CASE STUDY: NIKKISO COSMODYNE
Huge value from pre-assessment
Nikkiso Cosmodyne, based in Seal Beach, Calif., has a lot of experience with risk mitigation.
The company designs and develops advanced cryogenic plants that convert industrial gases into liquid form. These include natural gas, nitrogen, hydrogen, and others. Its customers demand the absolute highest levels of product safety, reliability and performance.
They also demand certification to, ISO 9001. For Nikkiso Cosmodyne, winning new contracts and preserving its customer base depends on it.
With such high stakes, Nikkiso Cosmodyne invested in a pre-assessment program to understand their gaps and minimize the risk of failing the certification audit. “As with everything else important to our business, we took a no compromises approach to certification,” says Dale Kostic, Director of Quality and Environmental for Nikkiso Cosmodyne.
Pre-assessment reveals how close the organization is to meeting the stringent criteria of the ISO 9001:2015 standard. It involves a structured review of business processes and an on-site audit to identify trouble spots. The results provide a roadmap for making targeted improvements prior to the certification audits.
How it works
Though not mandatory, pre-assessments are fast-becoming a best practice.
A common strategy is to enlist your ISO registrar for the preassessment since they have the necessary skills and staff. This approach can also provide valuable continuity by using the same auditors across the various stages of certification.
“We had already chosen DNV as our certification body" , says Kostic. “The pre-assessment was a natural extension of that relationship.”
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY: NIKKISO COSMODYNE
Heading into the pre-assessment, Nikkiso Cosmodyne knew it had a solid management system; but they didn’t know if it would pass the scrutiny of certification.
A pre-assessment audit closely mirrors the formal certification audit, but gaps in compliance to the standard do not count as nonconformities. Instead, they are listed in a report as non-binding “observations.” This allows the company to make adjustments on its own timetable: a low risk, low pressure way to enhance readiness.
Getting started
Kostic first provided DNV with important background information, including a process interactions map and a management systems manual. He then selected his internal project team and briefed them on the process. The next step was to schedule audit dates with DNV.
The DNV auditors traveled to Seal Beach and over the course of two days evaluated Nikkiso Cosmodyne’s management system using the full set of ISO 9001 requirements. Following the audit, DNV met with Kostic and his team to review the findings. A written report was provided several days later.
Pre-Assessment results and benefits Nikkiso Cosmodyne realized a variety of significant benefits from the pre-assessment.
“It was like turning the lights on,” says Kostic, “It showed us exactly what we had to do to comply with the standard.”
Using the pre-assessment report, Nikkiso Cosmodyne took a couple of months to further strengthen the integrity of its management system through improvement of corrective actions, document control, training and development, risk management and management review processes.
Pre-assessment allowed Nikkiso Cosmodyne to:
• Identify deficiencies in their existing management system
• Close the gap between ISO requirements and the current system
• Eliminate unnecessary preparations for the certification audit
• Provide internal staff experience with third-party auditing
• Minimize surprises and negative findings in the certification audit
• Stimulate culture change within the organization
• Reduce risk of failing the certification audit
“In our experience 96% of the companies that do a preassessment pass their certification audit on the first try,” says Manuel Marco, regional customer manager for DNV. “Nikkiso Cosmodyne was exemplary. It’s like they had already been audited. Because they had been.”
The net result is that Nikkiso Cosmodyne secured its ISO 9001 certification with no major obstacles.
“Success is the ultimate risk migation strategy,” says Kostic. “Pre-asessment definitely helped us secure certification, saving us time and money in the process.”
According to Kostic, the company cut six months from its certification journey, freeing valuable resources for ongoing business operations
Why partner with DNV
DNV is one of the world’s leading certification, assurance, and risk management providers. Whether certifying a company’s management system or products, providing training, or assessing supply chains and digital assets, we help customers and stakeholders to make critical decisions with confidence.
Dale Kostic Director Quality & Environmental
Nikkiso Cosmodyne
“It showed us exactly what we had to do”
