Total Quality Management is an Evolution, 1990 Polymers, Laminations & Coatings Conference Proceedings

During the 1980’s, nothing captured the attention and focus of the American manufacturers any more than quality. No subject received more publicity, discussion, planning, frustration, or just plain talk. In the 1990’s, there is no greater challenge to American manufacturers than to achieve quality excellence. The many efforts launched in 1980 must pay off throughout the 1990’s in order for our manufacturing industrial complex to fully regain its rightful position as the premier manufacturer and provider of quality goods and services throughout the world.

At the Ecusta Division of P. H. Glatfelter, in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, we started our evolution toward quality excellence in 1985. At that time, we were completing major paper machine rebuilds to improve overall process capability and looking ahead to next steps for further improving our overall quality capability. Our objective was to focus on increased involvement of all employees in the daily management of quality for the goods and services we produce. Many approaches were considered. We talked with people from Deming, Juran, Crosby, Tennessee Associates, and others. We also talked with several companies who were well along the way in the development of various quality management systems. We found it interesting that everyone was doing it differently, but despite the differences, it all seemed to be working well where certain conditions existed.