QS-9000 Drives Continuous Improvement for Chemical Distributors
But on this visit, cooperation was the watchword. The CHEMCENTRAL executives were on a benchmarking mission. A division of PVS Chemicals Inc., an international chemical producer, PVS Nolwood had implemented one of the most advanced bar coding systems in the industry to manage its inventory. CHEMCENTRAL, a billion-dollar corporation with 39 branches in North America, was there to see the bar coding system in action.
Developed by the automotive industry to meet its special needs, QS-9000 is a more challenging standard than its forerunner. It has up to 383 requirements (“shall statements”), as opposed to up to 137 for ISO 9000. The fact that both companies had registered to QS-9000 testified to their recognition of the importance of quality. According to Ken Jaggers, CHEMCENTRAL’s vice president, Compliance and Quality, the company adopted the standard because “our research showed QS-9000 gave more return on investment.” Dick Peacock, Nolwood’s president, expressed similar sentiments: “To keep our business growing in a marketplace that’s not growing, we have to provide the highest level of service attainable. QS-9000 is critical to that.”