Quality Philosophy (IMS)

Our capabilities are based on our first-class employees, cutting edge technology and high-quality materials. The basic principles that were developed further for the integrated management system (IMS), i.e. applied in our quality management, occupational health and safety management as well as environmental protection management, are the essential elements. By means of these we are able to ensure standards for our processes and procedures that are independent of the personnel concerned. Internal and external observers continuously check whether the processes applied are continuing to satisfy our own maximum requirements.

Furthermore, IMS promotes thinking beyond departmental limits. Upline and downline procedures are considered collectively, while our self-image and how others see us are constantly compared with one another. The result: the product quality and the range of the higher quality grades are continuously increasing.
Each plate is individually marked during production with the order data and a customer signature and is therefore uniquely identifiable at any time. Each month around 17,000 plates destined for a broad range of applications all over the world reach our customers just in time in this condition.
The sustainability of a company also depends on its commitment to the environment and climate. We are therefore continuously increasing our environmental and climate protection measures. After the conversion of our two pusher furnaces in 2003 we were able to reduce the specific fuel consumption by approx. 6% and the nitrogen oxide emissions by 7%, and, despite this, to considerably increase our. We have reduced our water consumption by 34% since 2004.

The success of our constant work on increasing our work quality and product quality is evidenced by three crucial certifications that we have been able to attain over the past 20 years. 

1. Quality management (QM) in accordance with ISO 9001, first certification by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance GmbH in 1990.
   
2. Environmental protection management (UM) in accordance with ISO 14000, first certification by DNV Zertifizierung und Umweltgutachter GmbH in 2006.
   
3. Occupational health and safety management (AM) in accordance with OH SAS 18001, certification by GL Certification in 2007. 

After the successful individual certification of these 3 systems we transposed them to the IMS, which was finally successfully verified as part of the recertification in February 2008 by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance (LRQA).     

4. Energy Management (EM) in accordance with ISO 50001, first certification in 2011.

As part of the recertification in 2013, this system will also be integrated in the IMS.