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Tackling ‘cowboy’ suppliers: a day in the life of CHSA’s auditor
Through its Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Schemes, the CHSA is tackling industry cheats head on and is relying on each scheme’s auditor, Gordon Butt, to show them up.
The Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Schemes cover soft tissue products, plastic refuse sacks and industrial cotton mops. They are sup- ported by all the major manu- facturers in the industry, each of whom has been audited and cleared to join the rele- vant scheme.
Butt’s role is two-
fold. Firstly it is to monitor member company’s products, testing for and then quickly remedying any
irregularities. Each member company is checked regularly and in this way, customers can be certain that by buying
from a company with the stamp of the Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Schemes they are getting what they are paying for. Secondly he takes samples
from the market, including non-members of the schemes, and it is amongst this group that he
consistently finds deficiencies, some of up to 25%.
“It is difficult to spot by eye or cursory examination a product that is shorter in length, width or number or plastic sacks and mops not fit for purpose - even seriously short length rolls look similar to full length products,” said Gordon Butt. “It is, therefore, very easy to be deceived and detailed and targeted tests are necessary to be certain a product is as specified. The
schemes make sure customers are not ripped off.”
The schemes set out labelling and dimensional requirements and a system of production control and inspection that ensures accurate product description and so guarantees: • consistency of supply: customers receive what they order.
• accurate labelling: customers get what they pay for. • fully audited manufacturers: CHSA standard, your guarantee.
Gordon Butt conducts both
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planned and reactive site visits, taking samples randomly from distributors and in response to customer complaints and feedback. “It’s important that the sampling is valuable and we respond appropriately to any concerns flagged by customers,” he said. “I also carefully check the labelling, on which the dimensions are specified and where I can find the information required to trace to the manufacturer and the batch.”
Factory visits are generally unannounced and samples are taken both from the warehouse and the production line during conversion. The number of rolls or packs making up a sample varies depending on the production run or stock size, but it is never less than three and is often greater. Butt uses several testing methods, selecting the one most suited for the product in question. These include a calibrated rewinder, a
gravimetric test, or unrolling the product onto a flat surface of known measurement. However his favourite is the British Standards drop test for the plastic refuse sacks. All these methods are specified in the standard.
Butt concluded: “These schemes are a good example of self regulation. Through their requirements and the level of monitoring, buyers of products from companies that are members of the Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Schemes can be certain they are not being short changed.”
Prior to his current role as an independent consultant assessing and monitoring a number of accreditation schemes for trade
associations, Butt worked for the Trading Standards Service enforcing and advising on weights and measures and related legislation, factory control and quality assurance procedures.
Care home employs quality laundry care
From left to right: Steve Farish, senior engineer from M&L
Services; Lyndsay Hopper, marketing manager at Avante
Partnership, and Keith Pryke, sales manager at M&L Services.
Amherst Court is a purpose built, £8 million care home construct- ed by Denne, part of the Leadbitter Group. Previously split over two sites, Churchlands and Lennoxwood have now amalgamated to provide a state-of-the-art care facility. Set in its own grounds, Amherst Court is a unique care home designed especially for peo- ple with dementia, offering a safe, friendly, homely environment with exceptional levels of care and support based on individual needs.
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When deciding on laundry equipment, prior to the construction of Amherst Court, the company had previously used Miele laundry equipment and was certain that it wanted a quality laundry brand to cope with the daily volume of washing, drying and ironing. Karan Richards, project officer, said: “We had used Miele laundry products in our previous two sites and because of the quality of these machines, no other manufacturer came into the decision making process when purchasing our laundry equipment.” During the construction of Amherst Court, which opened in August 2010, a large crane was needed to move in three 16kg washing machines and three 20kg tumble dryers. At this point the roof was not constructed which allowed the machines to be placed without any damage. Keith Pryke of M&L Services, the supplying Miele Professional partner, said: “This was a challenging project as after several attempts to move the machines, we had to use a larger crane. However, it ended up being a very successful and satisfying installation.”
The PW 6161 washing machines have capacity of 16kg and benefit from Miele’s patented Honeycomb drum which enables the laundry to glide on a thin film of water. This affords it good levels of protection, extending the life of garments and linen. With spin speeds of up to 1150rpm and a G-factor of 500, water extraction is very efficient, so laundry can be dried quickly. Profitronic M controls offer a wide range of standard programmes as well as making controls freely programmable, while the large graphic display shows useful information such as programme duration.
The PT 8503 gas tumble dryers have capacity of 20kg and also feature the Honeycomb drum to ensure fast, gentle and energy- efficient drying. The reverse drum action gives tangle-free results, while the electronic sensor-controlled drying eliminates operator guesswork, saves energy and means that the laundry emerges with the exact degree of dampness necessary for subsequent ironing.
To complete its range of Miele laundry equipment, Amherst Court purchased an electric HM21-140 rotary ironer. With dimensions of 1395mm length and 210mm diameter, this product ideally complements the washing machines and tumble dryers.
“We are so pleased to have the Miele brand in our care home,” continued Richards. “The key areas that are important to us are the reliability of the machines and ease of use. We can depend on the performance of Miele machines, knowing that our laundry will not only be cleaned thoroughly but also in a timely manner.”
www.miele-professional.co.uk
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