| BASF’s Cellasto® business earns
ISO/TS 16949 certification for quality processes
Rigorous standards will result in improved products, services, customer
satisfaction
WYANDOTTE, Mich., October 18, 2004 -- BASF’s Cellasto Microcellular
Polyurethane (MPU) business in North America has upgraded its quality
management system from QS-9000:1998 to ISO/TS 16949:2002 certification.
The ISO/TS 16949 standards recognize customer satisfaction and continual
improvement across all facets of the business.
BASF’s Cellasto business manufactures molded microcellular
polyurethane parts used as automotive suspension, frame and body-mount
components, as well as in other noise, vibration and harshness (NVH)
applications for automotive chassis. Certified to the QS-9000 standard
since 1994, this upgrade to the ISO/TS 16949 standard marks more
than 10 years of continuous quality system certification for BASF’s
Cellasto microcellular polyurethane business.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) sanctions
the ISO/TS16949 technical standard. In addition to customer satisfaction
and continual improvement, the standard focuses on a business’s
ability to comply with customers’ requirements worldwide,
not just regionally. The ISO/TS 16949 standard includes all facets
of ISO 9001:2000 and additional requirements specific to manufacturers
across the automotive supply chain.
“This certification further demonstrates BASF’s ability
to meet our customers’ requirements in the increasingly demanding
global automotive market,” said Bob Jamrog, Business Director
for Cellasto in North America. “As a result of this certification,
our customers can expect to see a continued improvement in the performance
of our products and in our level of service.”
Jamrog added that although this certification is the Cellasto business’s
most recent, it is not the most unique. ”In 2002, we achieved
the world’s first certification to the RC14001 environment,
health, and safety technical specification. Certification to ISO/TS
16949 gives further evidence of BASF’s dedication to best-in-class
performance,” he said.
Achieving and maintaining these certifications requires third-party
audits of key processes, which are conducted by ABS Quality Evaluations
for BASF’s Cellasto business. These reviews focus on how these
processes meet customer requirements and improve their satisfaction,
many times on an individual, customer-by-customer basis.
More information on BASF’s Cellasto MPU business can be found
on the Internet at www.basf.com/polyurethanes.
BASF – The Chemical Company. We don’t make
a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you
buy better.®
BASF Corporation, headquartered in New Jersey, is the North American
affiliate of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. We employ about 11,000
people in North America and had sales of approximately $9 billion
in 2003. For more information about BASF’s North American
operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit
www.basf.com/usa.
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company. Our goal is
to grow profitably and further increase the value of our company.
We help our customers to be more successful through intelligent
system solutions and high-quality products. BASF’s portfolio
ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural
products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. Through
new technologies we can tap into additional market opportunities.
We conduct our business in accordance with the principles of sustainable
development. In 2003, BASF had sales of approximately $42 billion
and over 87,000 employees worldwide. Further information on BASF
is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
For more information, contact:
David A. Elliott
BASF
Tel: (734) 324-6148
E-mail: elliotd1@basf.com
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