Monthly Highlights

In cooperation with TÜV NORD Bildung Online Academy, the OBS System Certification launches a new digital initiative to provide up-to-date online access to ISO Norms training worldwide. The objective is to allow all TÜV NORD websites to sell online training courses to professionals interested in learning about changes in the most important ISO Norms such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001 and soon the new ISO 45001. Initially, these online training courses will be in English but soon after the initial launch at the end of 2017, other languages will be provided. Therefore, all offices could benefit not only from new revenue streams but also an opportunity to increase the company’s brand exposure in each local market. All individuals that purchase the course and pass the final exam will receive a personal certificate of achievement from TÜV NORD CERT. At the moment, several international units in Germany, USA, Spain and India are working together to create high quality content, using state-of-the-art online training technology plus online sales & marketing expertise. The first online course for ISO 9001 in English language will be launched before the end of 2017. In 2018, new courses will be launched to create an international online training catalogue.

After comprehensive audits, TUV USA has been granted accreditation to AS 9100:2016, AS 9110:2016 and AS 9120:2016, the quality management system (QMS) standards for organizations in the aerospace industry. Global accreditation was awarded by ANAB. The AS 91xx:2016 series is based on the international QMS ISO 9001:2015 and features a folio of extensions and clarifications that are specific to the aviation, space and defense industries. The latest revisions place an importance on areas deemed to have the greatest impact on safety, reliability and regulatory compliance in relation to aerospace products. Ralf Thomsen, TUV USA's Managing Director commented: "TUV USA has successfully been (re)accredited and upgraded to the new versions of AS9100 and AS9120 to continue servicing our well established client base. We have also added AS9110 to our portfolio to further expand our aviation activities. We will continue adding new services and activities to offer better services and add value to our clients business." 

A new step for climate protection: TÜV NORD has been one of the first organisations to acquire the accreditation “MRV Shipping”. This is based on an EU regulation aimed at reducing marine CO₂ emissions. All large sea-going vessels (over 5,000 gross tonnage) which enter or leave a port in an EU Member State after 1 January 2018 will have to demonstrate their compliance with the “MRV Shipping Regulation”. The ships' operators will have to report on their CO₂ emissions, and this will have to be audited by an accredited auditor. All CO₂ emissions will be recorded in this way and an emissions report will have to be submitted annually to the EU. This new accreditation opens up a new market for us where we will get engaged through international cooperation in line with BOLD MOVE. This started with the “MRV Shipping Workshop” in Essen in May, where TÜV NORD staff from Germany engaged in dialogue with colleagues from China, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Italy, the Czech Republic, Greece, Egypt, and the United Kingdom.

The Cluster Business Development has managed to win a major new contract: following our certification of their German sites according to ISO 27001 last year, Infineon Technologies AG has now awarded us the contract for global certification according to ISO 9001 and ISO TS 16949. We were able to beat well-known national and international competition. Martin Saalmann, project manager at TÜV NORD CERT, said: “We're very pleased about this contract, which we obtained partly because of excellent international cooperation during the acquisition phase.” The certification, which will be carried out through close cooperation with TÜV NORD companies worldwide, represents another step towards BOLD MOVE. Infineon Technologies is the leading global supplier of microelectronics and semiconductor systems and employs about 36,300 people.

Since the start of this year the international sales team in Germany has been expanded systematically with the aim of obtaining certification contracts from large international customers. Since then department manager Dr. Gerhard Dreier and his colleagues have put in large bids from OBS System Certification in response to international tenders and have been able to obtain a first international contract with the Irish company Valeo Vision Systems. Valeo Vision Systems have awarded us the contract for certification according to ISO/TS 16949 and IATF 16949. The company is the leading global supplier of advanced driver assistance systems for the car industry.

The Cluster Central Europe South has succeeded in winning a major contract with ThyssenKrupp System Engineering. We have been awarded the contract for certification of their German sites and factories according to ISO 9001 and mostly also according to VDA 6.4, 14001 and 50001, and AZAV (Heilbronn). The company, which employs 4,300 people (including 3,300 in Germany), has a presence in ten countries on three continents. We aim to extend our international cooperation.

Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd has outsourced management system audits to third party certification bodies since 2014 (SGS services). TÜV NORD China joined the bidding in 2015 and was chosen as service partner for ISO/TS16949 internal audits in Beijing. Other prominent CBs such as SGS, BVQI, DNV-GL and TÜV SÜD were also involved in the bidding. TÜV NORD China finally won the bidding because of strong service capabilities. The bid was the most attractive because of the advantages of "full communication in the early period, strong technical background auditor; the new auditing method and special after-sale service". In August 2015, the professional audit team from TÜV NORD China successfully completed a 2-week ISO/TS16949 internal audit and received positive feedback from Beijing Benz: TÜV NORD is very professional, rigorous and meticulous, which helped Benz identify a lot of problems. In 2016 Beijing Benz chose us again as their service partner for the ISO/TS16949 internal audit. In the second half of 2016, Beijing Benz gradually began to use VDA 6.3 and they decided to look for an external certification body to help them in 2017. After two rounds of bid evaluation and screening, TÜV NORD China was ultimately selected as VDA 6.3 process audit service provider in May this year. Beijing Benz has signed a 2-year framework agreement with TÜV NORD China. TÜV NORD China beat a large number of competitors such as SGS, DNV-GL, TÜV SUD, and DQS.
About Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd.: Founded in 2005, Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as BBAC) is a Sino-German joint venture corporation, set up by BAIC Motor Co., Ltd. (BAIC Motor), Daimler AG, and Daimler Greater China Ltd. Its business scope ranges from R&D, engine and completed vehicle manufacturing and sales to after-sales service. Currently, following Daimler’s unified global manufacturing and quality standards, BBAC has established a complete luxury car manufacturing system and become the only joint venture in the world boasting a front-drive platform, a rear-drive platform, and a power-train platform.

TUV NORD Thailand has been selected to provide an energy efficiency program for General Motors Thailand. The cluster has been awarded this project for a period of three years fulfilling general requirements by the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE) and also to fulfil Energy Conservation of GM Global’s policies. The contract’s value are 74,366 Euro. As per this contract specifically, TUV NORD Thailand is required to provide energy efficiency reports, observations and recommendations for improvement, thus ensuring that it follows Energy Conservation Promotion Act (No.2) B.E.2550 in Thailand, in addition to providing technical support for energy training, workshops, system verification and technical assistance. TUV NORD Thailand has been offering this new service for two years, DEDE forces high energy consumption buildings and factories to submit Energy Saving reports and programs annually. Our service provides them with down to top stream, and moreover the clients will not only achieve DEDE‘s requirements, they will also become Smart Energy users or Smart factories having integrated status for energy conservation, carbon footprint, green factory and so on. This is an important stepping stone for market access.

In June a certificate was awarded at Mercedes Benz in Madrid. Wolfgang Wielpütz presented the certificate to the president of Mercedes Benz Spain during an internal event. The company has been a customer of TÜV NORD CERT since 2013. Renewed certification according to ISO 9001 und ISO 14001 has now been granted.