Manufacturing Technology

British Steel’s Scunthorpe Rod Mill has recently been awarded IATF 16949 certification – the internationally adopted quality management system standard for the automotive industry.

IATF 16949 certification is internationally recognised and provides a common approach in the supply chain for supplier or subcontractor management and development, driving consistency, customer focus, competence and control from a risk-based approach.

The standard promotes a focus on continuous improvement via performance measures and the prioritisation of improvement initiatives. The system also places emphasis on proving and analysing the control of manufacturing processes and the clear communication of both customer requirements and lessons learned.

Adam Lynaugh, British Steel quality manager, said: “At British Steel, we’re dedicated to continuously improving our processes, work environment and practices. A high percentage of our order book is destined for the automotive supply chain, so it was a natural progression for us to become IATF certified.”

The standard was developed by The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) members consisting of automotive bodies and manufacturers to provide improved quality products to automotive customers globally. It’s also applicable to any organisation that manufactures components, assemblies and parts for the automotive industry.

Adam continued: “The independent verification against a global industry standard means that not only are we delivering products that consistently meet customer requirements, but we’re also providing a dependable service that can be relied on.”

Employees from right across the business were involved in the two stage audit assessment process, demonstrating their continued commitment to existing procedures and their flexibility to adapt to new systems.

“After the initial gap analysis last March, we developed a comprehensive action plan – 180 actions have been completed in total. We had a big focus on manufacturing, developing detailed control plans, which we could audit against, revise and improve on – the challenge now is to develop this further and continue to improve going forward.”

Richard Sims, British Steel Wire Rod managing director, said: “As a business, our priority is to ensure our customers continue to receive premium products and a fantastic service. IATF certification is a great testament to the hard work and commitment of all at Scunthorpe Rod Mill to achieve this goal.”