After considering the various options we selected the ISO 9001:2000 standard. The ISO 9001:2000 system requires external quality audits (just like the financial statements of public companies require external accounting audits) at registration time and then at least once a year to prove that you are following the standard and to maintain your certification. The benefits of this very rigorous international quality standard encompass every department of our company.

One of the key elements of the system is a requirement for a demonstrated dedication to constant improvement and the immediate documentation of any problems and their resolution, no matter how small. The networked software system that we created for this has given every person in the company an effective method of presenting their improvement ideas or problems, and ensuring that they get resolved in a timely fashion. The performance of the system itself, and the ideas and problems, are regularly reviewed by the FTS management team (also an ISO 9001:2000 requirement!).