Find Out What Comprises the Quality Policy of a Manufacturing Company
In the manufacturing industry, quality assurance is a top priority to ensure that the customers get flawless products that are free from issues and can cater to their needs. Any product which is produced in the wrong way or has defects can put the customer at risk. For the company, defective products result in costly recalls or damage to the business’s reputation. It is therefore paramount for manufacturing companies to have a definite quality policy established but, what comprises the quality policy of a manufacturing company is a big question! Quality assurance is not only about checking the raw materials or preventing inefficiencies in the manufacturing processes. There is lots more to achieve with the quality policy including:
• Customer satisfaction and loyalty
• Repeat business and a consistent stream of income
• Expanding the customer base
• Sustaining and maintaining position in the market
• Improving safety of customers
• Enhancing the brand image and business reputation
• Reduction in liability of risks
No doubt, the quality policy of a manufacturing company needs to be comprehensive for these purposes. Here we provide a brief list of the practices that must be included in the quality policy of a manufacturing company.
5 Must-have Elements in the Quality Policy of a Manufacturing Company
1. Implementation of a Robust QMS
Implementing a strong, all-encompassing QMS (Quality Management System) which aligns with your quality policy and objective of your company is the first thing to include in the policy. Implementation of a robust QMS that is equipped to manage the processes and capabilities of your company helps produce the highest quality products for the customers. A QMS integrates dedicated quality inspection activities to assure that all materials are of superior quality and all processes are performing as expected. It also promotes frequent audits, report creation, detection of inefficiencies in any areas, and corrective actions implementation.
2. Documentation and Affirmation of QA Procedures
The quality policy should include the maintenance of proper documents that state and explain all quality assurance (QA) procedures and tasks of the company. Comprehensive documentation is quite useful in establishing a strong notion and culture of quality in your company. The documents should be available and accessible to everyone so that employees know the details of the practices and tasks for quality assurance.
With appropriate maintenance of documents, you can know the status of any task or procedure and evaluate the outcomes. In short, you can keep an eye on your QA procedures and maintain all records for decision making in future.
3. Supply Chain Management
An integral part of your quality policy is the efficient management of manufacturing workflows or the supply chain. You should deploy methods to regularly run inspections of your supply chain processes which include procurement of materials, storage, product design and development, packaging, handling of inbound and outbound stocks of products, final product inspections, and delivery methods. With proper workflow management methods, you can discover any defects or errors in the products. You can take necessary actions to rectify them and prevent substandard products from being delivered to the customers. Also, the elimination of product inconsistencies within the supply chain reduces additional expenses that would be spent on recalls, refunds to customers, and complaint recoveries.
4. Definite Quality Inspection Methods at Product Development
Superior quality products are also crucial to breed new customers as well as to retain the existing ones. Hence, the quality policy of your company must have well-defined methods for inspection of the finished products before they are packed and sent off. You should integrate the inspection methods at the final stage of product development. You need to carefully evaluate the inspection results to decide modifications required in the product, change any process or materials, and reduce unnecessary requirements in the products. Also, you should record any nonconformity in the products against the customers’ requirements. Identifying any nonconformity at the right time relieves you from the costly process of reworks and prevents waste of time and resources.
5. Compliance with an International Quality Standard
Quality compliance is an important issue for manufacturing businesses as it helps them in attaining a competitive advantage as a supplier and gaining a greater share in the market. Hence, consider compliance with a well-recognized quality assurance standard such as ISO 9001 as a crucial part of your quality policy. Achieving compliance with other standards can prove your manufacturing company’s efficiency as well including ISO 14001 (which assures environmental safety), ISO 45001 (which assures workers’ health and safety), ISO 27001 (which assures information security), and ISO 31000 (which assures management of risks). Achieving compliance with globally acclaimed ISO standard or standards can enhance your reputation in the industry as they demonstrate your resolute commitment to achieving conformity with international regulations.
Final Word
Quality assurance is an inevitable requirement of manufacturing businesses. However, implementing the right quality assurance program and defining the quality policy can be tricky. There is no one-size-fits-all policy for manufacturing companies. Each company needs to define and develop their own policy in accordance with its specific processes, product nature, customer requirements, conformity needs, and quality assurance challenges. These are the few must-have components of the quality policy of a manufacturing company integrating which can make your policy foolproof and inclusive of all critical aspects. However, the purpose of every quality policy is the same. It is always about maximizing the satisfaction of customers to ensure repeat business and the addition of new customers.
If you are in the process of developing your quality policy for achieving higher quality assurance in your manufacturing company, this blog can be a great guide. You can also reach out to the quality assurance specialists and consultants at Compliancehelp Consulting LLC. We are a team of experts guiding organizations of all types and sizes to achieve compliance with their relevant quality standards. Feel free to get in touch!