Rawlplug Vietnam Project: Factory Production Control & ISO-9001

“We launched the project in February. I piloted it together with Katarzyna Lizakowska, Rawlplug’s Quality Department Leader, Kenneth Fabella, Director of Rawlplug Vietnam, and his right hand, Quality Control Specialist ­– Khang Vuong,” says Anna Donesz, Rawlplug’s factory production control specialist. “In less than six months, with the right support from the entire Rawlplug Vietnam team, we have prepared the products manufactured in the Asian plant for the certification process, and that pertains to the FX and UNO polypropylene-based plastic-metal fixings as well as the R-XPT anchor, which is pre-assembled in Asia.”

Meanwhile, Rawlplug’s experts monitored each of the processes and line items linked with Rawlplug Vietnam. The internal control covered not only production, but also shipment and packing systems, among other areas. All these operations had but a single overarching aim: to verify the transfer of knowledge (including machine operation know-how) and top-class solutions to Asia from the HQ and the Łańcut facility.

W tym czasie eksperci Rawlplug monitorowali każdy z procesów i indeksów związanych z Rawlplug Vietnam. Wewnętrzna kontrola objęła nie tylko produkcję, ale też – między innymi – dostawy i systemy pakowania. Wszystkie te działania miały jeden nadrzędny cel: weryfikację transferu wiedzy (m.in. obsługa maszyn) i najwyższej klasy rozwiązań przeniesionych do Azji z Centrali i Łańcuta. 

Another Rawlplug plant with FPC in place

The team’s commitment to the project was put to a test in an audit conducted at Bau Bang in July by the Certification Department of the Building Research Institute. The audit has confirmed that Rawlplug Vietnam’s factory production control system meets all the requirements relevant to the CPR (Construction Products Regulation) certification, which makes its production stable enough to ensure that the declared performance characteristics are maintained.

“We are proud and happy to have seen the audit completed with a success,” says Anna Donesz. “The inspectors recorded only two non-conformities, classified as moderate, which is rather natural, especially for the first test of this kind. We immediately implemented remedial measures and are now waiting for the CPR certificates to be issued for the three indices covered by the certification process. Once they have arrived, Rawlplug Vietnam will officially become a plant with the factory production control system in place – up and running.”

Next steps? ISO 9001

In follow-up to our efforts invested in the standardisation of the management systems, along with Rawlplug Vietnam, we are planning to formally certify and implement the ISO 9001 quality management standard in early 2024, preceded by a TÜV audit.

“I want to state it loud and clear that we are extremely satisfied with all of our cooperation with the Vietnamese team to date,” says Anna Donesz. “Despite the distance separating us, thanks to commitment and hard work, including remote work, within five months, we have jointly completed a project that, due to its sheer scale, typically requires a whole year of intense work. But we are used to doing a lot and always at the highest level at Rawlplug.”

Factory production control – the conditions to be met

• All components of the factory production control system deployed, as well as the requirements and provisions adopted by a manufacturer should be documented in a systematic manner as rules and procedures, including records of the tests performed.
• The factory production control system should be adapted to the production technology in use, and ensure that the declared performance of products is maintained in series production.
• Factory production control comprises specification and testing of raw materials and components, in-process production control and testing as well as inspections performed by the manufacturer in accordance with the assumed testing plan as well as the principles and procedures set forth in the factory production control documentation.
• Results of production control should be recorded on a systematic basis. Such records should confirm that products comply with the relevant criteria of assessment and verification of the constancy of performance.
• Individual products or product batches and the related manufacturing details must be fully traceable.