In many circumstances, quality is subjective. A restaurant, for example, may have quality food. A shirt might be made of quality fabric. Two people may disagree over the quality of that same food or shirt. But in the aerospace industry, quality has a different name and a different meaning, because when it comes to parts, tools, components, and items used in our industry, there’s no room for subjectivity.
Here, quality’s name is AS9100.
AS9100 is the international quality management system (QMS) standard for the aviation and aerospace industry. This system provides suppliers a consistent, reliable framework to ensure the production of safe, dependable products.
Discerning companies rarely do business with any supplier that isn’t AS9100-certified, and for good reason: it’s a symbol of quality that isn’t susceptible to opinion. What’s more, giants in the industry like NASA, Boeing, and the U.S. Department of Defense require their suppliers to bear the AS9100 certification.
On the surface, AS9100 looks a lot like ISO 9001:
In addition, AS9100 takes into account a few unique considerations specific to aerospace. There’s extra emphasis on risk assessment and management, along with unique steps for product design verification, validation, testing, and documentation. There’s also enhanced product monitoring requirements to protect against counterfeit parts, faulty products, and human error.
Once AS9100 certification is achieved, companies must recertify every three years to maintain their status.
Achieving any type of quality management certification isn’t a feat to be taken lightly. It requires organizational buy-in from all corners and a commitment to continuously adhere to those standards in every product.
Make no mistake that seeing the AS9100 stamp of approval is of the utmost importance in the aerospace industry. But the meaning (and benefits) to the buyer go much deeper than this.
Any organization that maintains and demonstrates a quality management system like AS9100 typically meets buyer expectations better than organizations that have not invested in QMS. This is large because QMS goals and objectives cater to the buyer’s needs and solicit feedback from buyers as part of their continuous improvement. As a result, organizations are more driven to adapt their products and strategies to better serve customers, as well as develop organizational goals around those of the customer.
For buyers, this is a testament to making decisions that are in the best interest of your company.
At etaGlobal, AS9100’s deeper meaning is where we shine brightest. We realize that our AS9100 is something of an expectation, which is why we’ve made ourselves known for our continuous commitment to quality (in its most non-subjective form).
It’s not hard to see the benefits of AS9100, especially since companies only get out of it what they put into it. Each time a buyer chooses an AS9100-certified company, they’re sending a clear message that nothing less should be acceptable.
For more insights, head back to the etaGlobal blog.
Casey Johnston has been promoted to President of etaGLOBAL, a supply chain services, and distribution solutions company serving the aerospace and defense sector.
In his tenure with etaGLOBAL, Casey has held a number of senior management and executive leadership roles in quality, operations, and supply chain management solutions.
Prior to his current appointment, he was Chief Operation Officer of Aeromed Group, a rising private equity firm that specializes in supply chain technology and tail spend solutions for the aerospace and defense sector. Casey oversaw all aspects of the day-to-day administrative functions and business processes, from supply chain management to human resources.
A skilled leader with exceptional problem-solving strategies, Casey ensures complete regulatory compliance and precision in lean tactic implementation and execution. His creativity and initiative allow him to exceed operational performance goals and elevate a company-wide standard of excellence while building on etaGLOBAL’s objective of ensuring the delivery of continuous customer value.
With over 12 years of corporate leadership experience in the aerospace and defense industry, Casey has a proven track record of solving complex supply chain challenges with high-quality, scalable solutions that result in tangible, favorable outcomes.
As the new President of etaGLOBAL, Casey illustrates the broad range of responsibility and authority he carries as well as the overall sales and operations responsibilities he has performed for the company. He is the steadfast voice of quality and the leadership needed to guide etaGLOBAL toward its promising future.