THE STATUS OF CERTIFICATION IN THE CHEMICAL-INDUSTRY IN GERMANY

In the efforts of many chemical companies to achieve isocertification, the following medium- and long-term goals are pursued: Strengthening quality awareness at all functional levels throughout the company (Total Quality Management = TQM) Enhancing market opportunities and competitiveness Lowering the internal and external costs associated with nonconforming products. This article outlines the transformation performed within the chemical industry viz. the move away from the classical testing/inspecting style of quality assurance to a modern preventive type of quality management. It provides a survey of the current status of ISO certification in the German chemical industry and what lies ahead. It analyses expectations tied to this form of certification.