Polymer Cluster helps put the automotive jewel in for Crown
14 February 2007
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The UK’s leading change agent for local plastics and rubber industry development, the Polymer Cluster, has helped Bilston-based Crown Plastic Mouldings achieve the tough automotive global quality standard ISO/TS16949:2002.
In order to prove their capabilities Crown decided to embark on a programme to develop their quality system from QS-9000 and upgrade it to meet the ISO/TS16949:2002 standard. This combines the current worldwide requirements of the automotive industry.
After some initial feasibility work, Polymer Cluster supported Crown by providing the resources of Paul Shipton of Plastics Consultancy Services as external consultant to help the company achieve the global automotive ISO/TS16949:2002 standard. Paul worked closely with Neil Botfield and Stuart Webb the Managing Director and Quality Manager of Crown Plastic Mouldings.
During the three day external audit to ISO/TS16949:2002 at the end of last year no non-conformities small or large could be found and Crown achieved the standard without any need for corrective action. Paul Shipton notes that ‘in my experience, a total of zero non-conformities is truly exceptional for any company. Through the development and approval of its management system Crown has demonstrated the high reliability and excellent process capability it can offer to their customers”.
To sharpen skills within the company the Polymer Cluster also sponsored three of the Crown technical team in undertaking moulding setters training at PTL, the polymer training organisation. Says Paul Hackney, Polymer Cluster Champion; ‘this was a first for Crown as all previous training had normally been conducted by in-house personnel. The move highlights the ability of the Polymer Cluster to offer a wide range of expert services to truly complete a project’.
Hackney adds that ‘the overall lesson is that whatever the tasks and wherever a plastics company finds itself - in terms of expertise and resources - we at the Polymer Cluster are sure we will always have something to help companies achieve their goals. We are not constrained to supply only one aspect of technical assistance. We believe that to develop a product, process or a company’s future, then several services will be needed.
Crown Plastics are an extremely skilled, experienced and resourceful company that nonetheless we were able and willing to give added value to.’
Crown’s Managing Director Neil Botfield commented that ‘the support the Polymer Cluster gave in providing Paul Shipton, with his knowledge and experience of TS16949:2002, was invaluable. Gaining the standard has enabled us to win future business with a new automotive client and helped to secure current auto clients. The training provided by Polymer Custer through PTL has also proved very helpful in improving the skills of our technical staff’.
Botfield added that the assistance provided was important in supporting the growth of the business for the next two to three years and he has no hesitation in recommending the Polymer Cluster to other companies.
The Polymer Cluster is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is housed within the University of Wolverhampton on its Telford campus.
All further details of company support and service from Paul Hackney, Polymer Cluster Champion. Tel. 01902 321659 Fax. 01902 321652 www.polymercluster.co.uk info@polymercluster.co.uk
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