ISO certification program helps local companies compete
Mike Henington loads parts in a mill to make semiconductor valves at Datum Technologies in Santa Rosa.
BETH SCHLANKER/Press DemocratPublished: Friday, December 16, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, December 16, 2011 at 1:14 p.m.
Richard Hunt wanted to grow his Santa Rosa precision machining and manufacturing business, but he faced a big hurdle.
Large customers were demanding his company, Datum Technologies, obtain ISO certification, an internationally-recognized standard for quality management.
“Without it, a lot of industries won’t talk to you,” said Hunt.
For small companies such as Datum, the certification process can be costly and time-consuming. And there’s no guarantee that a business will pass the test to receive ISO status from the International Organization for Standardization.
That’s when Hunt hooked up with 101MFG, a Petaluma-based business group that helps North Bay manufacturers. 101MFG has a program that makes it easier for small companies to get certified.
The program takes the guesswork out of the ISO process, said Dick Herman, who heads 101MFG.
“We let the business owner know what kind of financial and time commitment they’ll have to make,” he said.
The process can cost up to $40,000, but 101MFG’s program cuts it by more than half, Herman said.
The manufacturing group works with a Petaluma firm, IsoCert Solutions, that provides software and services for companies going through certification.
The program can take a few months to a year. Some companies require less time because they’ve already adopted some quality control measures, Herman said.
101MFG does an analysis that tells a business what it needs to meet ISO standards. It found Datum Technologies had already done much of the work, Herman said.
“They had a quality manual and procedures in place,” he said. “What they really needed was to document it.”
Datum makes precision metal and plastic parts for equipment used in the semiconductor, electronic test and measurement, medical device and energy industries. Hunt and his wife Analisa founded the company in 2003.
He’s president and she serves as CEO of Datum, which has nine employees.
After working with 101MFG and IsoCert, Datum was ready for inspection by independent ISO auditors in November, Richard Hunt said.
“They were extremely helpful,” he said.
Datum passed the test and was ISO certified earlier this month. It means the company can reach global customers and new markets, including defense and aerospace, Hunt said.
“It will open doors,” he said. “We’re going after bigger companies.”
Datum could grow to 15 employees by the end of 2012.
“We’ve already hired more people and brought on additional equipment,” he said.
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