Southern Coil Solutions, LLC ISO 9001 Case Study
Established in 2023, Southern Coil Solutions LLC is a leading automated storage warehousing company specializing in the handling and distributing of aluminum and steel coils. Located on over 9 acres in Bowling Green, Kentucky, just off I-65, their complex features a 120,000-square-foot facility. The company specializes in the storage of automotive exposed, food grade, battery steel, and other surface critical metals. Their contaminate-free environment ensures the highest quality storage for these sensitive materials. Their state-of-the-art building with a streamlined layout features an automated infrastructure that facilitates expeditious retrieval of the stored metals with 24-hour access.
With a strong presence in the automotive, food/beverage, and battery industries, the company provides efficient and reliable storage solutions for businesses across diverse sectors.
PROBLEM FACED
The high-tech facility was ready for its first customers in March 2024. The Quality Management System (QMS) was in development and being formalized across the company to be ISO 9001:2015 compliant to meet and exceed customers’ expectations for service. They anticipated some of those customers would require ISO 9001 compliance.
As time was of the essence, Southern Coil’s management recognized the value of bringing in an outside consultant and internal auditor to conduct an independent review of their system. This decision was made to expedite the process and ensure a thorough evaluation of their QMS.
SOLUTION
Michael Jones, Chief Operations Officer contacted simpleQuE to evaluate the QMS with an internal audit. Michael explained, “We had used simpleQuE in previous ventures and always had faith in their advice and guidance. We also had a very tight deadline and knew we needed a trusted source to steer us towards completion.”
In July 2024, a simpleQuE auditor conducted a full internal audit of the company’s QMS to ISO 9001:2015, assessing all core, management, and supporting processes. This audit also considered MAQMSR (Minimum Automotive Quality Management System Requirements) compliance as a potential future company progression.
Michael expressed satisfaction with simpleQuE’s focused and simple approach. The consultant demonstrated his expertise by sharing best practices to enhance their existing procedures. He collaborated effectively with the team to move them forward, providing valuable improvement ideas while also ensuring that the processes and procedures met each part of the standard.
RESULT
The internal audit indicated that very comprehensive processes and documents had been developed to allow the QMS to grow along with the company’s growth. Given Michael’s extensive background and experience in ISO9001, MAQMSR, and IATF 16949®, combined with a disciplined and driven team lead at Southern Coil, certification was an excellent approach. The company proceeded with the certification process and selected EAGLE Registrations as their certification body. The Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits were passed and Southern Coil Solutions received ISO 9001:2015 certification in October 2024, affirming their commitment to quality and operational excellence.
“As a small company having guidance for the surveillance and certification audits is key. We will also use simpleQue to undertake our internal audits throughout the year. As a result, these are done at a much higher level of detail and provide excellent opportunities for improvement,” stated Michael. “ISO 9001 certification, will allow us to showcase our products and services in very demanding markets, providing future customers with confidence in our attention to detail and Quality Systems’ management.”
Of the partnership between simpleQuE and Southern Coil Solutions, Michael expressed how achieving certification was a total team effort between the two companies, “You can place trust in simpleQuE to provide a well thought out plan and more importantly help your business to execute it.”
Looking to the future, Southern Coil Solutions LLC will complete an expansion facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky by June 2025 to support the area’s growing metals industry. This cutting-edge distribution and transfer facility will feature advanced automation systems for optimal coil storage and rail services capabilities. It will also implement ISO 9001 into its system, and simpleQuE looks forward to providing consulting and internal audits for the new company. As with Southern Coil Solutions, these innovative facilities focus not just on quality, but also on safety, security, and efficiency, while highlighting their commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. They have minimized their carbon footprint by reducing energy consumption, practicing responsible recycling and water conservation, and are models for other companies to follow.