Setting the Standard

Granco Clark Achieves ISO-9001 Certification

The Earl of Chesterfield was speaking to the issue of standards when he wrote, “Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well.” Today’s International Organization for Standardization (ISO) embodies these sentiments, and would likely expand on Chesterfield’s words by adding “all the time…every time.”

Standardization is required in this global economy to avoid technical barriers to trade and ensure a consistent level of quality for a broad range of technological fields. In order to achieve this, ISO has developed a multitude of standardization models.

ISO-9001 is an international quality assurance model that applies to organizations designing, developing, producing, installing, and servicing products. Of the models encompassed in the 9000 series, 9001 has the most stringent requirements for certification––20 sets of criteria, all designed to standardize operating practices and ultimately increase the reliability and effectiveness of goods and services produced. Although many other industrial manufacturing companies have been designated ISO-9001 compliant, Granco Clark is currently the only company in its field that has successfully completed this rigorous process.

ISO-9001 certification can occur only after all systems within a company are evaluated to ensure that products, materials, services, procedures and people measure up to the specifications. Jim Reed, Quality Manager at Granco Clark explains, “There is now a system, and many, many subsystems, for absolutely every step in our operation, from gathering detailed information on customer requirements to final installation, training and service. ISO eliminates oral tradition, which can produce inconsistent results and cause disruptions when there are changes in personnel.”

Achieving this level of standardization is meticulous and time consuming. Granco Clark was involved in the auditing process for one year, during which time all of the company’s operating procedures were subject to detailed review and mandates for improvement. The end result is a consistent framework for quality assurance, ensuring that business will be conducted in a uniform manner at all times.

Granco Clark President Larry Difatta comments, “Although the process of achieving ISO-9001 certification has been long and complicated, I believe that it places Granco Clark on a new level. Our operations have now been thoroughly reviewed to ensure that we are operating on a consistent, high-quality level throughout our organization. I believe this places us a step ahead of the rest.”