Your Source for Up-To-Date News and Research on the Collision Repair Industry
click here to subscribe to the FREE INSIGHT Editor's Desk News Alert Email
SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY
Today's News
INSIGHT This Month
INSIGHT Archives
Survey Center
Letter to the Editor
Business Tools
Subscription Information
CSI Reporting
Financial Analysis
IRS Audit Guide
Management/
Technical Info
1999 Market Watch Rates
INSIGHT Inside this month's issue...
Feedback
Letter to the Editor
Wednesday January 17
TABPA Says Many Members Already ISO and QS 9000 Certified
Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C. -- Recent discussions by various industry bodies expressing interest in the internationally recognized certification systems, ISO and QS 9000, would lead most to believe that these systems and quality manufacturing processes are new concepts among aftermarket crash part manufacturers. Not so, says Parkson Jong, Chairman of the Taiwan Auto Body Parts Association (TABPA). "Among our 32 members, 23 are ISO approved and 16 are also QS 9000 approved. Three of those 16 manufacture automotive lighting. Twelve of the remaining 13 make sheet metal or plastic crash parts or tools and are also CAPA certified."
The ISO Technical Committee was established in 1979 to develop and promote standardized quality assurance processes in anticipation of increased global commerce. ISO 9000 standards for quality systems, first introduced in the late 1980s and eventually mandated by the European Union in the early 1990s, are issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in Switzerland. The quality management and assessment system provides a structure for product design and development and quality policies, procedures, instructions, record keeping and corrective actions. The standards were developed with international participation of more then 50 countries, including the U.S. based American National Standards Institute (ANSI). As of December 31, 1999 a total of 340,000 certificates were issued worldwide in 150 countries.
In response to the emerging demand for "harmonized" quality control standards, CAPA introduced similar systems into aftermarket crash part manufacturing in 1991, shortly after Entela, Inc. became the CAPA Validator. The first TABPA manufacturers attained ISO certification in 1995, shortly after the EU mandate. Others joined the ranks rapidly.
QS 9000 Quality System Requirements were developed by Chrysler, Ford and General Motors in the mid 1990s based on ISO 9000. QS 9000 includes all ISO 9000 requirements plus additional requirements specific to the automotive industry. Demand for QS 9000 certification among suppliers of automotive production materials, production or service parts, heat treating, painting, plating and other finishing services, is increasing internationally.
Organizations with ISO and QS quality systems obtain certification, also called registration or accreditation, of their quality system through a third party Registrar. The certification confirms that the organization's quality system meets the requirements of the system. Both Entela Inc., which administers the technical side of the CAPA program and Global Validators, which administers the new MQVP program, are certified ISO and QS Registrars.
"We are very familiar and comfortable with quality certification," said Jong. "As competitors in the global auto industry, TABPA members have had to achieve and maintain high quality standards for years First, came CAPA, then ISO. Most recently OEM suppliers must obtain QS 9000 certification."
When asked why the collision repair industry is just now becoming aware of ISO and QS certification Jong replied, "Internationally recognized quality assurance standards are relatively new. We have been promoting our ISO and QS accreditation to our distributors since the mid 1990s. However, now that repairers recognize the importance of this type of certification, it is obviously time that we market this information directly to them."
TABPA, is an unfunded sub-committee of the Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, representing over 30 Taiwan-based companies manufacturing and distributing motor vehicle replacement parts for the global market Member companies produce both OEM and aftermarket parts.
| Total Number of TABPA Members | 32 |
| ISO Certified | 23 |
| QS Certified | 16 |
©2000 Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT
All Rights Reserved
FEATURED
LINKS:
INSIGHT Supports the NABC!
Do You?
