Improved Operations Set the Stage for Generations of Success at Holly Label

Holly Label was operating with a quality management system (QMS) that was conforming to, but not registered to, the ISO 9001:2008 standard. Company management desired to bring its current QMS into conformance with ISO 9001:2015 and obtain registration as a way to evidence the company’s commitment to quality and potentially attract new customers that expected that level of certification. While the company’s rural location provided it with several competitive advantages and luxuries, the area did not offer a plentitude of ISO consulting resources, and the company was concerned about how to efficiently navigate the ISO certification landscape without external expertise.

Through prior dealings with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC), part of the Pennsylvania MEP and the MEP National Network™, company leaders were familiar with the organization’s services and areas of specialization – which includes ISO certification preparedness. NEPIRC was invited to provide a one-day management overview of the ISO 9001:2015 standard at Holly Label’s facility to provide a higher level of understanding of the QMS requirements. This led to Holly Label retaining NEPIRC’s services to better prepare the company for certification by an independent ISO registrar. Through that engagement, NEPIRC provided on-site technical assistance in documenting the company’s quality policies and practices and trained 12 employees as ISO Internal Auditors. NEPIRC also conducted a pre-assessment audit using a Certified Auditor to validate the conformity of Holly Label’s new Quality Management System to the ISO 9001:2015 standard.