Dana Corporation Achieves QS-9000 Compliance for All U.S., Canadian Plants Supplying Big Three
18 August 1997
Dana Corporation Achieves QS-9000 Compliance for All U.S., Canadian Plants Supplying Big Three
TOLEDO, Ohio, Aug. 18 -- Dana Corporation today
announced that it has achieved QS-9000 compliance among all of its U.S. and
Canadian facilities that provide production components to the "Big 3"
automakers.
Dana, one of the world's largest independent suppliers of vehicular
components and systems, has 51 manufacturing and assembly facilities in the
United States and Canada that supply original equipment to Chrysler
Corporation, Ford Motor Company, or General Motors Corporation. Each of these
plants is QS-9000 certified or is compliant with QS-9000 standards and will be
registered by the end of 1997.
Dana President Joseph M. Magliochetti said, "Dana people have long been
committed to total quality and continuous improvement in manufacturing. These
QS-9000 certifications serve as validation from independent examiners that we
now have a very comprehensive process in place to assure products of the
highest quality."
QS-9000 was developed jointly by Chrysler, Ford, and GM. It is based on a
broader ISO 9001 program, which applies to quality management systems, but
contains additional requirements that are specific 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.
QS-9000 registrations -- which take an average of 12 to 18 months to
attain -- have existed on a voluntary basis since September, 1994. In
January, 1995, Dana's Victor Products Division plant in Robinson, Ill., became
one of the first facilities in the world to earn certification. Since that
time, Chrysler and GM have imposed requirements, which go into effect this
year, that their suppliers be QS-9000 registered.
Tim Sheppard, director of quality for Dana's North American operations,
said, "Dana has taken aggressive steps to be QS-9000 certified before it is
required by its customers. It's a real credit to our people that a company of
our size and diversity could accomplish this milestone in fewer than three
years."
Forty-four Dana facilities in the United States and Canada that supply the
Big 3 are formally certified. Seven additional plants are compliant, but are
awaiting formal certification, which is expected in the next 90 days.
In addition to their QS-9000 status, units of Dana recently have received
numerous accolades for quality, including the 1996 Malcolm Baldrige National
Quality Award, 14 state quality awards, and a spot on Industry Week magazine's
list of the Top 10 manufacturing facilities in North America for 1996.
Along with the production of vehicular components and systems, Dana is a
global leader in the engineering, manufacture, and distribution of products
and systems for the industrial and off-highway markets. Its core businesses
are axles, driveshafts, structural components, sealing products, filtration
products, engine components, industrial products, and leasing services.
Founded in 1904 and based in Toledo, Ohio, Dana operates facilities in
30 countries and employs more than 48,000 people. The Internet address for
Dana's home page is http://www.dana.com.
SOURCE Dana Corporation