The second stage of the Manizales Plant Laboratory Accreditation Evaluation was successfully completed. This process, which was carried out in its first and second phases at the end of 2021, is held to comply with the ISO IEC 17025:2017 standard.
The Evaluation, as a process, began in June when the presentation was made, and the application documentation was accepted by the National Accreditation Body of Colombia (ONAC). By the end of 2021, the two stages of interviews and documentary review of Laboratory processes were carried out under ISO IEC 17025:2017. In addition, there was a test witnessing in accordance with the methods defined in the scope for accreditation.
"Currently, we are in the implementation stage of the improvements to the findings detected by the Evaluation Team and be ready for the Complementary Evaluation to be carried out in 90 days (March 2022), in which the effectiveness of the actions taken will be reviewed", assured Yanet Acevedo, Head of Ternium Quality Assurance.
The main finding to highlight in the evaluation process is related to the information that must be reported in the results report, which requires improvements in the SAP System in order to meet the requirements indicated in the finding.
The process of implementing the requirements of the ISO IEC 17025 standard in the Manizales Plant Laboratory: 2017 has led to a notable improvement in the processes and controls that are performed to guarantee the reliability of the tests. “One of the issues to be highlighted within this entire project is the implementation of the technical verification of the test methods and the application of aptitude tests, due to the effort and learning that we have achieved”, according to Acevedo, the level of technical competence of the Laboratory staff has improved.
The pillars of Laboratory Accreditation in the ISO IEC 17025:2017 standard are impartiality, reliability, confidentiality, and technical competence. And, for the company's customers, these values are reflected in the Test Reports that endorse and guarantee the quality of the products manufactured at the Manizales Plant.
Hence, achieving accreditation by a standardization body as important as ONAC will be a recognition of the quality of the processes and services provided by the Laboratory, which has a stage to complete with the Complementary Audit that will be carried out in March this year. With this certification, reliability and responsibility are achieved in the results that Ternium reports to our clients in the Test Reports.