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We believe that most companies possess 90% of the core information to implement an effective management system. Below you can see why GQM has earned a proven reputation for taking our clients the rest of the way. Contact us to learn more about what we can do for your specific organization.
Studies on this page:
Williams Controls Industries, Inc.
Fujitsu Microelectronics, Inc.
Oregon Iron Works, Inc.
Credence Systems, Inc.
Cascade Steel Rolling Mills, Inc.
HiTech Publications, Inc.
Other Clients…
Williams Controls Industries, Inc. (WMCO:US)
Situation
A leading original equipment manufacturer to domestic and international automotive and trucking companies, Williams Controls Industries was challenged to gain QS 9000 Quality Management System certification. The challenge included the need to gain Product Certification driven by the safety-related nature of the products and global trade.
Solution
Williams Controls Industries engaged GQM to develop and support the company’s QS 9000 Strategic Quality Plan. A key element of GQM’s service was translating quality requirements for the senior management members.
Results
GQM set the direction and guided the implementation of a company-wide Strategic Quality Plan that resulted in QS 9000 certification. The effort also aligned the Quality Management System to help the company gain recognition as a “preferred supplier” by Volvo, PACCAR, Freightliner, and other customers. The end result positioned Williams Controls to increase global market share, industry recognition, and enhance operations.
Fujitsu Microelectronics, Inc. (FMI, Part of Fujitsu, Ltd.)
Situation
A state-of-the-art microchip foundry owned by Fujitsu, Ltd. and located in the western U.S., Fujitsu Microelectronics was positioned to add customers Xerox, Advanced Micro Devices, and Hyundai. However, these customers required Fujitsu’s site management system to be certified to ISO 9000 Quality System and ISO 14000 Environmental Management Standards. The scope of this increased dramatically when the company committed to build a $2 billion, Class 1, clean room production fab as part of the overall facility.
Solution
Fujitsu Microelectronics engaged GQM as on-site quality systems advisors to senior management on all aspects of aligning quality requirements throughout the facility. GQM delivered quality management services such as process definitions, procedure development, internal/external audit program deployment, supply chain management and training. Most significant, however, was integrating the requirements from domestic and parent company sources. With this integration effort GQM supported the on-going needs of the overseas parent company to understand U.S. quality practices and principles for site-specific success.
Results
Fujitsu Microelectronics achieved Quality Management System certification to the ISO 9000 standards encompassing the new and existing fabs, aligned its numerous environmental requirements, obtained new product development and production contracts, eliminated customer audit findings, increased quality awareness at all levels of the company, enhanced understanding of quality management for Fujitsu, Ltd. management, and positioned the U.S. site for increased market share.
Oregon Iron Works, Inc.
Situation
From aerospace to bridge building, Oregon Iron Works holds manufacturing expertise in ferrous and non-ferrous materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, machine-grade steel and composites. The company fabricates structural materials in accordance with stringent standards, codes, and specifications including ABS, NAVSEA, AWS, ASTM, ASME, AISC and NQA-1. Recently, Oregon Iron Works prepared products for delivery to the Department of Energy’s Hanford Site Waste Treatment Plant in Richland, Washington, and fabricated, assembled, tested, and shipped major equipment for a Dept. of Defense program.
Solution
Oregon Iron Works called GQM initially to plan and perform internal quality system audits and pre-shipment documentation reviews for the Dept. of Defense contract. The scope of services increased to support start-up and implementation of an ASME/NQA-1-based Nuclear Quality System for fabrication and testing nuclear “Important to Safety” products for the Hanford Site in Richland, WA.
GQM support services included business process analysis and model development, document management audits, integration of quality information and documentation for as-built document packages for shipments. GQM also provided ISO-based management training module development, quality engineering peer training, procedure development, QA/QC inspection interface and guidance, interface with customer representatives, and process improvement recommendations.
