A Bloomfield metal fabricator expects to see a roughly $5.5 million benefit after CIRAS helped the company prepare for ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Sam McClure, co-owner of M3 Fabrication, said his company initially sought ISO certification both to improve its overall quality and to set the company apart when trying to recruit new customers.
“The main thing we were looking for was someone to help guide us through the ISO process, because there’s a lot to it,” he said.
CIRAS helped M3 Fabrication assess where the company needed improvement and implement suggested changes before the certification process, McClure said. The result is better overall quality and a brighter image in the eyes of new customers.
Standards set up by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) continue to be a key way for Iowa companies to set themselves apart from competitors, said CIRAS project manager Rudy Pruszko. “It’s basically a way that a customer can have some reassurance that you are going to meet their quality specifications—that you have procedures in place to make sure you’re giving them quality parts.”
CIRAS account manager Glenn Volkman agreed.
“More and more customers are requesting that certification, so it’s sort of expected,” Volkman said. “Mainly by companies that don’t have any kind of relationship with you.”
M3 Fabrication has estimated that ISO certification will lead to $1 million in new business while helping retain $4.5 million in current sales.
For more information, contact CIRAS at ciras@iastate.edu or 515-294-3420