ISO 9001 and 14001 certification
“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 the ‘ISO in a Box’ system on an assisted build basis, which meant that our consultant, Doug Old, worked closely with us to guide, advise and support during its 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.
“Doug Old did a really good job for us, so much so that I recommended him and the company 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 at the forefront of supplying packaging, packaging design and fulfilment for the mobile phone industry for more than a decade. Operating in one of the most dynamic sectors, it was quick to spot the business opportunity to extend its product range into the fast-growing related categories of personal electronic devices. Its customers include some of the biggest brand owners in the marketplace.
The company has grown significantly over the past three years, which is quite an achievement given that it has a head count of just six full-time staff, supported by a 20-strong team of part-time fulfilment agency staff.
The challenge
As with most startups, Cellpak tended to work informally, bringing in new processes and procedures as the business matured. This was particularly the case on the design side of the business.
From producing packaging designs for mobile phones, a piece of engineering in itself as the outer packaging needed to safely contain all the other components such as the SIM card and charger, it then moved into a wide range of packaging for associated products, including blister packs, clam packs, card packs, pockets, cases and holders with capacity for CDs or a variety of booklets, leaflets and inserts. It also specializes in tamper-evident seals, security labelling and protection and cushioning.
The methodology
ISO consultant, Doug Old, recommended the ‘ISO in a Box’ assisted build system as being the best option for obtaining 9001 and 1400 certification in a timely and cost-effective manner. With support and guidance, Lisa did most of the implementation herself and, according to Doug, ‘did a really good job’.
As the company’s packaging design division had grown so dramatically and become far more complex, a key focus was to implement robust procedures and processes that provided clear evidence of copyright and intellectual property rights.
The benefits
Achieving ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications has delivered significant commercial benefits for Cellpak Solutions. Soon after, the company tendered for – and won – two ‘massive’ contracts, far larger than any they had landed to date.
In terms of business benefits, the company believe certification has helped them become more structured and organized, and ensures that they actually do what it says on the ISO label.
