Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Training for the Quality Management System Standard Boosts Sales Retention
With the help of: Alabama Technology Network (ATN)
About
ARD Logistics is a third-party logistics provider based in Vance, AL, offering warehousing, freight forwarding, contract logistics, contract assembly, and procurement services. They are a Tier 1 automotive supplier providing warehouse, assembly, and sequencing services to Mercedes-Benz. Besides automotive, ARD serves various industries including aerospace, consumer retail, government services, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.
The Challenge
As a Tier 1 automotive supplier, ARD Logistics is required to have a certified quality management system that complies with the IATF 16949 standard, ensuring the company can fulfill its customer requirements. Once certified, the company must maintain a quality management system that consistently meets the standard. An essential element of this system is internal audits. Companies must regularly conduct internal audits to verify that their quality management system adheres to the specified requirements. ARD Logistics sought assistance from Alabama Technology Network (ATN), part of the MEP National Network, to provide internal auditor training for employees.
The impact that ATN made on our organization is immeasurable. We contacted ATN in crisis mode, having lost both certified internal auditors within a 30-day period and just 60 days before our re-certification audit for IATF 16949 and ISO 9001. The team at ATN came in prepared. They trained and certified eight new internal auditors, provided core tools training, and supported our team as we completed a full system internal audit. With the support of ATN, we received an unconditional re-certification and, for the first time in our company history, had no major and no minor deficiencies. ATN will be a business partner of ours for many years to come.
MEP's Role
ATN assisted ARD by conducting IATF 16949 internal auditor training to teach employees how to audit according to the standard and provided individual internal audits. This training helped ARD retain sales that could have been lost if the certification had not been maintained. Internal audits ensure management systems are effective, and processes are continuously improved. Additionally, ATN performed Automotive Core Tools training for IATF 16949 Internal Auditing. Understanding Automotive Core Tools is also required to maintain the IATF 16949 certification.