Vaughan Industries, based in Cornwall, design and produce electronic equipment. Incorporated in 1990, the company began by making admission systems for racing cars. Rather than being fazed when the bottom fell out of this market, Vaughan Industries simply looked around for other profitable industries to supply for. At present, they make electrical components for three very different industries; marine steering equipment and components used in agricultural equipment, both of which are for UK-based companies that export globally; and water de-scaling equipment, most of which is exported to China.
Vaughan Industries has enjoyed a steady 20% revenue growth over the past few years, falling to 15% in the recession. However so far this year, company growth has reached 50% due to a boom in the industries it supplies. In the past three years, Vaughan Industries has doubled its workforce and capability and trebled the size of its premises, buying up the entire industrial estate where it is based plus ten acres of surrounding land.
Vaughan Industries became ISO 9001 Quality Management certified as a result of demand from a major Chinese customer, explains Dr. Mark Vaughan, Founder and Managing Director. Although the company was small with carefully planned quality procedures, this particular customer wanted an objective assurance of quality management in the form of a highly-respected, internationally-recognised standard.
Vaughan Industries became ISO certified and just two months later, won a major order worth £30,000. Dr. Vaughan believes that this contract would not have been won without the certification, “At present, Chinese companies rely on us to make quality, high-spec electrical components for high risk areas. Through word of mouth, business is snowballing at an exciting rate! I believe that being ISO 9001 certified gives our Chinese customers extra confidence in us and an added incentive to trust us with bigger orders.”
Although the ISO 9001 standard did not lead to any fundamental changes in processes, it did help the company to formalise its procedures. Dr. Vaughan has observed that he has felt more of the benefits of ISO 9001 as the company has grown, “There are only 8 of us now but in the last 3 years we have grown at a tremendous rate. The ISO 9001 certificate lays out set methods and tried-and-tested processes in manuals so that when new staff joins us, they have a much easier time of getting to grips with their job. Managing them also becomes much more straightforward; we don’t feel like we have to look over their shoulder all the time.”
Vaughan Industries used IMSM’s services to acquire the ISO certifications. Dr. Vaughan recalls, “IMSM were extremely helpful. Our consultant was brilliant.” He adds, “There are a lot of peculiarities in our particular industry, and our IMSM consultant had plenty of ideas to help us work out how best to adapt the procedures. Rather than just telling us what to do like a Sergeant Major, our consultant established a strong relationship with us from the beginning, working with us closely to propose the best ideas and suggesting the best possible improvements. They were there when we needed him, but never got in the way.’
Dr. Vaughan is convinced that being ISO 9001 will serve the company well as they enter an exciting period of expansion where the order book is full, the volume of work is above capacity and a good reputation is making a marketing department unnecessary.
