Products & Services - Quality

VMEC Memberships and Affiliations

Vermont Council for Quality
www.VermontQuality.org

ISO Web Assistance for Small Businesses

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has added a section for small and mid-sized businesses to its ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 website.

The site features articles aimed at making it easier for smaller businesses to implement the two standards.

Topics covered include:
- Taking the first steps toward a quality management system (QMS).
- Taking the first steps in environmental management.
- Turning to an external consultant for help in implementing a QMS.
- Hiring a consultant vs. doing it yourself when implementing ISO 14001.
The new website is at www.iso.ch.isa.en/commcentra/pressreleases/2006/Ref995.html (case sensitive).

equationASP

VMEC has partnered with Prism eSolutions and TimeWise Solutions to provide web-based solutions and experienced consulting services that can help companies with a variety of business management needs, including ISO 9001 and related quality management systems, ISO 14001 and environmental management, lean manufacturing, business continuity planning, and other content areas.

The web-based "equationASP"� system helps companies save time and money by automating critical and often time consuming aspects of these management systems. The application provides ready made solutions in a number of modules that can be used together on the single integrated platform or can be purchased separately depending on customer needs.
Contact VMEC for more information.

VMEC Quality Services

Since VMEC works with companies at all levels and different needs, we have services to reflect the individual nature of each company we work with. We can assist with education, facilitated change, or full implementation services.

Level 1

If you are just starting out, you may not know the difference between the various quality system names being profiled in magazine articles. We can assist you with gaining a basic understanding of the benefits and requirements of each system. VMEC can also offer an assessment of where you are, what type of system would best fit your needs, and how far you have to go to implement that system. VMEC can perform a “gap analysis” for your company.

Level 2

Sometimes, companies begin looking at where the opportunities for improvement lie by putting specific tools in place (such as overall defect tracking). VMEC can assist with the analysis of opportunities, and teach the basics of a whole host of “point solution” tools such as Statistical Process Control (SPC), problem solving, Pareto charts, root cause analysis, fish bone diagrams, designed experiments, etc. These same tools are also used when a quality system is in place, but in that case because their results are linked to system performance they have a more significant overall impact.

Level 3

An internal quality system seeks to improve the quality of each step in a process, but not necessarily develop a system that conforms with the requirements necessary for registration to an established standard. VMEC can help you identify the critical elements for an internal system, how to set it up, educate your employees, and implement the tools that should be used both to measure improvements and to manage the performance results.

Some companies seek to establish an internal system today, but do it in a way that leaves the company’s options open for the future by making it a building block to a certified system. VMEC can also advise manufacturers on the best way to approach this.

Level 4

A formal quality system that is recognized by national and international accreditation organizations is usually the highest payback for a company if they are ready and committed to continuous improvement in their facility.

If registration to an ISO 9000:2000 standard is the most appropriate direction, VMEC offers services to help a company get ready for their initial certification audit and have their registration audit performed. We also can help companies seeking help in the transition from the old standard. If the new emphasis on customer information and satisfaction is an issue for your company, we have identified service providers to quickly help you obtain this information.

For employees interested in becoming internal auditors, we recommend the ISO auditor training provided by Phil Fagan of the Industrial Training Program, VT Department of Economic Development.

A closely related standard is ISO 14001, which covers the environmental performance of a company. VMEC works with several partners to assist companies wishing to meet this standard, or set up a less formal Environmental Management System (EMS) which some insurance companies view as an extremely positive step toward limiting the future environmental liabilities for their clients.

Six Sigma is another popular system for focusing the attention of an entire company on continuous improvement. This system relies heavily on measurement of defects, and an organized team of improvement facilitators (known as “black belts,” “green belts,” etc). Improvement activities are tracked, and results documented. VMEC can do projects with companies interested in this system.

Malcolm Baldridge is another system that strives to help companies capture their performance, and their plans for improvement in the future. Malcolm Baldridge requirements follow a specified format for examining performance and plans for every aspect of an organization. Examiners judge a company’s adherence and performance for each item. The Malcolm Baldridge system can take several years for a company to perfect, but does qualify them for entry in the Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award Program. VMEC has staff who are trained in the basic tenets of this system, and third party providers whom we work with to do a project at a company.

Each engagement with a company is unique, but VMEC is flexible enough to provide services in these and other systems either using our staff members or qualified third party service providers whom we trust. Our interest is not in a single system, but in helping companies adopt the right plan to produce good product that is deemed valuable by the customer.