Distrupol achieves accreditation to Europe’s latest quality management standard

Chertsey, May 2003 - Distrupol, a member company of Univar and a leading polymer distributor, technical service and solutions provider, announced that it has received accreditation to the ISO9001.2000 quality management standard. The award updates Distrupol’s previous accreditation to the ISO9002.1994 standard.

ISO9001.2000 is fundamentally different in a number of respects compared with the 1994 standard. There is now significantly greater customer and market focus. Companies must be more interpretative of their data, following standardised procedures is no longer sufficient.

To achieve ISO9001.2000 accreditation, companies have to demonstrate that their top executives are committed to quality management. Business plans, management strategies and details of core procedures must be provided. There is also a requirement to demonstrate how management processes flow through the business.

“The latest quality management standard fits with what we are trying to do with our business,” says Distrupol quality manager Mike Jones. “Customers must have confidence in what you are doing if you want to be number one in the market.”

Conversion from ISO9002.1994 to ISO9001.2000 has been a 12-month programme for Distrupol. During that time it has developed of a number of computer-based systems to change from the step-by-step procedures laid down in the 1994 standard to the management processes demanded in the latest version.

This was a feature of Distrupol’s work towards accreditation for the new standard noted by John Tuck, principal quality assurance auditor for the Birmingham-based, UK subsidiary of SGS, a Swiss company with an international reputation in quality assurance. “Rather than bolt on extras,” says Tuck, “Distrupol has taken the opportunity to sit down and rewrite its computer systems.”

Operating with the latest ISO-accredited quality management system will give added confidence to Distrupol’s customers that their orders will be delivered on time and in the right condition. Also, if there are any failures there is now a system in place whereby they can be corrected – and appropriate action taken to prevent further occurrences.

“It will be easier to form partnerships with both customers and suppliers,” explains Mike Jones. “It’s a mutually beneficial process, a two-way street.”

ISO9001.2000 requires accredited companies to demonstrate continuing improvements in their quality management procedures. This means that Distrupol will be independently re-audited every six months.

“We are very pleased that Distrupol Ltd has achieved ISO9001.2000 accreditation and we will continue to invest in our quality management skills to provide customers with the best possible service,” says Distrupol Europe’s chief executive officer, David Jukes. “At the same time we are working to a programme to achieve accreditation to the standard throughout our organisation.”