Staying Current with ISO Certification Allows Textiles Coated International to Retain Customers and Get New Ones

Company Background:

In 1985 Steve Tippett, then CEO, and his partner started Textiles Coated International (TCI). By 2005 they had outgrown their original facility in Amherst, New Hampshire and moved into a much larger space in Manchester, New Hampshire. Today John Tippett is their CEO, and Textiles Coated International now has over 180,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 265 employees.

Textiles Coated International is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-performance fluoropolymer films, laminates, and composites. The markets and industries they serve are composite process materials, electrical/electronics, medical/pharmaceutical, chemical process, architectural/greenhouses, fabrication/welding, solar energy, protective/decorative, ducting, insulation jacketing, flexible connectors, tank sealing, conveyor belting, and spill containment/secondary containment.

Situation:

“If we wanted to retain certain customers and get new ones, we needed to be ISO certified,” said Peter Spohn, Director of Business Development for Textiles Coated International. Recently they attended the NH MEP ISO 9001:2008 Collaborative Training Program and became ISO certified. “But to keep our business current we realized we needed to upgrade to ISO 9001:2015,” said Spohn. “Again we turned to NH MEP for help with handling our ISO upgrade training.” This time, the training would be done on-site.

Solution:

In 2017 Textiles Coated International began their ISO 9001:2015 upgrade on-site training. The NH MEP instructors came on-site a number of times over a 4-week period.

The NH MEP training consisted of writing their quality manual, writing effective work instructions and process documentation, performing internal audits, performing process improvements, documenting corrective actions, working in teams, and improving communication skills.

At the end of the training the Textiles Coated International Quality Management System was audited. Textiles Coated International was then awarded their ISO 9001:2015 upgrade certification in late October of 2017. “We passed with flying colors and are good to go,” said Spohn.

Results:

“As a result of our ISO 9001:2015 upgrade certification we saw significant growth in new products for new markets with increased quality standards,” said Spohn. “This allowed us to continue to manufacture in New Hampshire while investing in new employees and new equipment.”

The following results for Textiles Coated International can be credited to having gone through the NH MEP ISO 9001:2015 upgrade on-site training:

• $10,000,000 in new sales over the last 12 months
• Retained sales of $3,000,000 over the last 12 months that otherwise would have been lost
• Added 25 new full-time employees over the last 12 months
• Retained 10 jobs over the last 12 months
• Increased investment of $1,000 in workforce practices or employee skills over the last 12 months
• $500,000 cost savings in labor, materials energy, overhead or other areas over the last 12 months
• Increased investment of $250,000 in new products or processes over the last 12 months
• Increased investment of $2,500,000 in plant or equipment over the last 12 months
• Increased investment of $500,000 in other areas of business over the last 12 months

Testimonial:

“NH MEP exceeded our expectations through great flexibility and their very hands-on approach with our teams. Going through the NH MEP Certification Programs for ISO was one of the best decisions Textiles Coated International (TCI) could have made. As a result of our ISO 9001:2015 upgrade certification we have seen significant growth in new products for new markets with increased quality standards.”

– Amanda Brown, Marketing Manager, Textiles Coated International (TCI)