NOJA Power Brazil gains ISO 9001:2008 quality management certification

Electrical switchgear engineers NOJA Power today announces that its South American subsidiary, NOJA Power Brazil, has achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification. ISO 9001:2008 is a standard for quality management and provides guidance and tools for companies that want to ensure that their products and services consistently meet customers’ requirements, and that quality is consistently improved. Over one million companies and organizations in over 170 countries have implemented the standard.

According to the U.K.’s Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) comparisons of similar-sized companies in related sectors with and without ISO 9001:2008 certification reveal increased customer satisfaction with accredited companies because the certification process typically uncovers areas in which final product quality can be continuously improved [1].

NOJA Power Brazil was formed on 31 January 2012 and originally sited in São Paulo. The business moved to a new 1000m2 factory––housing an assembly floor, offices and a warehouse in Campinas––in June 2012. The factory manufacturers RC-10 cubicles, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)-ready controllers used to supervise NOJA Power’s OSM series of Automatic Circuit Reclosers (ACR or “auto-recloser”).

The Campinas factory was set up to mirror the strict quality and environmental policies adopted by NOJA Power’s main facility in Brisbane. Accreditation to ISO 9001:2008 is testament to the success of this strategy and is expected to be followed by ISO 14001:2004 environmental management certification shortly.

“ISO 9001:2008 certification is important for NOJA Power Brazil because it is vital that we demonstrate high credibility with both existing and potential customers,” says Bruno Kimura, Managing Director of the Brazilian operation. “The company started from scratch just over three years ago so to gain accreditation in such a relatively short period should be recognized as a reward for a huge and sustained effort by the staff here.

“I was particularly pleased that the auditor complimented several aspects of our business, including organization, focus, staff and management.”

The Brazilian Government is encouraging utilities to modernize their electricity-generation, -transmission and -distribution infrastructure with smart grids to better serve industry, business and domestic consumers of this rapidly developing country.

“NOJA Power auto reclosers will be a fundamental component of Brazil’s new smart grids because they allow utilities to closely match supply and demand, rapidly switch in renewable energy sources and protect expensive infrastructure in the case of faults,” explains Neil O’Sullivan, NOJA Power’s Managing Director. “These capabilities have generated a strong demand for our pole-mounted ACRs in the country. It’s important NOJA Power Brazil meets that demand while at the same time maintaining the high quality for which NOJA Power’s products have become known. The ISO 9001:2008 certification is clear evidence that the company is well equipped to do just that.”

Reference

1. “ISO 9001 and the bottom line,” Neil Hannah, CQI, May 2011.