Case Study: Air Quality Systems Inc.
Air Quality Systems Inc. Was founded in 1984 and is based out of Richmond, Virginia. Their mission is to increase the customer’s quality of life by creating, manufacturing, and marketing innovative energy-recovery products.
They manufacture ventilation, air-cleaning, and heating equipment for residential and light commercial applications.
Sales have been increasing consistently and were expected to reach $12 lions for the year. The 4 key areas ASS specialize in are design, assembly, steel fabrication, and the manufacturing of aluminum heat recovery ventilators. The Hers accounted for 2/3 of the projected $12 million sales. 60% of parts were procured from suppliers and the other 40% were produced in house. Patrick Wallace is the plant manager and is in charge of quality control.
He watches over 2 technicians who are supposed to do quality checks and testing. Issues: 1 .
The problem is the foam insulation for a batch of Hers manufactured at the plant s peeling, leading Pat to believe the equipment would malfunction. 2. Suffolk, a local manufacturer, whom ASS has never had a quality problem with, supplied ASS with the malfunctioning product. 3.
Some customers may have already received defective products and all production has to be ceased in order to make sure quality is on point. Neat cause the Issues: 1 . A lapse in Judgment on the 2 technicians who are supposed to do the quality checks and tests.
The defect should have been noticed on the 1st HER that came through. And definitely should have been noticed before any orders went out. 2.
Possibly the growth of business and sales. This could lead Suffolk as well as Ass’s quality control team to maybe be overwhelmed, missing where they had made the mistake. Recommendations: Considering ASS is on the verge of making almost $12 million a year in sales, it would be wise to give Patrick a team of 5 technicians instead of only 2. This would give him the ability to assign each technician a specific Job.
For ex.
Having 1 technician inspect t the beginning of the Job, another at the end, one specifically to focus on the HER adhesive, etc. Or solve your issue with Suffolk you could approach them with the malfunction you’ve ¶en dealing Witt trot their product and nope tort a return depending on your contract with them. As far as dealing with the orders that have gone out that may malfunction, you would have to do a recall for any product that’s been sold. Dating back to when the order from Suffolk that you noticed the malfunction from, came in.
