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Fab2Order is a metal fabrication company that specializes in quick turnaround service to its customers. With ultra-fast lead times unparalleled in the market and focus on customer needs, we can accommodate a wide range of products, services and markets. Core processes include: Precision Laser and Plasma Cutting, CNC Punch Machine and Press Bake Forming, CNC Machining, MIG and TIG Welding. Fab2Order offers focused fabrication capabilities and services for a wide range of materials. Additionally, Fab2Order offers expertise in solution development, including engineering and application services, which is geared to support our customers with exceptional service and value.

Situation

Fab2Order wanted to continue to expand its services to additional tiers in the market place to accelerate its growth curve. A limiting factor, however, was their lack of a certified quality management system. Understanding the importance of this certification in the marketplace and in attaining process improvements, the Company began looking for a partner to help with the development of this system. After interviewing and researching several firms and organizations, they decided that an academic-based partner would provide the best support in education and assistance in program development. This selection would also provide a great by-product over the traditional consultant-client relationship (which often ends in the reliance on the consultant for future development and improvement work): the best long-term experience and knowledge transfer for continued and sustained process ownership. The Company decided to partner with the Purdue Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to help educate and train their core team and prepare them to implement the ISO 9001:2008 standard requirements.

Solution

Fab2Order worked with a Purdue TAP subject-matter-expert on its new quality management system project and found his knowledge of the ISO elements and requirements allowed them to effectively develop their program in an accelerated fashion.

Leroy Williams, Fab2Order's Vice President and General Manager shared, “I have had experiences in other businesses which took on the task of ISO standard review, interpretation and implementation, and the time-line for achieving certification took several attempts and literally years to achieve.”

Results

With the organizational approach that Purdue utilized, the company quickly structured their existing quality manual and processes to meet the ISO standard requirements, and was eager to begin Stage One and Stage Two assessment audits. Fab2Order was successful on the first round of registration activities and quickly received ISO 9001:2008 certification!

Williams added, “Not only was the ISO 9001 project a fast-paced activity, but we grew as an organization from our experience and partnership with the Purdue TAP. Upon receiving our ISO 9001 certification, we have had several key top tier accounts agreeing to site visits to discuss new business relationships and long-term contract opportunities (we're estimating an 8% increase in new sales the first year following certification). This further provided evidence that achieving certification was a key step in opening up new markets and relationships to continue to fuel our company's growth ambitions. Additionally, as we look to our new quality management system for improved processes, we are targeting a 30% reduction in internal scrap.”