WAUKEGAN, Ill.—Polymax TPE's Waukegan facility achieved the milestone of being one of the first thermoplastic elastomer compounders in the world to successfully complete a certification audit to the newly revised ISO 9001:2015 standard.
The review, carried out by third-party auditor DQS Group, certifies that the facility is capable of meeting or exceeding expectations of its customers through the scope of manufacturing of thermoplastic elastomers for use in injection molding, extrusion and blow molding processes.
"Gaining the ISO 9001:2015 certification demonstrates our commitment to high-quality as we strive to be the TPE partner of choice for our North American customers," Tom Castile, vice president of sales at PolymaxTPE, said in a statement.
In addition to the certification, PolymaxTPE is also pursuing the implementation of ISO/TS 16949 to provide best-in-class products and services for automotive customers worldwide, Castile said.
Past versions of ISO 9001 allowed organizations to meet the standard's requirements but deliver products that didn't meet customer requirements.
"ISO 9001:2015 includes requirements that focus on achieving intended results," PolymaxTPE Quality Manager John Zheng said in a statement. "This new approach allows us to focus on the performance and effectiveness of the QMS (quality management system)."
PolymaxTPE began TPE production in the Waukegan, Ill., facility in 2015. The company has research and development and manufacturing capabilities in both Waukegan and in Nantong, China. The Nantong facility also earned ISO 9001:2008 certification for custom compounding and supply of TPEs.