Ford Confers Prestigious Q1 Certification on Nexteer Automotive Suzhou

The Ford Motor Company has conferred its prestigious Q1 certification to Nexteer Automotive’s manufacturing unit in Suzhou, China following the results of an audit that verified the implementation of a quality management system at the facility. The award gives Nexteer Suzhou the distinction of being the first manufacturing unit to be honored in 2016 by Ford Asia Pacific and establishes the Michigan-headquartered company as a premier supplier of Rack-Assisted Electric Power Steering (REPS) components to the American automotive giant and other leading automakers in the region.

Ford Q1 Certification

The Ford Q1 certification is a coveted award that audits and recognizes supplier excellence across parameters that cover various aspects of product quality, customer satisfaction, overall performance, manufacturing processes, and systems capability. The Q1 certification follows stringent guidelines and encourages manufacturing units to show continuous improvement.

In its 110-year history, Nexteer has established its reputation as a global leader in the manufacture of steering systems, components, and driveline products for passenger vehicles and trucks. With more than 12,000 employees, 21 manufacturing facilities and 40 locations on four continents, Nexteer is a recognized leader in the areas of autonomous driving technologies, advanced driver assist systems (ADAS), driveline systems, electric and hydraulic steering systems, and other associated products, generating more than $2.4 dollars in annual revenue.

Liu Tao, the Chief Operating Officer and VP of Nexteer APAC credited the staff at the Nexteer manufacturing facility for the achievement that is indicative of the company’s sustained growth, performance and commitment to quality. He emphasized Nexteer’s commitment to excellence in product and service quality that translates into customer delight in a way that is made possible by the single-minded pursuit of excellence with a deep sense of responsibility for the customer experience. After Ford, Nexteer’s client list includes some of the world’s marquee auto brands such as BMW, Toyota, Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler, and GM.

Nexteer’s Quality Journey

Nexteer’s emphasis on quality is encapsulated in the idea that the responsibility for taking action to ensure superlative quality belongs to every single member of the team. To this end, the company continues to place particular emphasis on imbibing a culture of excellence through an annual special event—the ‘Quality Culture Week.’ During this week, employees engage in several corporate activities that are designed to strengthen their awareness of themes, tools, methods, and practices that ensure the highest standards of quality. During the course of the Ford Q1 certification, the Suzhou manufacturing facility was subject to an on-site Manufacturing Site Assessment and a review of compliance with the key parameters of the certification, passing four of the parameters with ease in a span of only four months on the strength of its service delivery and product quality performance. The receipt of this award opens up new avenues in the Ford-Nexteer partnership in the region.