DB Schenker and ISO 9001:2015: History in the making.

Established in 1970, Schenker Singapore (Pte) Ltd is one of the leading logistics service providers in Singapore, with an extensive global coverage and best-in-class supply chain solutions.

Schenker Singapore manages Air Freight and Ocean Freight importation and exportation for companies in various sectors, including Aerospace, Automotive, Electronics, Industrial, Healthcare and Semicon/Solar. The Contract Logistics & SCM division provides warehouse services. This is supported by complex logistics solutions along the customer’s entire supply chain – from the supplier to customer delivery – as well as the reverse logistics to aftermarket support. With over 10 locations across Singapore, our client’s nationwide network is geared toward delivering exceptional customer service, quality and sustainable operations.

To support the growing demands for Quality Excellence in Schenker Singapore’s operations, especially for well-established markets such as Automotive, Healthcare and Hi-Tech, our client has invested extensively in the customer experience. The team of quality professionals has grown significantly to more than ten Quality Specialists & Engineers from diverse backgrounds. Achieving a smooth transition to the revised ISO 9001:2015 standard was fundamental to the business, demonstrating a full management commitment to quality excellence. DB Schenker in Singapore approached us to explore the best ways forward. 

To begin, we offered guidance as Schenker Singapore formed a project team of thirty key members from various business units. We the broke our support into five main areas.

1. Delivering in-house training sessions for the directors and management teams.

   This training developed a comprehensive understanding of the new requirements and how they related to roles.

2. Providing a range of optional, cost-effective ways to meet the requirements of the revised standard, the organisation and its key stakeholders.

3. Performing a gap analysis to assess the company’s existing Quality Management System (QMS) against the requirements of the new international standard, helping to develop the transition plan.

4. Undertaking a preliminary assessment, providing our client with a tailored, evidence-based review of those areas for improvement that had been identified by the organisation.

5. Feeding the reported outcomes and insights into the transition plan to support resourcing and action. Following the assessment, our client implemented solutions to address the gaps and areas of focus. These solutions were rolled out across all ten client locations, over seven months.

The ISO 9001 standard outlines a process approach to implementing and supporting a Quality Management System (QMS). Schenker Singapore believes that successful transition to the revised standard has provided the company with a competitive edge to grow both current and new business.

Client comment 

“The Management Team in Schenker Singapore is fully committed to Quality Excellence through continual improvement. For us, the main objective of ISO 9001:2015 is to provide confidence in our organisation’s ability to consistently provide customers with conforming products and services, as well as to enhance customer satisfaction.”

Charlie Kok

Managing Director, Schenker Singapore 

Our client was the first organisation in Singapore to be certified by us, the world’s leading provider of professional assurance services, to the revised International Quality Management System (QMS) Standard ISO 9001:2015.

The success here has inspired further projects. Our client is planning to roll out its transition plan to the newly revised international environmental management system standard ISO 14001:2015. In addition, the team has also started exploring other quality standards, including ISO 13485 (medical devices) and AS 9120 (aerospace) that will similarly be adopting the new ISO 9001:2015 framework. These initiatives will further strengthen Schenker Singapore’s competitiveness. They will provide confidence in the organisation’s ability to consistently provide customers with conforming products and services, enhancing customer satisfaction.