MIDLAND, Mich., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Dow Corning Corporation today announced that two of its facilities have achieved certification to the ISO/TS16949:2002 standard of quality for suppliers in the automotive industry. The manufacturing facilities -- in Auburn, Mich. and Wiesbaden, Germany -- are two in a series of Dow Corning sites to be registered to this automotive industry standard of quality.
The certification comes as part of the company's commitment to lead the industry in setting quality and sustainability benchmarks. Dow Corning and all of its manufacturing sites are globally registered to ISO 9001:2000 and will be globally registered to ISO 14001 by 2007. Another Dow Corning facility, the company's Multibase production center in Saint Laurent du Pont, France, also is certified to ISO/TS 16949:2002. The quality standard, informally known as TS2, was developed by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) and approved by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The standards system ensures suppliers understand, manage and implement the common and specific standards of quality required by automotive manufacturers around the world.
"Every day on manufacturing lines around the globe, thousands of cars are touched by Dow Corning encapsulants, gels, sealants and specialty lubricants," said Jeremy Burks, global industry executive director, Dow Corning. "When it comes to automotive safety, there can be no tolerance for defects of any kind. Dow Corning prides itself in taking a leadership role in continuous improvement of quality standards. The fact that we achieved our certification without a single non-conformance is a great testament to the quality of our workflows, systems and people."
Dow Corning earned the TS2 registration from BSI Management Systems, one of the world's most recognized standards, testing, registration and certification organizations. In order to achieve TS2 certification, all remote functions that support Dow Corning's Auburn and Wiesbaden sites were part of the audit process, including the company's global information technology, procurement and customer service groups.
The certification was the culmination of a two-year auditing process driven by Dow Corning's Six Sigma Process Excellence methodologies. Prior to achieving TS2 certification, the Auburn and Wiesbaden sites were certified to QS-9000, an earlier automotive quality specification that expires in December 2006.
The IATF is an "ad hoc" group of global automotive manufacturers and their respective trade associations, formed to provide improved quality products to automotive customers worldwide. IATF members include the following vehicle manufacturers: BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors (including Opel Vauxhall), PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Renault SA, and Volkswagen.
ISO is the world's largest developer of standards. It is a non- governmental organization comprised of national standards institutes from 150 countries. ISO standards contribute to making the development, manufacturing and supply of products and services more efficient, safer and cleaner. Additional information about ISO standards can be found at: http://www.iso.org/
About Dow Corning
Dow Corning Corporation (http://www.dowcorning.com/electronics ) is a globally integrated provider of materials, application technology and services, and is focused on providing innovative technology for all segments of the electronics industry. Dow Corning has development and applications centers strategically located throughout Asia, Europe and the United States. The centers offer advanced resources for electronics materials and services, and are staffed with experienced professionals who can provide technical support to customers locally. Dow Corning Corporation is equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning Incorporated . More than half of Dow Corning Corporation's sales are outside the United States.
© 2005 PR Newswire
