Süeda Asil
Corporate
- Thread Author
- #1
Hello Manufacturers!
The International Organization for Standardization released ISO 9001:2026 in September, replacing the 2015 standard used by over a million organizations worldwide. While most existing requirements remain the same, some changes will affect how manufacturers prevent defects, reduce waste, manage production changes, and handle customer relationships.
Here are five key changes you need to know:
1. 🔍 Look Closer at Potential Problems (Clause 6.1.2)
The new standard encourages manufacturers to be more rigorous in their risk assessments. It's no longer enough to just list risks and record them in a risk register. You must assess their likelihood, the harm they could cause, and the adequacy of existing preventive controls. For example, if raw materials from a supplier sometimes arrive below specification, quality and purchasing teams should assess the risk of these materials reaching production and decide if incoming inspections are sufficient.
The goal is simple: to catch potential quality issues before they turn into defective products, wasted materials, or customer complaints. Catching a problem early is much cheaper than discovering it after the product reaches the customer!
2. ♻️ Find Ways to Reduce Waste and Improve Quality (Clause 6.1.3)
The revised standard places great emphasis on identifying opportunities for improvement. Manufacturers are expected to consider where they can improve, decide which ideas are worth pursuing, and check if the changes yield results. For example, if one production line has a scrap rate of 8% while another has 2%, the production and quality teams should investigate the difference. A change in machine setup or work instructions could reduce this waste.
The most important part is measuring the results. If scrap drops from 8% to 3%, the manufacturer can see exactly how much waste has been reduced. A great improvement is not just an implemented idea, but an idea that yields measurable results!
3. 🚫 Don't Let Production Targets Override Quality (Clause 5.1.1 and 7.3)
The new standard places a greater emphasis on quality culture and ethical behavior. Managers must make it clear that delivering orders on time is never a reason to compromise on quality. For example, if an employee discovers a batch of mislabeled products just before shipment, they should not hesitate to stop the shipment and report the problem, even if it delays delivery. Quality managers and supervisors should support these decisions rather than forcing employees to ignore them.
An employee who raises a quality issue should be thanked, not told to keep the line moving.
4. ✅ Check That Changes Really Work (Clause 6.3)
Manufacturers often make changes to improve quality or speed up production. The revised standard places more importance on informing the right people about changes, checking if they work, and reviewing the results. For example, a factory might introduce barcode scanning to improve product traceability. The quality manager must ensure that employees understand the new process and accurately track products without scanning or labeling errors.
Setting up equipment and training staff is only part of the job. The manufacturer also needs to verify that the change delivers the expected improvement. It's not the output that matters most, but the outcome.
5. 📞 Inform Customers When Things Go Wrong (Clause 8.2.1)
The updated standard is clearer about communicating with customers when unexpected problems affect the supply of products or services. For example, if a supplier suddenly stops delivering a critical component, the manufacturer needs to identify which customer orders will be affected, communicate potential delays, and explain what alternative arrangements are available.
Production planners, purchasing teams, and customer service personnel should work together to ensure customers receive accurate information rather than discovering a problem when their orders don't arrive. Customers can plan for a delay. They cannot plan for a surprise.
So, What Should Manufacturers Do Now?
Start by checking how your factory currently handles these five areas. Examine what's already working, where problems persist, and which processes need improvement. For most manufacturers, the transition should mean improving how quality is managed every day, rather than rewriting already functioning procedures.
