Alpha® Quality Management
Alpha is a division of Alent plc, and employs over 2,800 people (Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island).
A key strategy for Alpha is to lead the electronics industry as a major supplier of materials for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) fabrication, PCB assembly, and semiconductor packaging processes. This strategy includes differentiating from the competition by creating superior value and offering customers products, services, and process support at the highest quality levels. Accordingly, each sector within Alpha is committed to the highest product quality and support. This commitment is aimed at continually setting the industry standard in customer satisfaction. When working together or directly one to one with customers, the sectors of Alpha offer an unparalleled opportunity for customers to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their manufacturing processes.
Alent (Alpha and Enthone Business Sectors)
The business sectors of Alent have and continue to work on achieving high customer satisfaction through registrations to international business standards such as ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS), ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) and OHSAS 18001 for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S). In addition, Alent’s Six Sigma process continues to pay high dividends through sanctioned projects that result in more efficient operations. Commitment to these standards of excellence expands to new facilities after major acquisitions and/or the building of new manufacturing sites.
Emphasis is placed on the process approach, which gives ownership of a business process to those responsible for measuring effectiveness, improving performance, and reporting targets and trends to the respective Sr. Leadership Team. The view of the company’s Sr. Business Leaders is that quality, environmental aspects, and occupational health and safety (OH&S) are embedded and integrated into every function with process owner(s) being responsible for the efficiency and effectiveness of a process under their control.
Fundamental business processes have been published as internal standards for use at each Alent site. These processes address systems such as documentation and records control, new product development and technology transfer, manufacturing process controls, customer satisfaction, supplier management, internal audits, corrective/preventive action, “key performance indicators” to monitor operational efficiencies, and continual improvement among others. In addition, an electronic quality, environmental, and OH&S management system has been implemented to assist each facility with standardization efforts and assimilation of the given systems.
With regard to management system certifications (i.e. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001), Alent has opted to have a single registrar for the global business, which maintains a level of system consistency for each registered site. This model also allows for a partnership between both companies (Alent and Registrar) with a greater ability to view and share information internally.
Within Alpha, Quality Management System (QMS) certificates to ISO 9001 are regionally based (regional registration schemes) for the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Within Enthone, this same model is being pursued (a near future goal). For those sites that manufacture eligible products for subscribing companies in the automotive supply chain, ISO/TS 16949 is the quality management system of choice. Where ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications are present as an integrated management system, combined or integrated assessments are used. In addition, some of Alpha’s sites have also achieved ISO 17025 accreditation (Good Laboratory Practices), which is continuously encouraged.
In early 2000, Alent launched the six sigma philosophy across the global organization as a key business strategy. Through various training courses offered to Alent employees (e.g. Black-Belt, Green-Belt, Lean and DFSS Training), defined projects are sanctioned and assigned to trained individuals. Six Sigma utilized the DMAIC model (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) and utilizes statistical tools and problem-solving techniques that are the foundations for this breakthrough system to improve business processes. The six sigma strategy requires commitment and involvement of all managerial levels to identify key business processes that impact the bottom line, measuring their effectiveness and efficiency, and initiating improvements. Lean activities and Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) are also key drivers for Alent to reduce cost, enhance total customer satisfaction, gain market share, and ultimately improve profitability.
In summary, registrations to our various business systems (ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001) and six sigma initiatives has and continues to improve our business processes contributing to sustainable growth for the benefit of all stakeholders.