AMost people do not realize it, but every time they purchase a Steeda manufactured part, they are purchasing performance parts that have been designed, engineered, and manufactured under strict certification standards – ISO 9001:2008. Today in the aftermarket, Steeda Autosports stands alone as being the only Ford performance based aftermarket manufacturer that is committed to the ultimate quality in everything we do – and by being ISO Certified, you are GUARANTEED that our products are designed, engineered, and manufactured to the highest quality standard today.

Some may not fully understand what ISO 9001:2008 Certification is and what it involves – but there is a definite reason why we stand alone in the Ford aftermarket business as the only manufacturer fully committed to providing our customers a truly quality product that they can fully trust. Achieving ISO Certification requires an unsurpassed quality level, an inordinate amount of time and financial commitment, as well as a dedication by EVERYONE at Steeda to perform at the highest quality level possible in everything they do.

BEWARE – Some companies will say that they are “ISO Compliant” – but in reality, there simply is no such thing and they are trying to confuse and defraud you. Whenever a company promotes themselves as being ISO Compliant, they are merely saying that they “believe” they meet the standards of ISO and are attempting to defraud you into thinking that they ISO Certified. Bottom Line: You are either ISO Certified or you are not….and Steeda Autosport is !!! The formal ISO Certification Process involves not only internal standards and auditing practices, but also involves a 3rd party organization who ongoing formally reviews your ISO Quality System and Guidelines and they independently CERTIFY that you meet the strict set of standards, insuring the highest level of quality and operational standards for the consumer.

For those that desire a bit more information about ISO Certifications, please take a few minutes and read the following detailed summary we have created that provides some insight into the strict nature of the certification process and the true benefits that every customer of Steeda Autosports receives:

What is ISO 9001?
Quality is something every company strives for and is often times, the highest quality level is very difficult to achieve and maintain. Complications concerning operating efficiency and product quality present themselves everyday in business, and oftentimes many companies take the easiest or less costly path – overlooking quality and customers best interest in the process. How can a company increase the quality of its products and services they provide? The answer is ISO 9001. As standards go, ISO 9001 is one of the most widely recognized in the world and is a quality management standard that presents guidelines intended to increase customer satisfaction and business efficiency. The goal of ISO 9001 is to embed a quality management system within an organization, ensuring a level of quality processes and products, and increase productivity.

How does ISO 9001 work?
ISO 9001 is set up as a collection of guidelines that help a company establish, maintain, and improve an integrated quality management system. One important aspect of ISO 9001 is its process-oriented approach. Instead of looking at a company’s departments and individual processes, ISO 9001 requires that a company look at “the big picture” and how do these processes interact, integrate, and the level of quality that is inherent in their production. Once this process-oriented approach is implemented, various audits are done as a check of the effectiveness of their quality management system.

An independent certification body comes into an organization and evaluates it in terms of the ISO 9001 guidelines. If an organization meets the requirements of the standard, it becomes CERTIFIED in ISO 9001 and carries a seal of quality that is recognized throughout the world.

Why is ISO 9001 important?
The importance of ISO 9001 is directly related to the importance of quality. With ISO 9001, an organization can quickly identify the root of any quality issues or problems, and therefore expeditiously find an appropriate solution. This is where a consumer benefits because ISO has the customer as it’s primary focus and ensures that quality is always the key driving factor.

Correcting Issues at Their Root Cause
When problem solving, it is important to find the cause of problem in order to develop a solution. Sometimes, the most obvious cause is not the right one. This is why ISO 9001 stresses the importance of finding the root cause(s) of a problem very quickly in the process. There may be multiple, subtle reasons why a process isn’t working correctly, and finding the actual causes will lead a company one step closer to a solution and implementation of corrective actions ensuring the utmost of quality. The goal of finding root causes is to improve the way problems are managed. Becoming adept in recognizing the root causes of a problem will lead to a reduced impact, a containment of error, and the prevention of recurrence. Identifying and correcting root causes will also lead to the reduction of unnecessary efforts which in turn will lower the cost of maintaining quality. As more and more corrective actions are taken, processes will become more stable, and continual quality improvement will face less interruptions.