The Southern African Institute of Welding’s (SAIW’s) Certification division awarded global engineering solutions provider Kentz Southern Africa’s Chamdor fabrication facility, in Johannesburg, ISO 3834 certification last month.

The certification was awarded following the facility’s ISO 3834 Part 2 accreditation audit earlier this year.

“The Chamdor facility’s long-standing commitment to quality ensured that the certification process only needed some tweaking and formalisation,” says SAIW technical services manager Sean Blake.

ISO 3834 certification focuses specifically on welding activities.

In addition to the ISO 3834 Part 2 certification, the Chamdor fabrication facility also met the requirements of the SAIW Certification Welding Fabricator Scheme for the Management of Quality in accordance with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Section VIII Division 1 Appendix 10.

The facility is certified to fabricate pressure piping and pressure vessels according to the Pressure Equipment Regulations and to produce structural steel, which effectively widens the fabrication product range and opens up further markets for Kentz.

“It is fantastic to achieve industry-leading certification and receive accreditation in just five months. I am immensely proud of the Kentz team and the feedback we have received from the SAIW has been very positive.

“ISO 3834 certification underlines our commitment to quality and safety. We have several certified personnel in quality assurance and control, ensuring the output from our Chamdor facility delivers a weld repair rate of less than 1%,” says Kentz regional fabrication manager Mike van der Walt.

“Quality control and assurance are not new concepts in the manufacturing industry and International Organisation for Standardisation certification has become a necessity.

“In the welding industry, an increasing number of organisations are realising that without ISO 3834 certification, markets are limited and clients may not have confidence in the standardisation of the delivery,” adds Blake.

Van der Walt states that it is important for a company such as Kentz, which operates in 29 countries, to have processes and standards in place to ensure standardisation.

“Certification drives standardisation by helping to guarantee that each employee works according to set processes and policies, resulting in a similar product being delivered to clients worldwide,” he notes.

Further, the process of certification results in benefits such as creating trust among clients, expanding the fabrication product range and creating a sense of pride among employees, says Blake.

He adds that it also increases the prospect of additional workload and longer-term employment for employees.

Additional benefits of ISO 3834 certification include profiling through independent verification and compliance, providing direction for improvement opportunities, as well as national and international listing as a certified body.

“We believe this certification will enhance Kentz’ position in the market and will contribute to our continuous improvement objectives.

“We will continue to invest in the Chamdor facility and believe it has a pivotal role to play in delivering on the future fabrication requirements of our clients across the African continent,” says Van der Walt.

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