Michigan Plant First to be Certified to New Worldwide Quality Standard for Automotive Suppliers

      - Entela Inc. First Registrar to Issue ISO/TS 16949 Certificate -

    GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., July 13 Clarion Technologies, Inc.
has received the first ISO/TS 16949 Certificate in North America for their
plant on Fairplains Avenue in Greenville, Michigan.  Entela, Inc. Quality
Systems Registration Division (QSRD), the first of an anticipated 31 approved
registrars for the new standard and one of the world's leading QS-9000
registrars, issued the certificate.
    The ISO/TS 16949 Standard is a pilot program of international quality
standards for automotive suppliers developed by members of the International
Automotive Task Force (IATF).  The standard's goal is to provide confidence
for global sourcing, improve product and process quality, reduce variation and
waste, create consistency in supplier / subcontractor development and
providing a worldwide quality system specification.
    "This system is designed to help global suppliers meet tough standards
without having to go through certification one country at a time," said
William Vosburg, Vice President of Registration Services.
    The IATF has announced that the new standard will be accepted as the
international equivalent of a host of other standards now in use, to eliminate
multiple registrations wherever possible.
    According to Bill Beckman, President of Clarion Technologies, "The new
certification allows Clarion to be more efficient and effective in providing
products and services to all of our customers.  It is our intent to pursue
ISO/TS 16949 certification for our other manufacturing locations as well."
    Entela, Inc. QSRD is a subsidiary of Entela, Inc. and offers ISO 9000,
QS-9000, TE Supplement, ISO 14001 and VDA 6.1 registration services in
addition to ISO/TS 16949.  Following registration, Entela QSRD conducts
scheduled surveillance audits.  Entela, Inc. also provides Global Conformity
Assessment Services to International, North American and European Standards,
Engineering Services, FMVT(R) (Failure Mode Verification Testing) and
Materials, Product and Systems Testing and Failure Analysis.  In addition to
its Grand Rapids, MI headquarters, Entela has facilities in Livonia, MI;
Littleton, MA; Toronto, Canada; Hong Kong and Taipei, Taiwan.
    For more information on Entela, call 800-888-3787 or visit
http://www.entela.com .