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Turnstar focused on quality with ISO 9001:15

Quality is the driving force that separates the serious players in the physical access control market from the wannabees. It defines and elevates those companies who subscribe to its principles and provides a strong and sustainable foundation for strategic growth. In 2016 Turnstar Systems was awarded ISO9001:15 system certification for its manufacturing facilities.

The International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) is the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards. Its standards offer solutions and best practices for almost all types of technology and business, helping companies and organisations to increase performance while protecting consumers and the planet. Developed through global consensus, their standards aim to break down barriers to international trade.

ISO 9001 is the world’s most recognised Quality Management System (QMS) standard. It aims to help organisations meet the needs of their customers and other stakeholders more effectively. This is achieved by building a framework to ensure consistent quality in the provision of goods and/or services.

The ISO 9001:15 standards are based on seven quality management principles, including having a strong customer focus, the involvement of top management and a drive for continual improvement.

The seven quality management principles are:

1. Customer focus.

2. Leadership.

3. Engagement of people.

4. Process approach.

5. Improvement.

6. Evidence-based decision making.

7. Relationship management.

In a series of case studies, the ISO examined how companies in more than 20 countries worldwide benefited from ISO 9001. The following were identified as the main benefits:

• Improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.

• Happier and more competent employees.

• Better quality products and services.

• Increased efficiency, fewer mistakes and less wasted time.

• Reduced overall risks.

According to Craig Sacks, CEO at Turnstar, the company actively pursued ISO 9001:15 status for several synergistic reasons that include:

• Meeting customer requirements.

• Improving company and product quality.

• Increasing customer satisfaction with its products.

• Describing, understanding and communicating the company’s processes.

• Developing a professional culture and better employee morale.

• Improving the consistency of its operations.

• Focusing management and employees.

• Improving efficiency, reducing waste and saving money.

• Achieving international quality recognition.

“With the company having an affective and accountable quality management system, risks such as late delivery and product failure are minimised. There is a strict focus on risks and opportunities which will impact on customer satisfaction and Turnstar has demonstrated a system which works to monitor and improve the customer experience,” says Sacks.

Sacks says that the company is committed to maintaining and improving a quality system that is in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9001 by conducting periodic reviews to generate a culture of continual improvement and by investing in the training of its employees as a top priority.

“Our products are designed for the harshest of environments and have become a standard for the very demanding and physically challenging African mining sector. We achieve this by leveraging the designs of our highly qualified engineering team, together with state-of-the-art production facilities, spanning 8800 m². We regularly invest in new manufacturing technology and currently have a wide range of CNC machinery and robotic welding equipment that can provide products to the tightest of tolerances,” says Sacks.

“So confident are we in the quality of our products that all mechanical components, including the ratchet disk and locking pawls are covered by the Turnstar five-year guarantee. The control panel, microswitches and solenoids are likewise covered by a 12-month guarantee. All of these factors lend credence to our fit-and-forget policy,” says Sacks.

In addition to its ISO 9001:15 certification, Turnstar also subjected all products fitted with the Rotalok rotation locking mechanism to extensive testing in order to confirm electrical safety, emissions and immunity. “Turnstar’s products passed and conformed to the latest relevant directive as per the CE (an acronym for the French ‘Conformite Europeenne’) standards, giving customers complete peace of mind when purchasing and using a Turnstar product,” says Sacks.

For further information contact Turnstar, +27 11 786 1633, craig@turnstar.co.za, www.turnstar.co.za

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