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Does ISO 9001 Actually Prevent Process Improvements?

December 17, 2019

Does ISO 9001 Actually Prevent Process Improvements

As I wrote before, I believe that a good implementation of ISO 9001 does help a manufacturer quite a bit, while a bad one will only create issues. And the reason is simple. ISO 9001 allows an organization to set any system it wants, as long as they make sense and they respect a set of minimum requirements. The problem is, many factories think "we would get more customers if we had that certificate", so they go out and find templates and make it all look like it is alive in their company... … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ISO 9001 Tagged With: certifications, ISO 9001, ISO 9001 implementation, process improvement tools, process improvements, QMS, setting standards

Benefits of ISO 9001 for a Chinese manufacturing organization

January 28, 2019

Benefits of ISO 9001 for a Chinese manufacturing organization

I wrote recently about ISO 9001: What are the standard and the certification process 10 ways it can get poorly implemented in a factory To summarize my view on this topic: It is a good standard, keeping in mind that it was designed to apply to all sorts of organizations Many companies did not implement it the right way, as they took shortcuts and they were only interested in the 'marketing impact' of a certification The real culprit is the way registrar bodies audit and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ISO 9001, Process Improvement Tagged With: China, chinese factories, ISO 9001

Factory Audit Tips: 10 Signs of a Bad ISO 9001 Implementation

January 17, 2019

Factory Audit Tips: 10 Signs of a Bad ISO 9001 Implementation

A few days ago, I wrote about the basics of ISO 9001 -- both the standard and the certification/registration process. I got some comments on Linkedin about how useless ISO 9001 is. It is useless indeed in many manufacturing facilities I have visited, and the key reasons are: Poor implementation (because managers want to take shortcuts), combined with Inadequate auditing (lack of understanding of processes and of what is important, and lax enforcement of the standard by many registrar … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ISO 9001, Process Improvement Tagged With: factory audit tips, factory audits, ISO 9001, ISO 9001 implementation, Tips

How a Factory Can (and Should) Go Beyond ISO 9001

January 13, 2019

How a Factory Can (and Should) Go Beyond ISO 9001

I wrote a few articles about ISO 9001 recently: The standard itself pushes companies in the right direction, but the auditing & certification process has many flaws: Basics about ISO 9001: The Standard and the Certification Process The standard pushes manufacturers to think in terms of systems and processes, among other benefits: Benefits of ISO 9001 for a Chinese manufacturing organization Many factories have been certified, but implementation was really bad: Factory Audit Tips: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ISO 9001, Process Improvement Tagged With: IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949, new product development, process control, process FMEA

Basics about ISO 9001: The Standard and the Certification Process

January 12, 2019

How many of your suppliers claim to be ISO 9001 certified? Is it true? And, to start with, what does it mean? I want to shed some light on this topic. The purpose of the ISO 9001 standard is to "help businesses and organizations to be more efficient and improve customer satisfaction". How does it do that? First, what is a Quality Management System (QMS)? Basically, a QMS is what a company puts in place to ensure it meets its customers' requirements. Among others, it includes: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ISO 9001, Process Improvement Tagged With: ISO 9001

How a Chinese Factory Can Get ISO 9001 Certified

July 27, 2017

I wrote before about the way certain consultants are routinely hired by manufacturers to “make paperwork look good”. It is the norm in China. However, some factory owners really want to manage their business in accordance with best practices. They are not looking for shortcuts. They understand that ISO 9001 is not very advanced but it is already a basis good basis -- if applied correctly -- on the road to operations excellence. So, how can consultants help a relatively small factory get … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ISO 9001, Process Improvement Tagged With: China, chinese factories, ISO 9001

Are there Many Fake ISO 9001 Certifications in China?

July 2, 2015

I saw several people mentioning fake certificates recently in the context of Chinese manufacturing. While I know there are many fake product certificates, I don't think there are many fake ISO 9001 certifications, or those for ISO 14001, or ISO/TS16949 for that matter. My point of view is simple. There are many registrars, and many “consultants” that “guarantee a pass” and that know which registrars are very lax. It means factories simply pay and get the certification. It is not much more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ISO 9001, Process Improvement, Quality Control Tips Tagged With: chinese factories, ISO 9001

Are ISO 9001 Certified Suppliers the Best in China?

December 29, 2014

Here are some interesting or useful articles that I found recently. Quality Management Systems in China Explained Fredrik Grönkvist asked me the following questions about certifications to the ISO 9001 standard (and to other QMS standards): What is a Quality Management System and why is it relevant to importers? Is certification mandatory, or is it common that Chinese manufacturers implement a Quality Management System without obtaining the paper? How can you determine if the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Good Articles, ISO 9001, Process Improvement Tagged With: chinese suppliers, ISO 9001

ISO/TS 16949: Great Improvements Over ISO 9001

December 19, 2014

Over the past few days, I have been learning a lot about the ISO/TS 16949 standard. We are working on the development of adequate auditing services to clients in the automotive industry. This "technical specification" (TS) goes much further than ISO 9001 and is closer to quality management best practices. So, can it be said to truly offer great improvements over ISO 9001? Let's explore...   What is this TS about and where does it originate? As mentioned in a previous article, a car … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ISO 9001, Process Improvement Tagged With: ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949


Weekly updates for professional importers on better understanding, controlling, and improving manufacturing & supply chain in China.

This is the official blog of Sofeast.com.

This blog is written by Renaud Anjoran, an ASQ Certified Quality Engineer who has been involved in Chinese manufacturing since 2005.

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