Posted to News on 9th Dec 2014, 14:21
AWS to seek TS 16949 (Accreditation for Automotive Quality)
AWS has announced that it has won new orders in the competitive European Automotive sector, working directly for a large global Automotive Tier 1 company. The project has required significant investment in new equipment and a new production hall dedicated to the automotive work. In winning the order AWS will now seek full accreditation to the ISO/TS 16949 Technical Specification. This sets out the quality system requirements for the design/ development, production, installation and servicing of automotive-related products.
The journey to TS 16949 is already well underway. The new processes and equipment is being set up and AWS is initially operating under a "letter of conformity' with stage audits during 2015 as per the normal process steps to TS 16949 full accreditation.
AWS CEO Paul Deehan comments: "With the investment we have made both in the UK at our facility in Slovakia we are well placed to support the automotive market. Slovakia, Germany and Central Europe in general is a key manufacturing location for automobiles, and our plant in Namestovo Slovakia is within easy reach of at least three major car makers and a significant numer of Tier1 and Tier 2 suppliers within CEE."
He continues: "We are seeing a lot of reshoring work - contract work coming back to Europe from South East Asia. Our Slovakia investment means that we can be cost-competitive, and by gaining prestigious accreditations such as TS 16949, we are demonstrating a real commitment to this important sector. The formal accreditation also sends out a message that we are confident that we understand the needs of car makers and their suppliers, and that we are eager to work with them in close partnership."
Paul Deehan along with a number of his directors and senior managers within AWS Group have all worked at executive levels in automotive OEMs and Tier 1 in their past careers so they know the expectations and demands of the industry well.
For more information about AWS Group, please visit www.awselectronicsgroup.com.
