Founded in 1994, IMSM adds value to businesses by raising the standards of their quality and environmental management systems. For an affordable fixed fee, IMSM provides flexible and fully-integrated solutions using ISO international standards – from initial consultation, through to production of appropriate management systems and documentation manuals.

Certification and independent assessment can be provided through IMSM’s sister company, QAS International Limited. Together, they make obtaining and retaining ISO certification simple and straightforward and have helped more than 5,000 small- to medium-sized businesses around the world achieve ISO certification.

The improvements that these systems make to business operations are significant and affect every aspect of an organisation – raising standards, improving effectiveness and enhancing business performance.

The main standards that IMSM helps businesses to implement are:

• ISO9001–Quality
• ISO14001–Environment
• OHSAS 18001 & 18002–Occupational Health & Safety
• ISO/IEC 17799–IT Security

Why are standards important?
Every business works to a system, according to the needs of the organisation. By examining the system objectively, and carefully documenting the process, making efficiencies where identified, and doing this against an international standard framework, a company can gain significant improvements on both increased profit, and lower operating costs. Once certified, the company is more likely to win additional business, and will generally be running a much “tighter ship”.

In a recent survey commissioned by IMSM, an analysis of the main problems facing businesses revealed that over 80% of these were in areas where certified management systems can help. These included poor quality control, staffing problems, purchasing policy problems, process management and cost control.

What are the standards?
ISO9001:2000 is an internationally-recognised quality management system that adds value through improved efficiency and less waste. Holding the standard, especially over several years, results in increased efficiency, flexibility of skills within the organisation, and gives access to more valuable customers.

ISO14001–Enlightened business owners are taking the view that implementing sensible environmental management systems not only saves valuable resources, but can actually reduce costs by enabling the businesses, large and small, to run more efficiently. The benefits include lower distribution costs, control of waste management, and savings in consumption of energy and materials. Additionally, companies which hold this standard enjoy a positive corporate image among regulators, customers and the public.

ISO/IEC17799:2000 is a management system which identifies, manages and minimises a range of threats to business information. It provides guidelines for implementing a constructive risk management process, setting up policies, and ensuring a secure infrastructure is in place. This standard shows that a business has taken preventative measures to protect clients’ confidential data, and demonstrates to customers and prospects that the business is observing a duty of care.

OHSAS 18001 works on the same principle as the ISO standards. It shows that the company has taken all reasonable measures to minimise risks and prevent accidents. By reducing and eliminating the likelihood of minor incidents, which cause disruption and delays, substantial savings can be made. Taking preventative measures to protect employees helps recruitment in a competitive world. The standard provides a framework for legal responsibilities, and insurance companies recognise it as a means of reducing risk, and hence premiums. Prospective customers and supply chains also value responsible suppliers.

Supporting businesses
IMSM supports thousands of businesses around the world to achieve these and other industry-specific standards. Here are two examples:

WCS Environmental
WCS Environmental Ltd was formed in 1987 and offers a diverse range of products and services, including water treatment, air monitoring and waste management – incorporating everything from bacteria tests on vending machine water to the installation of high-quality water plant for manufacturers of computer components; and from toxic fume analysis to the provision of new ventilation system installations.

In 2002, WCS Environmental merged with Gower Chemicals Ltd and they now manufacture specialist water treatment chemicals at a newly commissioned treatment facility in Swansea. With health and safety, microbiological, engineering and chemical skills at their disposal, WCS Environmental offers wide-ranging expertise. Their customers include major PLCs, health authorities, building operation and mechanical maintenance companies.

It was therefore important for WCS Environmental not only to be ISO9001 registered, but also to gain certification for ISO14001 Environmental Management. As Mike Sullivan explains: “By achieving certification to ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, the company ensures they are in total control of all aspects of their own Environmental Management, and fully compliant with current legislation requirements. As we had already achieved ISO9002, the certification process was relatively easy, allowing several of the ISO14001 requirements to be integrated with existing procedures. The help and support given by IMSM in helping WCS was excellent.”

Slide Products
Originally founded in 1953 by Percy Harms to provide mold release solutions for the plastic manufacturing industry, Slide Products has been based at its current location in Wheeling, Illinois, since 1974. Today, a network of 200 fully-trained local distributors provides customers with on-site technical support and standard one-day shipping to nearly any point within the US.

Slide Products remains dedicated to formulating high-quality industrial products and processing aids that make manufacturing tools and equipment more productive. And they are as focused on delivering the highest level of customer service as they always were. In April 2004, the company further demonstrated its commitment to quality when it achieved ISO9001 certification with the help of IMSM. Slide Products’ Sales Manager, Michael Muth, explains: “Many of our customers are Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers. Consequently we have been asked more and more often whether we have ISO9001:2000 certification. We saw ISO as an opportunity to gain a leg up on our competition.

“Additionally, Slide Products was the classic case of a company that did things for the sole reason that we had always done them that way. The ISO programme gave Slide a reason for and a means to change our methods. We have used ISO as a tool to increase departmental communication and to enact procedural change in all departments from production to shipping to order processing.”

Mr Muth continues: “The ISO certificate has also opened up sales doors. Cost savings from increased efficiencies, reduced scrap, and reduced rework volume has helped to offset the commodity price increases we have experienced. IMSM’s ISO program was much faster than we expected, taking just six months from start to certificate. The programme was also turnkey with very easy document preparation.”

For more information, visit: Website: www.imsm.com