A slew of renewed accreditations not only means that Bearings International (BI) continues to offer products and services of the highest quality, but that issues such as customer service and traceability are improved constantly. The renewed accreditations are ISO 9001-2015, ISO 14001-2015, ISO 26001-2010, OHSAS 18001-2007, and SANS 16001-2013. BI was accredited initially as far back as 2006, which means this has become engrained in the supplier’s approach to conducting its business.

“We ‘live the system’, which means these standards are a daily event, audited both internally and externally, to ensure compliance and address any deviations that may arise,” BI Business Unit Head Ross Trevelyan comments.

In addition, BI has an internal team in place that focuses solely on compliance. Here the ISO and SHEQ function falls under Widor Grobbelaar, with Elisma Lubbe leading the team, ably assisted by Tracey van Biljon and Walter Deyzel. Trevelyan points out that the accreditations cover all aspects of the business, from quality to environmental, health and safety, and corporate social responsibility. “The benefits of such accreditation are vast, from renewed confidence in the products we supply, to the consistent manner in which customer issues are handled.

“The system also ensures traceability, so that whenever there is a problem, we can put corrective measures in place in order to improve. Hence the biggest benefit is the process of constant improvement,” Trevelyan elaborates. BI’s staff has embraced the system as a result. “This is not to suggest we are inflexible; if we perceive ways of carrying out our business in a more effective manner, we will embrace these changes in our process.”

Trevelyan adds that new staff are introduced to the accreditation process during their induction. Constant internal auditing ensures that a high level of training is maintained. The renewed accreditation represents a considerable investment on behalf of the company.

“We aim to offer consistency in everything we do, from quality products through to service, accounts, and even dispute resolution, throughout our operating network. In today’s market, customer service is key. Our system helps us not only offer quality products and services, but ensures that we are socially and environmentally responsible as well. It is assisting us in becoming the preferred supplier to our customers,” Trevelyan concludes.

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