Today is World Quality Day! It’s the perfect opportunity to consider what quality truly means, and to celebrate the people and processes that ensure it. At TVH, quality forms a core part of our daily operations. We sat down with Björn Vansteenkiste, TVH’s Quality Manager, to discuss what it takes to get quality right, every single time.
The quality mindset
“At TVH, quality isn’t just a buzzword; it’s our daily mission,” begins Björn. “In that regard, it isn’t just the responsibility of our dedicated quality team of over 100 specialists to safeguard the high standard of our products. True quality requires the right mindset throughout the entire organisation, with everyone realising that they have a part to play.”
It starts at the source
The quality mindset isn’t just an afterthought, which is why it already starts with TVH’s partners. “We’re very selective about our suppliers,” explains Björn. “We have a thorough selection process, and we constantly monitor their performance. After all, we must be 100% certain that they can consistently deliver the quality that our customers expect. Without that strong foundation, the rest of the process doesn’t matter.”
Earning its place
“When a supplier has been approved and we are considering adding a new part to our range, it must first pass a FAI, or first-article inspection. During this inspection, we assess form, fit, and function; meaning we ensure that it looks right, fits perfectly and works flawlessly,” clarifies Björn. “However, this isn’t just a quick glance where we tick some boxes. We perform material analysis and use 3D scanners to compare complex parts with the supplier’s scans and technical drawings. If a part doesn’t pass our rigorous tests, we simply won’t sell it.”
Keeping up the standard
Of course, the checks don’t stop after the initial approval. “Our Goods In team inspects every new delivery for its critical-to-quality features. A part has to pass five of these inspections in a row before it can progress to a simpler visual check,” says Björn. “If the team does find something wrong, we don’t take any chances. We create a Non-Conformity Form and put the entire batch in quarantine so that customers can’t accidentally receive a part from it. We then contact the supplier to resolve the issue.”
Improving every day
Even with the best processes, feedback from the field is crucial. “If we receive a quality claim, the team’s first priority is to help the customer fast,” states Björn. “But our second job is to find out why it has happened. We use our global stock control system to determine whether the issue is isolated or part of a larger batch. We can immediately flag that part to prevent other customers from receiving a potentially defective part while we investigate the root cause. This investigation helps us find a long-term solution, whether that’s updating a technical drawing or, in some cases, finding a new supplier.”
The ultimate goal
“All these processes, tests, and checks have the same goal: a happy customer,” concludes Björn. “We want them to trust that when they get a part from TVH, it’s right. That’s what this is all about, on World Quality Day and every other day.”
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