Cellpak Solutions Ltd

"Obtaining these ISO certifications became a prerequisite for us to retain preferred supplier status with a number of our existing clients. It was also proving to be a major factor in winning contracts from new customers.

"I had absolutely no previous experience of implementing these standards. We chose an assisted build, which meant that our consultant, Doug Old, worked closely with us to guide, advise and support during the implementation.

"It was quite intensive, especially since we were implementing both standards in tandem, but by having a hands-on role I feel I understand it much better.

"Equas did a really good job for us, so much so that I recommended them to one of our major customers who have since used Doug to complete a full system build, and they also now have ISO 9001 and 14001 certification."

Lisa Kadwill, Operations Manager

The company

Cellpak has been supplying packaging, packaging design and fulfilment for the mobile phone industry for more than a decade. Operating in a dynamic sector, it extended its range into the fast-growing category of personal electronic devices. Its customers include some of the biggest brand owners in the market.

The company grew significantly over three years, an achievement given a headcount of six full time staff supported by a 20-strong team of part time fulfilment agency staff.

The challenge

As with most start-ups, Cellpak worked in an informal way, bringing in processes and procedures as the business matured. This was particularly true on the design side.

From packaging for mobile phones, itself a piece of engineering given the need to safely contain SIM card and charger, the company moved into blister packs, clam packs, card packs, pockets, cases and holders, plus tamper-evident seals, security labelling and protective cushioning.

The approach

An assisted build was the best option for achieving both certifications in a timely and cost-effective way. With support and guidance, Lisa carried out the majority of the implementation herself.

As the packaging design division had grown dramatically and become more complex, a key focus was putting in robust procedures that provided clear evidence of copyright and intellectual property rights.

The benefits

Certification delivered significant commercial benefits. Soon afterwards the company tendered for and won two contracts far larger than any it had landed to date.

The company also believes certification helped it become more structured and organised, and ensures it does what it says on the label.