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Revisions to QS-9000 Standard Impact Suppliers

11 May 1998

Revisions to QS-9000 Standard Impacting Automotive Industry Suppliers

    PITTSBURGH, May 11 -- The Chrysler, Ford and General Motors
Supplier Quality Requirements Task Force's newly released third edition of its
QS-9000 standard will have an immediate impact on suppliers to the Big Three
automakers.
    According to Robert E. Marino, president of Pittsburgh-based Tri-Tech
Services Inc., automotive industry suppliers who must conform to QS-9000
requirements will need to be in compliance with the revised specifications by
January 1, 1999, when the second edition of QS-9000 becomes obsolete.
    "It is very important that automotive industry suppliers who must adhere
to QS-9000 be aware of these changes and understand what they need to do to
remain in compliance," said Marino, whose Tri-Tech Services has assisted
numerous suppliers with their QS-9000 registrations.
    QS-9000 refers to "Quality System Requirements QS-9000," the common
supplier standard for Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.  It is based on the
1994 edition of ISO-9001, but contains additional requirements that are
particular to the automotive industry.
    QS-9000 applies to suppliers of production materials, production and
service parts, heat treating, painting and plating, and other finishing
services.
    Among the new changes are several requirements developed from reviews of
European automotive quality requirements.
    Tri-Tech Services is one of this country's leading providers of training
and quality assurance engineering consulting services in quality program
development, vendor management systems, program management, process evaluation
and environmental management systems.  Many of its clients are automotive
industry suppliers required to follow QS-9000.

SOURCE  Tri-Tech Services Inc.