What does the Quality Assurance and Quality Control Department do?
The Quality Assurance (QA) area is responsible for creating, implementing and maintaining quality management systems such as ISO standards, FSC and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). These ensure a consistent approach to quality at all stages of production. This department conducts regular internal and external audits to monitor compliance with established standards and identify areas requiring improvement. QA develops a long-term quality strategy, including plans for process improvement, responding to regulatory changes and new industry guidelines. It is also responsible for training employees on quality standards, procedures and policies to ensure awareness and understanding of quality requirements.
On the other hand, the Quality Control (QC) area primarily focuses on assessing and controlling processes during production and performing final inspections of finished products to verify their compliance with quality requirements. It ensures that packaging meets established specifications. This area is responsible for detecting any defects or non-conformities in products and decides whether to release or disqualify them.
In summary, Quality Assurance focuses on creating and maintaining quality systems and a long-term strategy, while Quality Control focuses on assessing finished products and their compliance with quality requirements.
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QUALITY ASSURANCE – what exactly does it involve at Preston Packaging?
Supervision of the Integrated Quality System according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 – the Quality Assurance (QA) department is responsible for maintaining the consistency, effectiveness, and compliance of our processes with the requirements of these standards. ISO 9001 focuses on establishing and maintaining an effective quality management system, which encompasses processes, procedures, and practices aimed at ensuring excellent product and service quality. ISO 14001, on the other hand, focuses on environmental management and sustainable development. The QA department’s task is to ensure that our company operates in accordance with environmental standards and takes appropriate steps to minimize the impact of our operations on the natural environment.
Customer audits – our printing house is open to customers and we gladly share our knowledge and experience with them. This practice not only reflects our commitment to delivering the highest quality products but also builds trust and collaborative relationships with our customers. During customer audits, we guide our partners through the production part, where we explain the production process. It’s an excellent opportunity to familiarize customers with the intricacies of our work and help them understand the steps we take to ensure quality and compliance with their expectations. We explain every stage of the process, from raw material preparation, through printing and processing, to the final stages of packaging and delivery. This transparency is crucial as it allows customers to fully comprehend our actions and processes. Additionally, to meet various customer needs, we offer the option of remote audits along with a virtual tour of the production. Using advanced tools and technology, our customers can observe the production process online, ask questions and provide feedback, regardless of their location. During customer audits, we not only provide information but also exchange insights. Our goal is to understand customers’ needs and expectations and collaboratively work on solutions to meet their requirements. We also conduct technological training sessions that allow our customers to stay informed about the latest technologies and trends in packaging printing, enabling them to better tailor their projects to our production capabilities. Partnership and dialogue are essential for achieving mutual success.
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) – it is one of the fundamental tools for us. RCA is an advanced method that allows us to identify the primary causes of quality issues and their effects. The main goal of this method is to provide a fast and comprehensive response to customer complaints and internal non-conformities. Each complaint is treated as a priority, and the RCA process begins upon its submission. Our philosophy is built on continuous improvement. RCA and corrective actions are not solely about resolving current issues but also about identifying areas for improvement. When assessing quality deviations and complaints, we use various problem-solving tools, including the A3 sheet, Ishikawa diagram (also known as the cause-and-effect diagram), and the “5 Whys” method. These tools enable us to analyze the root causes of problems more deeply and identify solutions that are both sustainable and effective.
Internal training – continuous improvement of quality awareness among our employees is a top priority. Therefore, we regularly organize internal training sessions and quality meetings, which are a key element of our strategy to enhance production processes. These regular quality meetings aim to create a platform for open exchange of information and experiences between the QA team and other employees. During these meetings, we discuss current quality-related topics, inform our employees about challenges we’ve faced and upcoming challenges. This ensures that our team is up to date with the situation and fully aware of the factors affecting our product quality. We also inform them about customer feedback and complaints. This transparency allows us to collectively analyze which aspects of the production process can be improved to avoid similar issues in the future. Collaboration between the QA team and other employees is essential for building a common understanding that quality is not solely the responsibility of one department but requires the engagement of every employee.
Internal audits – we regularly conduct internal audits and hygiene audits. These activities play a crucial role in ensuring that our production processes are not only efficient but also comply with strict quality and hygiene standards, especially critical in the production of packaging for pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements and cosmetics. The purpose of these audits is to verify whether all procedures are being followed in accordance with accepted quality standards. Internal audits help us identify deviations and areas that require improvement. We have implemented the 5S elements, which stipulate that every tool or material must have its designated place, easy to find and supervise. Attention to cleanliness and hygiene in the workplace is crucial, as it affects not only the quality of our products but also the safety and comfort of our employees. Conducting regular internal audits and hygiene audits is a standard practice in our printing facility. Thanks to these actions, we are confident that our products are safe, compliant with regulations, and meet the expectations of our customers.
