Over the years Sekisui Kydex has evolved from being a supplier of raw thermoplastic materials to becoming a critical solution provider for aviation customers. However, throughout this evolution, the company’s partners have expressed the importance of the AS9100:D certification. Sekisui Kydex has now achieved this status, having been given AS9100:D certification on 10th January.
AS9100 series is an industry-recognised set of standards for quality assurance and risk management that applies to organisations involved with design, development, production, installation and servicing in the aviation, space and defence (AS]D) sectors. The standard is based on the internationally recognised ISO9001 standard, which provides suppliers with requirements for creating and maintaining a comprehensive quality system for providing safe and reliable products to the ASD industry, as well as civil and military aviation requirements.
“Sekisui Kydex is proud to be a global manufacturer in the aviation industry and is committed to our strategic partnerships. While ISO standards have long been rooted at the core of our business, being AS9100:D certified allows us to further strengthen our partnerships and enhance our service offerings in the aviation interiors market,” stated Ben Smalley, the company’s director of aviation and design.
As part of the approvals process, Sekisui Kydex underwent extensive auditing by a third-party entity to ensure that its Quality Management Systems (QMS) meet the compliance requirements of AS9100:D. The audit was passed to achieve the new certification, in addition to its current ISO9001 Quality Management System (QMS) and ISO14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) certifications.
Sekisui Kydex says that, while it has always followed these practices, when a company is officially certified to the AS9100:D standard, it has been proven to exhibit improved decision making, increased efficiencies, strong supplier relationships, continuous improvement habits, and reduced operational risks.
Julie Hart, Sekisui Kydex’s ISO, environmental and safety manager said of the news, “Achieving AS9100:D certification goes beyond being certified to a standard. There is a lot of thought and equity behind the certifications Sekisui Kydex chooses to pursue. The AS9100:D certification aligns with our goals to achieve more than our customers can imagine, increase efficiency, expedite decision making using data, strengthen our supplier relationships, engage employees, and ingrain continuous improvement into our processes. We are thrilled to achieve our official AS9100:D certification.”
