportunity to see how much money we could help you to save by matching you with the right certification body. Here's what to do:

• Email enquiries@nptmanagementsystems.co.uk with your contact details and we'll get back in touch to start the quotation process.
  
  
• Speak to one of our expert consultants about your current ISO certification arrangement.
  
  
• We will then gather quotes from other UKAS-accredited bodies and recommend the company that can offer you the best deal.

We do not charge for this service - we just want to help you to save money. Whether you ultimately decide to transfer certification bodies is up to you!

Is it worth transferring certification bodies?

Yes - very often it is! Transferring is in most cases a painless and straightforward process, and we have seen some clients save thousands of pounds over a 3-year certification period after making a switch.

To start saving on your certification body costs now, simply contact NPT and we will help to obtain quotes to see how much you could save. 

Neil Peattie, our Principal Consultant, attended a two-day ISO 9001:2015 auditor transition course this week. This IRCA-certified course was designed to bring qualified ISO 9001 consultants up to speed with the latest revision of the global standard, and it culminated in a written examination, which we're pleased to announce that Neil passed with flying colours!

All of which is just another example of our commitment to training and advancement here at NPT Management Systems. We know that our industry is always changing, and we make it a priority to ensure that our knowledge and skills are totally up-to-date at all times. As you may be aware, ISO 9001 is just one of our many specialist areas; we also help businesses to implement ISO 14001-compliant environmental management systems, ISO 27001-compliant information security management systems, continual improvement programmes, and so on. In order to provide each of these services, our consultants are required to be aware of the latest developments and in possession of any relevant qualifications.

This is a big part of makes NPT Management Systems stand out from the competition. When you look for a consultant, it's important to check their professional qualifications - many consultants in our industry have few or no qualifications with any relevance to ISO 9001:2008 or ISO 9001:2015 auditing at all. We at NPT, on the other hand, are fully qualified to design and implement a wide variety of high-quality management systems.

Furthermore, we are exceptionally quick to familiarise ourselves with new areas of expertise as soon as they arise; for example, Neil is actually one of the very first people to have passed the aforementioned ISO 9001:2015 course, a fact of which we’re rightly proud!

Click here to learn more about our qualifications and credentials, or contact us to let us know what we can do for you.

LRQA are helping micro companies reduce certification costs by launching the ISO9001 certification scheme for micro companies.