Situation
Committed to manufacturing the highest quality electrical wire harnesses at the best value, Schofield Enterprises strives for continual improvement of the company’s products and services. Given that focus, in the summer of 2017 the company began preparing a comprehensive quality management system (QMS) in order to attain certification by the International Standards Organization (ISO). “With ISO certification,”said President Tim Splittgerber, “customers understand a robust QMS is in place. It’s immediate validation that says we’re serious about quality and continuous improvement.”
Solution
With guidance from UW-Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC), Schofield Enterprises prepared their new QMS with input from all levels, production staff through leadership. Representatives from each department shared the step-by-step processes of their jobs, and ultimately, helped define best practices.
“It was a QMS implementation from the ground up,” recalls UW-Stout MOC Project Manager Kevin Thiel, who visited Schofield Enterprises weekly to train and mentor staff. “They’re an engaged group with senior leadership that recognizes the value of a system appropriate for their needs and their customers’ needs.”
In the early stage of the project, the company organized a six-member quality management team. Within nine months, Schofield Enterprises developed formal QMS policies and procedures that are embedded within the company’s ERP software. As a result, the QMS now resides throughout the organization and “keeps everyone on the same page,” Splittgerber notes.
Collaborating with UW-Stout MOC enabled Schofield Enterprises to overcome apprehension often associated with ISO certification and develop an effective QMS that addresses core elements of the ISO 9001:2015 standard.
Results
Schofield Enterprises’ QMS is now ISO 9001:2015 certified, and according to Splittgerber the company holds confidence that going forward, their QMS will help them drive their continuous improvement efforts. To date, impacts from this project include:
1. ISO 9001:2015 certification, April 2018
2. Increased revenues
3. Two ISO internal auditors on staff, trained in annual surveillance audit compliance
4. Two new prospective clients directly attributed to recent certification
