soulbrain: Creating a Sustainable Future With ISO 14001:2015
The training at MMTC helped us identify the areas where we were lacking the necessary procedures and documentation to meet the requirements of the ISO 14001:2015 standard. The additional consulting we received helped us fill in the gaps in the EMS we were developing so that we were able pass our third party certification audit on the first try.
-- Eric Bieth, Quality Manager
soulbrain MI, Inc. (soulbrainmi.com) is a full production and research and development facility manufacturing electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries. For more than 30 years, soulbrain MI’s parent company in South Korea has developed, manufactured and supplied core materials to the high-tech industry. They employ 44 at their Northville, Mich., North America headquarters.
Challenge
With a goal to help create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future, soulbrain MI knew investing in an Environmental Management System (EMS) was necessary. In addition, a major customer of theirs was soon requiring ISO 14001:2015 certification. To ensure their success, meet customer requirements, and reinforce their commitment to quality, soulbrain MI wanted to pursue ISO 14001:2015 certification to strengthen and grow their business.
Solution
For assistance with integrating the ISO 14001:2015 standard into their existing Quality Management System (QMS), soulbrain MI turned to the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC). Initially, soulbrain MI staff engaged in two sessions of MMTC’s Building a Successful ISO 14001:2015 Program course. However, they still needed additional training and skills development to successfully conduct and pass an ISO 14001:2015 Internal Audit.
By conducting the ISO 14001:2015 Internal Audit, MMTC enabled soulbrain MI to see where gaps existed within their current EMS. It also allowed them to better understand the areas that needed improvement and determine the resources needed to ensure their EMS is maintained to ISO 14001:2015 requirements. This helped soulbrain MI prepare for, and pass, their upcoming third-party certification audit.
Results
- Retained Sales: $25,000,000
- Cost Savings: $40,000
- New Investments: $20,000
- New Jobs: 9
- Retained Jobs: 12
- Passed their ISO 14001:2015 audit and achieved certification