Unipart Rail’s Traction and Rolling Stock (T&RS) division has become one of the first companies in the rail industry to gain the exacting quality management standard ISO9001:2015.
The new Standard requires a completely different approach to quality assurance which is based on an understanding of the market, risk and opportunity management and leadership. Unipart Rail, who are based in Doncaster, were able to demonstrate many excellent processes and tangible evidence of these practices in order to gain the certification.
All areas of the business were audited by Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) that are involved in the provision of material management, logistics and associated services for traction and rolling stock components and consumables and the design and development of these components. The operation of the business processes and how they interface with each other was a key component in the assessment of Unipart Rail to ensure that the requirements of the Standard translate into actions that add value to the organisation and for stakeholders.
George Tiller, MD of the T&RS division, commented that “the auditors were very complimentary with their feedback on our system and the progress that we have made since the previous certification assessment in 2013 and most importantly, the work we do to support our customers, the rail industry as a whole and our continued drive for improvement.”
The concentration on managing the business as a complete entity and ensuring that information and processes are communicated and implemented throughout the organisation is consistent with the fundamental business principles of all Unipart companies. The gaining of the ISO9001:2015 Standard demonstrates that these principles are evident in the organisation and that the business is benefitting from this approach.
Having first gained the ISO9001 Quality Standard in 1993, Unipart Rail has consistently improved its quality management system and practices to be one of the leading providers of supply chain services and innovative products in the industry.
The rail sector is currently expanding at a significant rate locally, nationally and internationally and it relies on Unipart Rail to perform to a very high level and to develop new products and systems that will enable these growth plans to be successfully implemented. The embedded processes that the company employs, that are at the heart of the ISO 9001:2015 certification, will ensure that the industry will be supported in a consistent and dynamic way for years to come.