ISO9000 - A User's View of Quality System Registration as a Base for Total Quality Management, 1990 Process & Product Quality Conference Proceedings

The experiences of a manufacturing plant are described, where Quality Systems were developed from a customer-driven system to a basis for a Total Quality Management initiative.

The Fasson plant at Cramlington is one manufacturing site of a world wide operation. It became the first plant in the Corporation to move from methods of Quality Control imposed by customers such as Ministry of Defence and Rank Xerox, to a Quality Management system based on B55750 (later ISO9000) assessed by the British Standards Institution.

An effective informal control of the company’s systems was reviewed, formalised, and improved to match the Standard. The changes wrought in the attitudes and working practices have improved both internal performance and our reputation in the marketplace.

As a result of the author’s experience, some pitfalls to be avoided are highlighted, and one approach to achieving Registration is offered. Benefits are discussed in general terms, the actual benefits being most dependant on the situation of each company at the start of the project.

Rather than achieving a successful completion of a project, Registration of Fasson opened up wholly new areas of improvement and created a base to move towards Total Quality Improvement. The quest for Quality Improvement continues.....