ISO Certification Opens Doors to New Markets

BACKGROUND

Shree-Ji Printing (SJ Printing) was founded in 1994 as a one-press one man start-up. Today the company is a full service custom label manufacturer, operating six UV flexo presses and associated equipment in 25,000 square feet of commercial space in Carlstadt, N.J. The company is a family owned non-union shop with 30 employees. SJ Printing attributes its success to the exceptional service they provide and the high-quality labels the company produces at budget-friendly prices.

CHALLENGE

Ankit Patel, President of SJ Printing, wanted to expand the business however many of the company’s targeted markets required certifications that the company did not have. Mr. Patel’s main goal was to achieve ISO 9001:2008 certification. He felt the certification was imperative for expanding its markets and gaining a competitive edge. Now that Mr. Patel knew what he wanted to do the hunt for assistance with the certification process came next. 

“Our vetting process involved numerous searches on the Internet and reading excellent reviews about New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP) and its services. We were also struck by their mission and proven track record of success with other manufacturers. After meeting with NJMEP’s staff, we were impressed with their level of knowledge and expertise,” explained Mr. Patel.

SOLUTION

NJMEP began its work with Mr. Patel by conducting its no cost business assessment to obtain an understanding of the company’s operations and needs. In conducting the assessment NJMEP realized SJ Printing would benefit from assistance in financing the preparation for ISO certification as it is quite costly for a small manufacturer. The company was an excellent candidate for a New Jersey Department of Labor Skills4Jersey grant. A training plan was developed, an application was completed and upon approval SJ Printing began its ISO certification journey.

All thirty company employees took part in the ISO Quality Systems Training, 110 hours of classes that provided training in the following areas 1. Understanding ISO 9001:2008 philosophy, recognition of the resource requirements for implementing ISO effectively, and an opportunity to discuss and agree to the fundamental benefits you want to achieve, 2. Developing and Documenting a Quality Policy & Objectives, 3. Process Review and Process Leader Training, 4. Document Control, 5. Quality Manual Development, 6. Procedure Development, 7. Employee Development and Involvement, 8. Internal Auditing and 9. Management Review.

RESULTS

SJ Printing achieved its ISO 9001:2008 certification. Its policies and procedures are now well documented making it easier to meet Shree-Ji’s goals and objectives. The company also achieved organizational improvements:

• An efficient management process
• Greater Employee accountability for their responsibilities
• Certification communicates a positive message to staff and customers
• The ability to identify and eliminate waste is now in place
• Costs have been reduced
• A culture of continuous improvement has developed
• Reinforced their commitment to quality
• Marketing opportunities

When responding to the NIST Survey Mr. Patel reported the following financial impact as a result of the work with NJMEP on the ISO certification project:

• Increased sales $750,000
• Cost savings of over $20,000 as a result of the Skills4Jersey Grant.
• Invested $30,000.00 in new products and processes

When asked about his work with NJMEP Mr. Patel replied, “NJMEP helped us reach our organizational goals and objectives. We have acquired business of a multi-national pharmaceutical company as a direct result of ISO certification, improved training of employee’s that resulted in better efficiency and cost savings and our management has a better understanding of core business goals. We are very pleased with what we achieved as a result of our work with them.”

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