Although many Clients of ISO Support Group are ISO registered companies… this is not as important as the fact that they are all trying to run a profitable business.
Our Clients need to drive out waste and improve all of their processes… from Strategic Planning to front-line Problem Solving. They are typically small to medium sized companies (with some multinationals as well) that sell a broad range of both products and services in various markets. They tend to be market leaders in their respective industries with strong management teams driving their business strategies, and who understand that using disciplined processes helps them “out-execute” their competition.
Our Clients recognize the value of employing proven tools as a way to improve processes, but struggle with…
Misunderstanding of Management System Models (such as ISO) and the requirements within them:
Wrong assumptions and misinterpretations of what is really required results in an overbuilt, overly complex management system that narrowly focuses on only the core operations of the business, with a piecemeal approach used in the other functional areas.
Ineffective Problem Solving/Root Cause Analysis:
Problem Solving is documented using a standard form , that is completed well after the fact to satisfy auditors and which doesn’t help employees use a systematic approach to fixing problems only once.
Unproductive Management Review meetings:
Management Review meetings that provide only a one-way flow of information to the Management Team, turning them into history lessons rather than interactive discussions where critical business decisions are made.
Internal Audits that use a lot of resources:
Internal Audits that pull key people away for extended periods of time, generating results of questionable business value. Results from audits identify gaps that initiate time consuming corrective actions that have minimal impact on improving business performance… in fact business performance can actually suffer in many instances.
Too much paperwork and record keeping:
Excessive quantities and increasing levels of detail have crept into the management system documentation, resulting in unproductive activities, reduced flexibility in how the business operates, and growing resistance from employees.
Disconnect between ISO and how the business runs:
Buy-in for ISO varies widely across the organization. Lack of understanding of what this tool is and why it’s needed, causes fear and resistance to using it. The end result is two sets of books being kept describing how the business operates, with an unclear connection between the two.
Waste (and as a result… costs) have crept into your business processes:
Producing or preparing materials before they are needed, waiting on other activities before the process can function, excessive handling and movement of materials and information between processes, equipment and technology overkill for the task at hand, excess inventory, excess motion, defective products/services and under utilization of employee skills, are examples of waste that has crept into your business operations. It has been there so long that no one questions why it exists and rarely is it viewed as “waste” that could be eliminated. The costs associated with these “wastes” are accepted by everyone and these wastes are even built right into the financial formulas/reports that have evolved over time.
Continual improvement is stated but not really practiced:
Continual improvement is a critical ingredient in the strategy of the company, but putting words into action has been difficult to practice. There isn’t alignment between the priorities of the company and what each employee is focused on. There is a lack of a framework or process to follow, with everyone working hard in their respective areas but showing little in the way of tangible movement towards the destination.
Below is a partial listing of our Clients:
ABB, Ontario
Abitibi Consolidated, Ontario
Albany International, Ontario
Allied Signal, Ontario
Armour Valve, Ontario
Aydin Displays – Sparton, Pennsylvania
Bacardi Canada, Ontario
Belvac Production Machinery, Virginia
Blair Mills, South Carolina
Blue Circle – CBM, Ontario
Boise Paper, Alabama
Brick Brewing, Ontario
Brookfield Management Services, Calgary
Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Newfoundland
Canadian Solar Solutions Inc., Ontario
Cangel Inc., Ontario
Celestica Corporation, Ontario
Chemtrade Logistics, Ontario
Chemtrade Logistics, South Carolina
Clariant Corporation, North Carolina
Computer Horizons – ISG, Ontario
Con Cast Pipe, Ontario
Cooper-Standard, Ontario
Copperweld, Ontario
Department of National Defense, Labrador
Diamond Aircraft, Ontario
DuPont Corporation, Louisiana
EFI Electronics, Utah
Exhibiteers, Ontario
Extreme Pita (+Mucho Burrito), Ontario
Fabris Inc., Ontario
Flexible Packaging Corporation, Ontario
Gemini Air Cargo, Washington, D.C.
General Motors, Ontario
Georgian College – IRDI, Ontario
Georgia-Pacific, Arkansas
Gerdau Steel, Ontario
Huntsman Corporation, Louisiana
John Deere Corporation, Illinois
John Deere Corporation, Iowa
John Deere Corporation, North Dakota
Lawson Mardon, Ontario
LDM Technologies, Ohio
MGM Brakes, North Carolina
NCR Canada, Ontario
Nexinnovations, Ontario
Norampac-Bird, Ontario
Nova Chemicals, Ontario
Reliable Castings, Ohio
Rexam Closures, Indiana
Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, Ontario
Rubicon Inc., Louisiana
Sibley & Associates Inc., Ontario
Spaenaur, Ontario
Stature Electric Inc., New York
Stealth-Sparton, Ontario
Teknion Furniture Systems, Ontario
Tembec Inc., Ontario
Westburne/Nedco Enterprises, Ontario
Siemens Westinghouse Inc., Ontario
University of Guelph – Lab Services, Ontario
Wellington Yarns, South Carolina
WestRock Corporation, Alabama
Weyerhaeuser Corporation, Washington
World Airways, Washington, D.C.
Wyeth Nutrition, Vermont