Document control – it is an essential element of the QA department’s work. Ensuring that all employees have access to the latest versions of documents and operate in a standardized manner according to established procedures and instructions is crucial for maintaining product consistency and quality. Every employee in our printing facility has access to current versions of quality documents and procedures. This ensures that every employee knows the quality expectations and requirements, leading to consistent actions and minimizing the risk of errors. All employees are adequately trained and aware of quality procedures and requirements. It’s worth emphasizing that document control is not just an administrative procedure but also a part of the quality culture in our company. Care for the accuracy, consistency, and availability of quality documentation is an integral part of our approach to production, which, in turn, ensures the safety of our products.
Direct customer contact on quality matters – our goal is to ensure that our partners have confidence that their products are not only of high quality but also meet the highest safety standards and compliance with industry regulations. Therefore, we maintain constant and open communication with our customers, providing immediate responses to any inquiries and feedback related to quality. Direct customer contact means that we are available to our customers at all times. We answer their questions, resolve doubts and respond to any quality-related feedback. This allows us to monitor their needs and expectations in real-time and tailor our actions to their individual requirements.
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QUALITY CONTROL – what does Preston Packaging specifically engage in?
In-process inspection – it is of paramount importance as it enables us to quickly detect discrepancies and potential production issues at an early stage. It ensures that every product is manufactured in accordance with the established standards described in our systemic documentation, thus ensuring the repeatability of quality within the scope of the order. Print control is extremely important because print quality directly impacts the appearance and readability of packaging and leaflets. A spectrophotometer, an advanced color measurement device, allows us to precisely analyze print quality. This enables us to detect even minor deviations from established color standards and take corrective actions immediately. The layout, on the other hand, allows us to verify whether the print design aligns with the specifications and is free from defects or errors. In-process inspection is an integral part of our quality strategy, enabling us to deliver products of the highest quality that meet our customers’ expectations. Attention to the quality of printing, die-cutting, and gluing translates into excellent products that are both visually appealing and well-crafted.
Final inspection – this is an extremely important stage in our printing house during production process, ensuring that our products meet the highest quality standards and are ready for shipment to our customers. During this stage, we thoroughly check key elements of each order before releasing it for shipping. This process is carried out according to strictly defined parameters and standards outlined in our systemic documentation. This means that each product is evaluated for compliance with customer requirements and the applicable specification. The primary goal of final inspection is to ensure that the product aligns with customer expectations. Final inspection involves the product release process in the quality control laboratory. This is where we carefully analyze product samples for quality, durability, color, and other essential parameters. When the product successfully passes final inspection and meets all established quality criteria, it is ready for shipment. Our logistics team ensures that products are adequately secured and delivered according to customer expectations. This ensures that every customer receives high-quality products that meet their expectations.
Operation of control and measurement equipment – properly supervised and calibrated control and measurement equipment plays a significant role in ensuring comprehensive product verification and maintaining production repeatability at the highest level. Our Quality Control team ensures that every piece of control and measurement equipment is appropriately prepared. This means that we regularly check and adjust our measurement tools to ensure they are always in full working order and accurate. This gives us confidence that measurement results are precise and reliable, forming the basis for our quality-related decisions. This allows us to accurately assess the quality of each package or leaflet and confirm that they meet all established quality criteria, thereby guaranteeing production repeatability.
Quality control records – maintaining comprehensive quality control records is an integral part of our production process and a key tool in ensuring the quality and traceability of every product leaving our printing house. Full quality control records serve as our source of information. Every production stage is meticulously documented, including measurements, quality control results, dates and times, involved individuals, and many other details. Another key benefit of maintaining full quality control records is the traceability of each order. Thanks to these records, we can fully reconstruct the production history of a given product, from the moment the order is received to shipment to the customer. This means that, if needed, we can recreate the entire production process and verify whether the product was manufactured in accordance with our quality standards.
SUMMARY
In a printing house specializing in the production of packaging and leaflets for the pharmaceutical, dietary supplement and cosmetics sectors, the Quality Assurance and Control Department plays a pivotal role in maintaining the highest standards and ensuring product safety. One department is responsible for two extremely important areas of the company’s operations. Despite having a broad range of tasks encompassing various spheres of activities, the goal remains the same – meeting customer requirements at the highest level. The Quality Assurance and Control Department is involved in creating, implementing, and maintaining quality management systems that ensure consistent quality at all stages of production. It is also responsible for conducting audits and training. Simultaneously, by focusing on the evaluation and supervision of finished products, checking their compliance with established standards, it makes decisions regarding their release or rejection. The objective is to deliver products of the highest quality that meet customer expectations and comply with applicable regulations. Our actions not only guarantee excellent quality of our products but also build trust and partnerships with customers. We take pride in the opportunity to collaborate with our partners, share knowledge and experience, and work together towards achieving excellence in the production of packaging for the pharmaceutical, dietary supplement and cosmetics sectors.
