Jacqueline Hochheiser, Corporate Communications
Preparing for an ISO 9001 re-certification audit is no small feat. The process presents even more challenges compounded with the added risk of COVID-19 that is still taking a toll on workplace environments around the world. Despite the circumstances, Mini-Circuits’ team at our Urjita facility in Chennai, India prevailed with a successful audit. They plan to build off the positive feedback they received and proceed with an AS9100D certification audit that will take place in just a few months!
For those unfamiliar with the designation, an ISO 9001 certification is a set of international standards for quality that many major customers require as a prerequisite to doing business with suppliers. The audit is long and in-depth and, for the India team, required scheduling numerous Zoom meetings and Mobile Google Duo calls, sometimes with three audits going on at the same time. The auditors evaluated various processes and their adherence to ISO guidelines for factors essential to quality in the design, development and manufacture of Mini-Circuits products.
Mr. Jayakumar Prabhakaran and Mrs. P. Tamilselvi acted as the management representatives for the entire re-certification process. Their main goal was to organize and coordinate with the managers of each process that was to be evaluated including production, health and safety and more. This year’s audit also probed the facility’s COVID-19 prevention programs in addition to the usual requirements. The Urjita internal audit team compiled the necessary data and documentation for each part of the audit and scheduled Zoom meetings with the auditors.
“The remote audit took a lot longer than a normal one,” said Jayakumar. “I even did part of the audit from my home. The experience was different for everyone.” One of the major challenges, in his opinion, was coordinating the calls and Zoom meetings and ensuring that there were separate conference rooms open for each, as well as compiling all the necessary data beforehand with the help of many colleagues.
Jayakumar was very grateful to the 50+ team members who participated and helped to keep the audit running smoothly, as well as the IT department for making sure the internet connection was reliable throughout the process.
“Our members were well prepared for interviews over Mobile Google Duo video calls,” commented Jayakumar. Urjita’s production controller Mrs. Padma offered extensive support in taking live videos of manufacturing processes and sharing them with the auditors for an in-depth overview and helped keep the audit on track and on schedule.
At the end of the long and challenging re-certification process, the Urjita team was rewarded with the positive feedback and a few tips for continuous improvement. Everyone was willing to put in the effort needed to come away with a successful re-certification and great reviews to back it up. To continue the positive momentum, Urjita will undergo a second audit in a few months to earn the even more demanding AS9100D certification for the first time. As the team prepares for yet another audit, they remain passionate and excited for the opportunities ahead.
Mini-Circuits congratulates the entire team at Urjita on a job well done, and we them success in the upcoming AS9100D audit.