More than professionals in most sectors, those of us who specialize in industrial applications rely on precision. We don’t do “-ish.” We work in exact details, precise measurements, dependable data, and reliable results.
Good Earth Tools has provided wear-life solutions for a wide mix of applications and industries across the globe since 1964. From the beginning, we felt that quality standards should be as precise as our engineering. If we can optimize machines and parts almost down to the molecule, why should quality standards be qualified by promises?
So we sought out (and secured) ISO 9001:2015 certification, the global benchmark for precise, premier quality management.
Obtaining ISO 9001 certification isn’t easy—and it shouldn’t be. To get certified, an organization has to undergo a lengthy, multi-step process, optimizing, documenting, and proving adherence along the way. It ensures, step by step, that a business has streamlined processes, world class products and services, and trackable plans for continued improvement.
When it’s granted, ISO 9001:2015 certification places a stamp: This company consistently demonstrates the highest level of quality and delivers the data to back it up.
As an industrial manufacturing company, we trust and depend on ISO 9001-certified vendors. So obtaining and maintaining ISO 9001 certification ourselves was a must.
We’re proud to be an ISO 9001-certified manufacturer, and we’re proud to talk about what it means and why it’s so valuable to the companies we serve and do business with.
What It Takes To Earn ISO 9001 Certification
You were probably familiar with ISO 9001:2015 certification, at least in the broad sense. But if you and your team haven’t walked through the full certification process, it’s eye-opening to see how challenging and comprehensive it is.
Here’s a quick distillation of the step-by-step process for obtaining ISO 9001 certification, to show what certified organizations like Good Earth Tools are tasked with building, what’s measured, and why.
Gap Analysis and Planning
Organizations hoping to earn certification start by evaluating their current quality management system against ISO 9001:2015 requirements. They then identify gaps and areas needing improvement and develop an implementation timeline and resource allocation plan.
Documentation Development
Applicants document all the information necessary to support peak operation and process control. That can include creating or recreating a quality policy and quality objectives, process maps and workflows, Standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and quality forms and records. These help organizations visualize processes and manage audits.
Quality Management System Implementation
With new procedures and documentation completed, employees are trained to put the refined quality management system into practice. Teams continually collect data while they get the QMS rolling, both to make sure it’s working and to support the certification process.
Internal Audit
Certification candidates start a comprehensive internal audit of the improved quality management system, documenting all findings. If any non-conforming instances are found, they’re corrected. If adjustments to the system are needed, they’re documented and adopted.
Management Review
Management reviews performance data, evaluates the effectiveness of processes, makes any necessary improvements, and documents findings and decisions.
Selection of Certification Body
To move into the approval phase, organizations contract with a certification body accredited by a recognized accreditation body (like ANAB in the U.S. and UKAS in the U.K.). Then a Stage 1 Audit is scheduled.
Stage 1 Audit
The certification body reviews documentation, identifies gaps, delivers a report of findings, and evaluates the applicant’s readiness for a Stage 2 Audit.
Stage 1 Findings Update
With the Stage 1 audit complete, companies review their report, make any necessary corrections, update documentation as needed, and prepare for Stage 2.
Stage 2 Audit
The certification body conducts an on-site audit to review implementation of the quality management system, interviewing employees and examining records. Any non-conforming instances are documented.
Certification Decision
The certification body conducts an independent review of audit findings. If the review is positive, an ISO 9001:2015 certificate is awarded. If the applicant still has nonconformances to address, adjustments are documented (and required to move forward).
Certification Maintenance
Certification isn’t one and done—to keep their status, every ISO 9001:2015-certified organization has to conduct regular internal audits, perform annual management reviews, and host surveillance audits by a certification body (typically annually, but frequency can vary). A recertification audit is required every three years.
From start to finish, the ISO 9001:2015 certification process usually takes six to 12 months, depending on the size of the company, the existing quality management system, and resource availability.
It’s a major investment in quality that touches every corner of an operation, every person employed on the team, every product and service delivered, and every interaction with customers.
Why Choose ISO-Certified Vendors?
For teams working in demanding industrial applications—particularly ones that require specialized machinery and components—working with ISO 9001:2015-certified vendors means more than just basic quality assurance.
The certification process itself improves the way an organization works, from product development to customer care. And those improvements funnel directly to customer benefits.
Just a few of the pros that can grow out of ISO 9001:2015 certification:
Cost Savings
ISO 9001:2015’s process-approach requirement forces manufacturers to examine and optimize their operations. That improves efficiency, cuts waste, and lowers operational costs. Those savings can be passed on to customers.
Product Reliability/Reduced Risk of Failure
ISO 9001:2015’s emphasis on process control forces manufacturers to fine-tune the way they maintain product quality. That translates to improved performance, reliability, and durability. The 2015 version of ISO 9001, specifically, emphasizes risk-based thinking, which helps manufacturers identify and address potential quality issues before they ever impact a customer.
For industrial operations where equipment downtime can be catastrophically expensive, this focus on and investment in reliability can make a major operational difference.
Compliance with Industry Requirements and Global Flexibility
ISO certification enables manufacturers to compete in international markets where certification is often required. This is beneficial for the vendor and the customer, especially if your organization has multinational reach or you’re growing in a global direction.
Many industries in the U.S. require vendors and suppliers to be ISO certified too. Working with certified vendors ensures compliance. Another major plus: It simplifies the vendor qualification process, saving your team time and money.
Continuous Improvement
ISO 9001:2015 certification requires manufacturers to continually monitor and improve their quality management systems and prove they’re doing so. Which means your certified vendors are working to make their products and services better, every day.
As a customer, you can count on getting peak quality from your ISO-certified vendors. At the same time, you know that their peak is always getting higher, by design.
What ISO 9001 Certification Really Means
In the simplest sense, ISO 9001:2015 certification is validation. It guarantees that a manufacturer has quality management processes that meet or exceed the most demanding international standards.
It’s proof. It’s precision.
We view a vendor’s ISO 9001:2015 certification as clear evidence of their commitment to:
- Consistent product quality
- Employee training and competency
- Risk-based thinking
- Customer satisfaction
- Ongoing improvement
We view our own ISO 9001:2015 certification as a promise to ourselves and everyone we work with.
We’re committed to “partnering with our customers to deliver the very best,” and that means always reinventing what “the very best” means.
Looking for an ISO-Certified Industrial Wear Parts Partner?
When your operations depend on reliable equipment, partnering with an ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer is an investment in performance and peace of mind.
Good Earth Tools develops wear-proofing solutions used in the most demanding industrial applications, including mining, agriculture, power generation, cement, construction, materials handling, drilling, crushing, and beyond. If we haven’t already developed a solution to your specific industrial wear problems, our expert engineering team can custom-design one.
By leveraging the extreme durability and strength of tungsten carbide in our wear-proofing solutions, we produce the longest-lasting industrial wear parts available. Our solutions are specifically engineered to increase productivity and safety and decrease downtime. And our customers see that in their own data, with Good Earth Tools wear solutions outlasting previous steel components by as much as 25 to 1.
Our ISO 9001:2015 certification proves that those aren’t just words. They were measured, precisely.
We’re dedicated to solving your toughest industrial wear problems. Explore our services by clicking below. Or reach out to the Good Earth Tools team to talk about your team’s challenges and how we can solve them. LEARN MORE