You’ve probably seen the words on our website (they’re on almost every page) – we’re ISO 9001 certified. But what does that mean? Well, it’s something that we’re proud of, and we’re going to explain why.

History of The ISO

The ISO, which stands for International Organization for Standardization, traces its history back to 1959. It began as a set of principles followed by military contractors during the Cold War. These first standards and principles were set in place by the U.S. Defense Department. The United Kingdom and NATO had their own versions. Any company that wanted a government contract during this period had to agree to adhere to those standards. Over time, they became something used by manufacturers all over the world, not just in the United States.

The ISO 9000 level started in 1987. The idea for this level is based on a proposal written by the BSI, also known as the British Standards Institution. Basically, the BSI wanted to turn the already existing defense department and NATO regulations into something that many businesses could use, even those who didn’t manufacture items for governments around the world.

 ISO 9000 Level Certifications

All business try their best to meet their customer’s needs. However, some take this to a higher level by becoming certified. In order to receive one of these certifications, a company must adhere to a very strict set of seven management principles. Two of these principles consist of a focus on customers and leadership. Others include taking a process approach to everything that we do, as well as focusing on constant improvements. After all, every company wants to get better. The other principles deal with decision-making and the employees who work for the organization. Finally, the very last one points out that the company is just a part of a whole system. 

What Happened In the Year 2000

Back in 2000, a small shift occurred in the ISO certifications world. This led to the creation of the ISO 9001, the certification that Special Metal Stamping is so proud to have. By switching the ending number to a one from a zero, it means that we create new products. We innovate. We also follow all of the original ISO 9000 standards, so we still have that focus on our customers.

Now that you understand what our certification means, give us a call to see what we can do for you; watch us live up to our ISO 9001 rating!