Valtre Consulting, Inc. provides a wide variety of Management Systems and Organizational Improvement services, that are customized in accordance with your organizational needs.
Management Systems Consulting
In order for an organization to be competitive, and to ensure that products (hardware, software, bulk materials, and/or services) consistently meet customer, internal, as well as statutory/regulatory requirements, it needs to control the processes that affect quality. Quality are all those characteristics/attributes (stated or implied) that allow the product to satisfy requirements. Implementing, operating, maintaining, and continually improving a Quality Management System “QMS”, provides an organization with an excellent tool to identify, control, monitor and improve its processes that affect product quality.
In order to be socially responsible with the environment, organizations need to identify and manage their environmental aspects that lead to environmental impacts. Implementing, operating, maintaining, and continually improving an Environmental Management System “EMS” can help and organization identify and manage environmental aspects and impacts. Though not as popular as QMS’s, some customers are now requiring the implementation, and in some cases, the certification of an EMS as a condition to conduct business, being ISO 14001 the most popular.
It has always been said, that a company’s most valuable resource are its people. Though not an ISO standard, OSHAS 18001 has become the bench mark for establishing the requirements of an Occupational Health and Safety Management System “H&SMS”.
QMS’s focus on product, EMS’s focus on the environment, and H&SMS’s focus on people. In the past, organizations would operate independent management systems, causing redundant activities to overlap. It has become a trend that organizations now merge all their management systems, thus creating what is called a Business Management System (also called Integral Management System, Integrity Management System, and/or QHSE system).
A Management System should be an organizational tool for control and improvement, and not a stumbling block. This is the reason why Management Systems need to be customized (tailored) to organizational needs.
Whether it is an internal decision, or a customer requirement, Valtre Consulting, Inc. can provide implementation and/or management system improvement consulting services for ISO 9001 (generic QMS), API Spec Q1 & Q2 (oil & gas), ISO 14001 (environmental), and OHSAS 18001 (health and safety), including guidance that leads to certification by a third party (registrar).
API Product Specifications Consulting
Quality Management Systems “QMS’s” focus on the organization’s processes that affect product quality. A standard (indistinctively or also called a specification) is something established by authority, or general consent, as a model or example, and is generally documented. Product Specifications define the specific technical characteristics and requirements that a product shall meet. So a QMS and Product Specifications need to coexist/couple together, since they complement each other, and not one substitutes the other.
Globalization exposed the need for product standardization, since compatibility between sectors needed to be ensured. There are many organizations in the world that are dedicated to developing standards.
API (American Petroleum Institute), was established in 1919 to represent the interests of the oil and gas industry with the public and the government, and is one organization that has been developing oil and gas related standards since 1924.
In order to increase end user confidence on product reliability, API developed the Monogram Program. The Monogram Program encompasses:
- Filing an application with API
- Going through an on-site audit to demonstrate that an API Spec Q1 compliant QMS has been implemented and is operating, and that the applicable API Product Spec requirements are met
- Receiving a Monogram License that allows the organization to mark compliant product with the API Monogram, which is an API registered mark.
- Continuously meeting the API Spec Q1 and applicable Product Spec requirements (monitored by API through on-site audits)
Valtre Consulting, Inc. can provide support in the interpretation and implementation of API Product Spec requirements, including guidance that leads to obtaining the API Monogram License.
Training Services
Personnel empowerment can lead an organization to better achieve planned results. However, empowerment could not be encouraged if personnel are not competent in their position. Competency is a term that was introduced by the ISO 9000 and 9001 Standards, and that basically consists of having the ability to apply knowledge and skills. According to ISO 9001, competency is based on education, experience, training, and skills.
Valtre Consulting, Inc. can provide training for your organizational needs. Please refer to the Training Courses tab for more information.
Internal Audit Outsourcing
There are three basic pillars for Management Systems, which are Internal Audits, Corrective Actions, and Management Reviews. If these pillars are strong the Management System is strong. If one of these pillars is weak, then using figurative speech, the whole Management System trembles, leans to one side, or falls apart.
In most of the cases, top management is busy running the business, and usually does not have time to directly supervise all the employee activities, and operations, that take place within the organization. The above is the reason why internal audits should be valued, and seen by top management, as an extension of their eyes and ears.
An organization’s decision to use internal resources (internal auditors) to conduct internal audits, or to subcontract this activity, should be based on factors such as employee competency, work load, ability to ensure objectivity and independence, and the value of reported results.
If your organization decides to subcontract the internal audit activity, Valtre Consulting, Inc. can provide internal audit services using certified auditors.
Supplier Auditing and/or Development
An organization and its suppliers are interdependent, and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value.
Suppliers play a key role in an organization being able to achieve results and in obtaining customer satisfaction. The above is the reason why Quality Management Systems include requirements for supplier evaluation, selection, and re-evaluation.
As time goes by, suppliers appear, some stay through the course, others disappear. Whether noted or not, organizations are always investing in their suppliers. A wrong supplier selection can lead to problems with on-time delivery, field failures, and customer satisfaction.
An organization’s decision to use internal resources to conduct supplier evaluations, re-evaluations, and/or supplier development, or to subcontract this activity, should be based on factors such as employee competency, work load, ability to ensure objectivity and independence, and the location of supplier facilities.
If your organization decides to subcontract supplier development and/or evaluations, and re-evaluations, Valtre Consulting, Inc. can provide competent personnel to perform such tasks.
Process Improvements
Productivity improvement, and repair and scrap reduction, are the main focus of many improvement tools known and used in the different industries. Valtre Consulting, Inc. can provide competent personnel to analyze processes, and work with your internal teams, with the goal of finding cost reduction, effectiveness, and efficiency opportunities.