As far as Quality Management System (QMS) certification is concerned, my first exposure was to ISO 9000: 1994, about seven years after the first ISO 9000 standard emerged from the former BS 5750. The 20 + auditable QMS requirements has resulted in a bewildering and voluminous mass of documentations. It was virtually a system of documents, contrary to a documented system. According to the standard, the company was expected to establish, implement and maintain a documented procedure for all the auditable requirements of the standard. It was a period when the standard was spreading like bush fire, creating a gold mine for Consultants who thrived on the ignorance of the client companies. Preparation and maintenance of the documentation alone, engaged considerable managerial time, and hence the tendency to consider ISO 9000 based QMs as an area separate from the Quality Assurance and other operational functions which has still continued to the present day. This created some dichotomy between the ISO Department and the other functional sections resulting in conflicts. On doing the QMS audits, as an independent auditor for many companies, I have the experience of being confronted with a cart-load of files and documents. This was of course before, the soft copy methodology firmly got established. Many of the External Auditors, spent considerable time, in checking Document and Records, in scrutinizing document reference and revision numbers of even the less significant documents and formats, rather than concentration on the more important requirements. In this respect, I have a great respect for one of the very senior officers of the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, whose approach was to study the operational relationships and their effectiveness.

The transition in to ISO 9001:2000 saw some very significant and far-reaching changes, which the industries, took about one to two years to fully realize. It was a challenge for the auditors and the Certification bodies as well. A careful scrutiny of the eight principles of quality management, will show that they are nothing else but common business sense. The eight principles are:

• Customer focus
• Leadership
• Involvement of people
• Process approach
• Systems approach to management
• Continual improvement
• Factual approach to decision making
• Mutually beneficial supplier relations.

 A casual glance at the principles, will reveal that it is about common sense of good managerial practices., irrespective of whether one goes for certification or not. However, it was an uphill task to grapple these concepts and integrate them holistically in to the quality management systems. Process approach in very simple terms means how to relate the inputs to outputs through the value adding conversions and how to control the activities, realize the desired results. It is directly related to the traditional definition of productivity, namely the ratio of out puts to inputs. What was difficult to comprehend was the fact that, the other seven quality management principles also provide inputs for the process approach. As an example, the auditors found it a grey area when it comes to evaluating leadership, in the context of the process approach. Regarding the establishment of the Quality Policy, which in turn is a requirement under leadership, I have seen many quality polices with attractive wordings which more often serve as show pieces. Very few companies have used the quality policy to provide direction for the setting up of quality objectives. One of the meaningful but concise quality policies I have seen is “We do everything, correctly, right first time at all times’’.

While the 2008 version of the ISO 9001 standard consisted of some notional changes only, the 2015 version signified a complete change of the concept of quality stressing the importance of quality in business strategy, by considering the impacts of external and internal factors and the expectations of internal and external parties on quality and including risk management as an important aspect of quality. Although the prime focus on ISO is product or service quality, companies cannot ignore the impact on quality, which covers product quality (Q), Price (P), and Delivery (D). The recent impacts of Covid-19 pandemic on the above aspect of quality, was amply seen throughout the world. The above requirements under the Organization Context, is a move in the right direction, in integrating quality in to all aspects of the business. However, most companies and even auditors, consider this in isolation as another requirement of the ISO 9001, which need minimum compliance. Similar comments can have made on the Identification of the risks and opportunities of the operational processes.

Product and service quality is used by most companies as means of maximizing the profit. The Nobel Prize Winner in Economics, Milton Friedman in 1970, stated that the sole responsibility of a business is to “use its resources to increase its profits. As a result of the rapid growth in consumerism, both locally and globally, business firms operate in a challenging and continually changing business environment. The rapid change is supported by rapidly expanding technology, and particularly of information technology. Dynamic organizations are making serious efforts to keep abreast of developments, in the changing business environment, while many traditional and conservative organizations are failing. Change has become inevitable.”

While we cannot find any fault with this approach, one cannot overlook the Social and Environmental bottom lines, which together with the Economic bottom-line, constitute the Triple Bottom of Sustainable development. The role of quality management on the social and environmental bottom lines, is a concept that has great potential in the modern-day concept. The reduction of scarp and rejects, especially in the tyre industry, will improve the environmental performance, while reducing the health and fire risks, often caused by irresponsible dumping.

 Internal and external communications under the requirement 7.0, Support of the ISO 9001 and 14001:2015 standards are another area where adequate attention has been given. Despite the great advances in ICT, we can trace miscommunications as the root cause of most of the Non- conformance report raised during the QMS audits.

John Ruskin, the English author, (1819 -1900 ) once said, “ Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligence effort.” I have seen this famous quote adorning the walls in some offices of CEOs and Senior Managers. However, the perennially repeating non-conformances related to quality in a large number of companies, make me to wonder whether the management and the mangers, “walk the talk.” Companies have in their procession, a handy tool, in the disguise of ISO 9001:2015, to enable them to establish the standard procedures, (SOPs), operate them and control, but many consider it as something to worry about only during the external audits of the certification bodies.

In this respect, it is worthy of mentioning that, in my country Sri Lanka, there is a famous Buddhist Cultural Pageant, in August every year, that attracts locals as well large numbers of tourists from across the globe. For the past 400+ years, this event follows the SOPs, without any, awareness of the ISO 9000, emphasizing that there is no magic or mystery about ISO, but the prevalence of good common sense. (TT)

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HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS has been honoured as a Community Contribution Certified Company for the seventh consecutive year. The recognition was conferred at the 2025 Community Contribution Recognition Day event in Seoul, where the company also received a Minister of Health and Welfare’s Commendation and the highest possible ‘S’ grade. This dual accolade underscores the sustained public value and consistent performance of its social responsibility programmes.

