Ashland Foundry Products Division’s U.S. Plants Receive ISO 14001 Certification

30-Oct-2001

The two U.S. manufacturing facilities of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company’s Foundry Products Division in Cleveland, Ohio, have been certified to ISO 14001, an international standard for environmental management systems. Ashland is the first North American manufacturer of foundry binders and resin coatings to achieve this distinction. In addition, it reached the ISO 14001 standard well in advance of global auto manufacturers’ stated deadlines for industry suppliers to comply with such a standard. DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors have set deadlines ranging from year-end 2001 to July 1, 2003.

ISO 14001 certification required an independent assessment that these Ashland manufacturing plants established and maintain a structured approach to control the environmental impact of their processes, and that the facilities’ environmental objectives and targets are being effectively achieved as part of a continuous improvement process. The British Standards Institute is the registrar body that performed the assessment.

Ashland’s Foundry Products Division plants in the U.S. are also certified to ISO 9002 and QS 9000, a testament that these facilities have management practices that ensure their ability to continuously deliver products and services that meet customers’ quality requirements.

“By accomplishing ISO 14001, Ashland is again demonstrating its commitment to the foundry industry,” said Mike Swartzlander, vice president and general manager of the Foundry Products Division. “This also is a measurement that verifies we are realizing our mission of bringing extra value to our customers. At Ashland, we keep a sharp focus on product quality as well as health and environmental safety issues throughout our industry; and with our continuous improvement philosophy, we make ongoing investments at our facilities and in technology development to provide these types of benefits and improvements to those we serve.”

Swartzlander said that meeting the international environmental standard further assures Ashland’s customers that the company is prepared for the worldwide movement toward ‘sustainable development’ – an integration of economic, environmental and social objectives – and can be counted on as a viable long-term partner to reliably serve them in the years ahead. In fact, he said, Ashland’s Foundry Products Division is offering to assist its customers in designing and implementing their own systems for achieving ISO 14001 certification.

“We are always looking for ways to help make our customers more successful,” Swartzlander said, “and we have the special capability to smooth their progress toward ISO 14001 with an understanding already documented by our proven success.”

Ashland’s Foundry Products Division manufactures and sells foundry chemicals worldwide, including sand-binding resins systems, refractory coatings, release agents, engineered sand additives and riser sleeves. The division serves the global metal casting industry from 38 manufacturing and distribution locations in 21 countries.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/5650/ashland-foundry-products-divisions-u-s-plants-receive-iso-14001-certification.html