IMS Northern helps Seaham-based company gain yet another quality accreditation

Over the past 16 years Drilcorp Ltd, which is based in Seaham, Co Durham, has become one of the most respected drilling companies in the UK.   Drilcorp’s services include d ewatering drilling and specialised drilling services that help increase the yield of water wells. It was the first company to introduce Sonicbore soil sampling drilling rig technology to the UK.

 

But Drilcorp is not the type of company that lives on past achievements, and this attitude is driven from the top by CEO Dave Gowans who was voted Busienss Person of the Year at an awards ceremony held at Ramside Hall, County Durham in March 2009. The company is committed to a programme of continuous investment into training and to making sure that the company's services are fully compliant with the highest levels of Health & Safety, Quality and Environmental requirements.

 

In November 2009 Dricorp acquired 'Achilles Verify' accreditation which involved a demanding audit of Health & Safety, Environmental and Quality Management Systems and their implementation. However Dricorp has, with the help of Integrated Management Systems (Northern) Ltd, now achieved yet another accreditation, ISO 9001, which will enable the company to become even more competitive when applying for tenders or preferred supplier status. ISO 9001 is designed to be compatible with other management system standards such as ISO 14001 (Environmental), OHSAS 18001 (Health & Safety) and ISO 27001 (Informational Security).

 

Many companies are deterred from applying for ISO 9001 becuase the process can be confusing and time consuming, which is why Dricorp decided to use the services of Durham-based Integrated Management System (Northern) Ltd. IMS Northern was chosen by Dricorp as they provide a bespoke service that enables companies to develop and implement quality management systems which a sensible timescale, and without taking up valuable employee time in dealing with unnecessay additional documentation. The level and type of documentation will vary depending on the nature of the business. IMS Northern is experienced in interacting with employees at all levels in an organisation as they are the key to obtaining the relevant information.

 

ISO 9001 is becoming a mandatory requirement for many tender applications but it can alson bring other benefits to a business regardless of its size or function. A well planned quality management system can help make your business more effective, efficient, and  economical and it can help encourage a culture of continual improvement. Recent surveys of companies that have gained ISO 9001 certification indicate an increas in profits due to lower levels of wastage, better use of management's time and an increase in export opportunities as ISO 9001 is an internationally recognised quality standard.

 

IMS Northern does not focus on just helping your busienss obtain ISO 9001 certification. The company's approach involves taking an unbiased and objective assessment of the internal and external factors that can influence your bottom line. IMS Northern can help you identify and unlock the sometimes hidden potential that can make your comapny more cost effective and efficent. If you can provide a consistent level of quality in your products and services you will have a competitive advantage to help your business grow in terms of sales and profit.

 

IMS Northern was formed in 2004 as a direct result of requests from associates to develop their management systems. As well as helping companies apply for certification such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and BS OHSAS18001, IMS Northern offers a wide range of other related services such as noise assessments, waste assessments and energy surveys. Training courses available include internal auditing, environmental aspects and impacts and a range of health and safety courses. IMS Northern can also provide customised training programmes so your employees can continue to implement the systems once IMS Northern has left the site.

 

Drilcorp CEO Dave Gowan said "I would certainly recommend IMS Northern to any business wishing to improve their busienss processes, even if they don't want to apply for formal ISO 9001 certification. IMS Northern's approach was professional, friendly and thorough. Although they needed to access lots of data thye kept employee distruption to a minimum. Don't be put off by the fees as IMS Northern is very competitive and you may be able to get some funding from Business Link. In any case, I am sure you will find the benefits to your business will soon show a positive return on your investment. We will most certainly be using IMS Northern in the not so distant future to help us implement ISO 14001 and BS OHSAS1800".

Contact Name : Dorothea Layfield, IMS Northern
Contact Tel : 0191 3000912
Contact Email : info@imsnorthern.co.uk

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