Focus: HOPE, a civil and human rights organization founded in 1968 after the Detroit riots, has become a leading provider of precision machining to the North American automotive OEM market.

Focus: HOPE Manufacturing (Detroit) was established in 1993 and operates in custom-designed facilities totaling more than 400,000 square feet, using American-made machine tools. The company provides a full line of manufacturing, assembly and engineering services in a wide variety of materials, and provides products as a Tier One supplier to the automotive and national defense industries.

In addition to the certification standards, Focus: HOPE faced increased cost for multiple certifications; time to prepare for and complete the certifications; scheduling of all the key players for multiple visits; inconvenience; repetition; redundancy; and the stress and anxiety that goes along with the certification/

audit process. Focus: HOPE needed a way to meet its commitment to exceed customer expectations in quality, delivery and cost through continual improvement of all its programs, activities and systems in concert with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO/TS 16949 standards while also addressing these issues.

VCA North America, (Northville, MI) an accredited registrar, is an executive agency of the Department for Transport of the U.K. government and specializes in the auto and transportation sectors providing Management Systems Certifications (MSC) to ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:2004, OHSAS 18001, ISO/TS 16949 and Type Approval to European (EC) and United Nations (ECE) standards. For more than a decade, VCA North America has helped dozens of manufacturers understand these requirements, and has certified their products and management systems. In 1998, at the request of a major automobile manufacturer, VCA North America began performing combined ISO 9001 and 14001 audits. Since then, it has performed hundreds of combined audits satisfying the requirements of the clients as well as the accreditation bodies.

In the summer of 2004, Focus: HOPE contacted VCA North America to submit a quotation for ISO/TS 16949 services. As negotiations progressed, a major selling factor became the ability to perform combined audits. The combining of audits provides reduced preparation, meeting and travel time, which contributes to reduced staff time and reduced direct audit costs. As well as the tangible benefits mentioned, the combined audits provide intangible benefits, such as increased communication. By having the management system (ISO 9001) audited at the same time as the environmental system (ISO14001), the two departments are forced to discuss and plan the audit together. Furthermore, the combined audit shows how the different systems are related and interrelated. This gives the key personnel additional knowledge and understanding of the company as a whole.

According to Bill Wenzell, quality systems manager for Focus: HOPE, the combined audits of ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 14001 saved Focus: HOPE approximately $14,000 annually on direct external audit costs and reduced total staff audit time-internal and external- by 50%. Quality has driven major organizational improvement to the human resources department.

In addition, the purchasing department is reporting over $100,000 in savings per month through an aggressive cost savings program. The improved process reduced time spent on supplier modification by 17 hours per month

The safety department reports a 57% reduction in injuries, and quality processes and procedures have reduced staff hours by 50%.

Logistics operation reported that improved quality processes created $60,000 in savings. The Conference Center reports 63% improvement on revenue collection time, while the Center for Children saw a tuition collection increase of $45,000. Finally, the Food Program reports reduction of 80 hours per month of staff time due to implementation of quality processes.

VCA North America
(248) 468-0151
www.vcana.com
Reply 11

Benefits

1. The purchasing department is reporting more than $100,000 in savings per month through an aggressive cost savings program

2. Safety reports a 57% reduction in injuries.

3. Safety reports quality processes and procedures have reduced staff hours by 50%.

4. By having the management system (ISO 9001) audited at the same time as the environmental system (ISO14001), the two departments can discuss and plan the audit together.

5. The combined audits saved Focus: HOPE approximately $14,000 annually on direct external audit costs and reduced total staff audit time by 50%.