Results
Oregon Iron Works achieved enhanced business processes for reducing errors and improving communications, obtained inputs to ensure understanding of regulatory requirements and improved awareness of quality processes. Baseline ISO 9000 training materials specific to Oregon Iron Works depicted business processes and models to ensure industry and regulatory compliance for the ASME/NQA-1 nuclear-related contracts. GQM helped clarify and translate many requirements to support the corporate initiative to integrate and align quality requirements under one company framework.
Credence Systems, Inc. (CMOS:US)
Situation
As a key capital equipment supplier of automated microchip testers to the semi-conductor industry Credence Systems sought to obtain ISO 9000 Quality Management System certification. In order to meet customer and market demands Credence was also striving for high operational performance metrics using the Semi-industry SSQA Assessment Program. The company was also required to gain CE Marking compliance (product certification) during the same period.
Solution
Credence Systems engaged GQM to support the overall California-based Corporate Quality Plan, working directly with management and staff at the Oregon manufacturing facility. Project-level activities included business process modeling, ISO standards interpretations, procedure development, supplier evaluations and audits, closure of customer major audit findings, internal audit coaching, and guidance on document and records management requirements and methods.
Results
Credence Systems obtained the Multi-site ISO 9000 Quality Management System certification, as well as “Key Supplier” status and awards from customers including Motorola, Philips Semiconductor, Xilinx, and LSI Logic. The company also realized direct gains in business process effectiveness, internal communications, product specification compliance, and management of quality-related information.
Cascade Steel Rolling Mills, Inc. (Div. of Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.) (SCHN:US)
Situation
A high volume Western region steel mini-mill was bidding for a multi-million-dollar order to supply “Important to Safety” reinforcing bar and other steel products for the Dept. of Energy’s Hanford Nuclear Site, Waste Treatment Plant in Richland, Washington. The company also wanted to supply products to other government facilities such as Yucca Mountain and Idaho National Laboratory.
However, in order to be considered a “pre-qualified nuclear supplier,” Cascade Steel was required to demonstrate that it had in place a Nuclear Quality Management System meeting a range of ASME/NQA-1 industry and regulatory requirements.
Solution
GQM provided full project management services to Cascade Steel for nuclear quality system planning, development, implementation, and qualification. This included accelerating the process to gain “NQA-1 qualified supplier” status with Bechtel National, Inc., CH2M Hill, Steel Distributors, and others. This process also aided parent company Schnitzer Steel in aligning Cascade Steel to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). GQM participated in evaluations to determine common and separate baseline requirements.
Results
With GQM’s assistance, Cascade Steel deployed a company-wide Web-based nuclear quality management system that was fully aligned with baseline processes, procedures, and instructions, and meeting the intent of the ASME/NQA-1 industry and regulatory requirements. Successful pre-bid supplier audits enabled the company to enter the nuclear industry. The work also positioned Cascade Steel to supply nuclear grade products to domestic and international nuclear facilities, increasing market share and enhancing profitability.
HiTech Publications, Inc.
Situation
As an electronic media and specialty printing supplier with European affiliates, and a beta site for a new generation of Xerox Corporation’s database-driven high-volume document copiers, HiTech Publications wanted to become an ISO 9000 Quality Management System registered company.
Solution
GQM provided full project management services from the planning phase through complete ISO certification. These services included business analysis, quality management system planning and design, process and procedure development, training, coaching, internal auditing, and ISO Registrar selection and interface.
Results
HiTech Publications not only achieved its desired ISO 9000 registration, but GQM’s support also helped reduce the internal product reject rate by 9 percent in the first year, saving this small company thousands of dollars. Following the project, HiTech received additional performance excellence awards from regional customers Mentor Graphics, Sequent Computers (now IBM) and Intel Corporation.
Other Clients
A.T. Kearney for Westinghouse Hanford Company
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company
David Evans and Associates, Inc.
HUNTAIR
Planar Systems, Inc.
Neilson Manufacturing, Inc.
Northwest Fluid Solutions, Inc.
West Australian Petroleum PTY, Ltd.