The certification itself is a rigorous evaluation administered by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea National Council on Social Welfare. It involves a comprehensive review based on ESG Principles, spanning multiple evaluation areas and numerous detailed indicators. In the latest assessment, the company excelled particularly in environmental management, earning recognition for its robust sustainability and carbon-neutral practices. Its diverse community initiatives, which are developed through long-term regional partnerships and extensive employee volunteerism, were also highly commended for building a stable and effective collaborative framework with local communities.

This ongoing commitment has been strategically reinforced following the establishment of the HS Hyosung Group in 2024. Under the new slogan ‘Value, Together’, the company has redefined its approach to social contribution. Its efforts are now organised around three core pillars: providing support for vulnerable groups, fostering the advancement of local communities and culture and promoting eco-friendly initiatives.

H S CHO, Vice Chairman, HS HYOSUNG, said, “Receiving the Minister of Health and Welfare’s Commendation and the highest ‘S’ grade is the result of our longstanding commitment to putting ‘Value, Together’ into action within our communities. We will continue to carry out diverse social contribution initiatives as a responsible company that grows together with local communities.”

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Toyo Tires has become a member of the Global Data Service Organisation for Tyres and Automotive Components (GDSO). This international non-profit is dedicated to creating universal data standards for tyres and auto components. Through this collaboration, Toyo Tires will intensify its efforts to establish industry-wide systems for tyre identification and traceability, which are crucial for modern supply chains.

A core component of this initiative involves the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. This wireless system allows for non-contact identification of individual tyres, which significantly improves the accuracy and efficiency of quality assurance and inventory management processes. By building a comprehensive database of its products, Toyo Tires will enhance information reliability across the entire industry.

The data accumulated through RFID will be instrumental in developing high-value-added services, particularly within the company’s solution business such as retreading and maintenance programmes. This strengthens information management throughout a tyre's entire life cycle. Furthermore, this technological adoption supports Toyo Tires' broader commitment to sustainability. By proactively leveraging digital tools like RFID, the company aims to reduce its environmental impact while simultaneously enhancing its corporate value and advancing the development of more sustainable tyres.

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive rally-tyre supplier for the FIA World Rally Championship, is all set to provide tyres for all competitors in the championship's dramatic 2025 season finale, Rally Saudi Arabia. Taking place from 25 to 29 November in the Jeddah region, this decisive event marks the WRC's inaugural visit to the country. The rally’s route, centred around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, comprises approximately 319 kilometres of competitive action across 17 special stages, presenting a completely new challenge for teams and drivers.

This new Middle Eastern challenge demands a tyre capable of mastering a vast spectrum of conditions. The stages combine long, fast desert sections with technically demanding rocky terrain, all subject to sharp temperature swings, blowing sand and unpredictable micro-climates. Hankook will equip the crews with its Dynapro R213, an extreme all-terrain rally tyre engineered specifically for such rough and unpaved surfaces. Available in Hard and Soft compounds, it features a robust casing and a specialised tread pattern to deliver stable grip, crisp steering response and reliable impact absorption at high speeds, all while managing heat buildup for consistent long-stage performance.

The rally also serves as the setting for the championship's climax. The Drivers' Championship will be settled in Jeddah, with Toyota GAZOO Racing's Sébastien Ogier having narrowed the gap to leader Elfyn Evans to just three points after his recent victory in Japan. This sets the stage for a final, high-stakes showdown where tyre strategy and durability will be as critical as outright speed, focusing the global motorsport world on the Saudi desert.

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Giti Tire has intensified its AdvanZtech EV Ready initiative with the introduction of the GitiWinterW2, a winter tyre engineered to perform on battery-electric vehicles, hybrids and traditional internal combustion engines. This new product, available for the 2025/26 winter season, is the first winter-specific offering within this specialised tyre line. The range is comprehensive, encompassing 17 different sizes to fit rims from 15 to 20 inches, making it suitable for a wide array of vehicles from the compact Fiat 500e to the Tesla Model 3 and popular SUVs like the Volkswagen Tiguan and Volvo XC60 PHEV. Each tyre is marked with a distinct sidewall logo to guide consumers towards the correct application for their vehicle type.

The development of the GitiWinterW2 focused on achieving a balance of critical performance attributes. Engineers prioritised managing the high torque output of electric vehicles for superior control while simultaneously minimising rolling resistance to help extend driving range. This technical development was accomplished without sacrificing the essential safety and handling characteristics required for winter driving in snow and wet conditions. The manufacturer emphasises that the final product delivers a quiet, comfortable and secure driving experience.

This winter tyre joins the existing summer patterns, the GitiSportS2 and GitiSynergyH2, which were originally launched in August 2024 under the same AdvanZtech EV Ready strategy. All three tyre lines are the result of research and development conducted through Giti's global AdvanZtech system, with significant work carried out at their European Research & Development Centre located in Hannover, Germany.

Fabio Pecci-Boriani, Deputy General Manager – Product Planning PCR and LTR, Giti Tire R&D Centre (Europe), said, “The Giti brand was among the first in the mid-market to introduce an EV ready concept, ensuring maximum flexibility and product clarity for dealers and peace of mind for drivers. As is proven, winter can have an impact on the performance of part-electric and electric vehicles with lower temperatures reducing battery range and immediate torque levels being tricky on slippery roads; the Giti AdvanZtech EV ready GitiWinterW2 goes a long way to addressing these issues.”

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