Petro-Canada Lubricants boasts it is the first lubes manufacturer to obtain the ISO/TS 16949 certification, a quality standard established by North American and European automakers earlier this year.
Officials said the achievement would help the company in its efforts to supply factory fill lubes to auto plants.
Achieving this new industry standard confirms our ability to meet the needs of customers on a global scale and opens up new marketing opportunities worldwide, Vice President for Lubricants Randy Koenig said. It is also continued recognition for the quality management processes we have implemented and that allow us to quickly and efficiently adapt to ever-changing global developments.
Developed by the International Automotive Task Force and the International Organization for Standardization, TS 16949 is similar to other ISO quality standards that have permeated industry in recent years, except that it is less onerous and is specific to the automotive industry. The TS standard incorporates the latest version of QS 9000, QS 9000:2001, which requires less paperwork and allows more flexible audits than earlier versions. The TS standard also describes specifically how QS 9000 requirements apply to third-party suppliers in the automotive industry.
The TS standard is recognized by Ford, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, BMW, FIAT, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault and Volkswagen.
Harold Hodder, executive director of an IATF sister organization, the International Automotive Oversight Bureau, predicted that other lubricant producers will also be seeking TS 16949 certification.
The automakers felt that the previous standards took things to one level but didnt go as far as they wanted, Hodder said. This standard has their own controls. Its what they want, so suppliers are going to have to meet it if they want to do business with them.
Petro-Canadas lubes plant is located in Mississauga, Ontario. The company noted that the lubricants unit was also the first in North America to obtain the ISO 9001 certification.