Travelling to Quality

As part of Victorian Manufacturing Week 2000, the Minister for Manufacturing, Hon. Rob Hulls presented the prestigious Australian Organisation for Quality Gold Awards at the inaugural AOQ Victoria Gold Award Dinner held at the RAAFA Memorial Centre in South Yarra.

AME Systems, situated in the rural city of Ararat was awarded a Silver Award for Quality. AME Systems one hundred and five staff manufacture electrical distribution systems, wiring harnesses, electrical control systems and value-added assembly including lighting and vehicle dash panels. AME Systems went on to win Business of the Year in the Powercor Grampians Pyrenees Business Awards later in the week.

How does an organisation achieve quality? What is involved in the pursuit of excellence? As Hon. Rob Hulls said in his speech at the Awards, a real passion for quality is essential, however that passion for quality must be born out in real tangible and implementable strategy and action.

AME Systems utilises several activities to achieve this. Familiarisation excursions, this concept involves placing the employees of AME Systems on a bus, and taking them to their customers. The staff get the opportunity to witness the product they manufacture installed. Employees often comment on the pride felt as the electrical harness they had built was installed. Another activity is J-PEP’s (Joint Product Evaluation Program), these involve a team from AME Systems going to visit the customer. The focus is on electrical quality improvement in electrical system design, supplier quality and vehicle assembly processes. The purpose is to evaluate product and process performance, obtain specific data to define problems, determine major quality improvement areas, to assign responsibility for problem resolution and to increase awareness of all concerned. A third activity utilised is V-PEP’s (Vendor-Partnership Evaluation Program), similar to the J-PEP where a team from AME Systems visits the supplier. The focus is a joint/team review of the status / effectiveness of supplier—customer relationships and practice. The purpose is to evaluate supply terms and conditions, evaluate product performance, determine quality improvement areas, implement corrective action and increase awareness of all involved. These programs are organic in nature however, there is a documented process, time line, and outcomes are recorded along with responsibilities for corrective action.

The benefits that are derived from these somewhat simple processes are immense. Relationships are formed between all levels of the organisations involved. AME Systems staff gain a feel of ownership and purpose. It sends a buzz of enthusiasm through the entire organisation. Over the years that Familiarisation excursions, J-PEP’s and V-PEP’s have been implemented many quality issues have been identified and corrected, from both sides customer and supplier. The synergies that are created from approaching these issues from many perspectives are powerful. Solutions are revealed and as they are generated in a team environment real ownership is created. This process further enhances the relationship between customer and supplier. Much of this activity is driven by the want to truly satisfy customers in every transaction. AME Systems win-win paradigm facilitates this ambition.