When your company depends on third-party
manufacturing and contract assembly, nothing less than the best is acceptable.
While price is important, especially considering the ultra-competitive business
landscape, quality is non-negotiable. How do you know that your contractor will
deliver optimal results?
Before entering into any agreement with a third-party manufacturer or assembly
contractor, it is important to inquire about their track record of success
– and double-check with documentation. Another critical area to check: do they
have ISO9001 and
AS9001 certifications? If they do, that also means they have:
- Documented – repeatable – quality management processes. To earn accreditation, companies must demonstrate that they have clearly defined quality control processes. The processes in each area or business function are documented, and potential trouble spots are identified and resolved immediately. Customers/clients can be assured that their assembly needs are in competent, certified, hands.
- Systems for continual improvement. Whenever man and machine operate together, there are going to be occasional errors. To be certified, contractors must ensure that these occasions are few and far between, and more importantly, that they are flagged, investigated, and resolved. Further, steps are taken to mitigate or eliminate the chances of that error recurring.
- Ongoing training and support. Staff members are fully trained and receive ongoing education so they remain on the cutting edge of their field. This includes training required to do their current jobs more effectively and efficiently, as well as learning new skills to tackle increasingly complex customer demands.
- Ongoing internal quality audits. These audits ensure that employees follow all safety and quality control standards as set out in the quality management process. There is a strict procedure contractors must follow.
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