Strong role in the Q cosmos

The comprehensive "ChemCare®" concept of Thommen-Furler AG can be summarized as "supply, support, recycle". The company, headquartered in Rüti, Berne, understands this to mean supplying industrial and automotive customers with chemicals and lubricants, the professional recycling of industrial and hazardous waste, and the provision of environmental technology services from a single source. "With our services, we achieve clear added value for the customer," says CEO Franz Christ. These value-added services include laboratory analyses, a wide range of containers, tank farm management, advice on hazardous goods and much more.

Extensive quality system

The very nature of chemical products means that quality and safety are top priorities at Thommen-Furler. And this within the broadest framework imaginable: Within an Integrated Management System, the company meets the requirements of seven sets of standards. In addition to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, these are:

- ISO 22000 (food, pharmaceuticals, GHP and HACCP principles)

- ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification)

- EKAS 6508 (occupational safety) - Responsible Care (responsible action according to CEFIC and FECC)

- ESAD II (SHE & Q management assessment system)

"And that's not all," notes CEO Franz Christ, "we are very often audited by our customers in our day-to-day business, namely from the pharmaceutical and food industries."

Why a CIP software?

"The large volume of data, the high density of binding deadlines and the increasing regulatory requirements called for a central platform for quality management," says Paul Werthmüller, Head of IMS at Thommen-Furler. The high demands on the part of suppliers and partners also made it clear that the time for singular Excel solutions had expired. "In May 2007, we evaluated the

Central QM platform

half the specialist software Improve, and just three months later the launch went ahead. "From the very beginning, Thommen-Furler was impressed by the simplicity of the web-based tool. They also particularly appreciated the problem-free bilingualism D/F as well as the link to the CRM part of the ERP system. Thanks to this link, all field service specialists have the most up-to-date overview of all customer issues at all times. Franz Christ sums up the positive six-year experience with the software as follows: "Without Improve, we would not be able to pass many audits today. Pharmaceutical audits are a prime example of this."

Over 1000 documents in the IMS

The document matrix in the Integrated Management System IMS contains no fewer than 1065 documents in the six manual chapters, including around 340 work instructions and forms each. Filing and handling are carried out entirely via Improve and ensure maximum access security with just a few clicks. The fact that any documents can be filed as attachments ensures that project and process documentation is complete throughout.

Indispensable for maintenance and servicing

"Careful, reliable maintenance, including well-functioning incident prevention, is essential in

End quality always in view

The quality of the maintenance work is decisive for the final quality of our business," emphasizes Hansjörg Minder, Head of Operations Rüti. The scope and complexity of the company's infrastructure illustrate what Thommen-Furler's maintenance division has to cover:

• 48 hazardous goods vehicles and twelve trailers for chemicals and hazardous waste
• 20 own and 14 rented rail tank cars, own track system, two own shunting locomotives
•  Three own tank farms with about 6000 m3 usable volume
•  Own approved workshop for maintenance and testing of containers
•  Waste water treatment plants
•  Filling systems
•  Four specialized analytical laboratories with a total of around 40 high-tech instruments

"We control, document and manage around 500 objects via CIP software," explains QManager Werthmüller. A wide variety of inspection intervals apply, whether these are external requirements (such as for the wastewater systems at the three company sites) or self-defined inspection cycles. CEO Christ adds that the idea of continuous improvement can be exemplified by Improve, particularly in the area of maintenance and servicing. Franz Christ is convinced that "systematically recording and properly processing customer complaints, internal deviations and supplier errors will move the entire company forward step by step". The systematic structure of the Improve interface via the steps "record, decide, deal with, improve" facilitates concrete quality optimisation for all those involved; at Thommen-Furler there are around 135 employees across the three sites who regularly work with Improve.

Ideal for the training area

Under the premise of "230 employees/three locations/two languages", Improve helps significantly to control and manage the extensive training programme. From January to September 2013, Thommen- Furler conducted no less than 166 training sessions, 90 percent of which were internal. "We can also provide the required training and continuing education certificates for many of our audits at the touch of a button," says a pleased Paul Werthmüller.

"Every Friday an A4"

The CIP software establishes absolute transparency and avoids information loss. "With Improve, there are no longer any problems that have been lost," explains Hubert Geisseler, CEO of the supplier Synprovis AG. This is exactly what is appreciated at Thommen-Furler, where Franz Christ requests a compact overview on a sheet of A4 paper every Friday evening. The report contains the central facts on topics such as open work, maintenance, effectiveness control and testing of initiated improvements or training measures. Reporting is highly efficient: Improve offers a wide variety of report types and a wealth of visualization options.

All in all, Improve has become an integral part of Thommen-Furler AG's integrated management system. "The tool provides a fundamental basis for carefree, but not careless, handling of chemicals," concludes Franz Christ.