E-Malt.com News article: Nigeria: Champion Breweries gets ISO - 9001 -2000

Champion Breweries Plc, a quoted company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange has joined the league of world class production companies as it bagged the International Standard Organization (ISO – 9001:2000) certification from the Nigerian Standard Organization in Quality Management System (QMS), AllAfrica Global Media reported April 19.

The company was initially incorporated in 1974 as South East Breweries Limited, Champion Breweries Limited and later Champion Breweries Plc in1992 and was officially commissioned in December 1976 rolling out its second production in December 11th 1979 before it finally went into oblivion due to management's profligacy.

However, at the inception of governor (Obong) Victor Attah's administration in 1999, the company's hope was rekindled through the state government's privatization process.

The brewery once again came back to life as Akwa lbom Investment and Industrial Promotion Council (AKIIPOC) was able to secure a viable core investor -- Messrs Montgomery Ventures of Panama, a subsidiary of SONA GROUP, through a partnership initiative with a view to provide quality service and employment toward human and social-economic development of the state.

In order to remain atop and demonstrate total commitment to its customers and relative public, Champion Breweries Plc continually endeavour to maintain World Class Standard in Quality Management System hence its recent endorsement by ISO for the award in excellent service and management.

Owing to this development by the company in meeting the regulatory standards, the presentation of the ISO certificate was finally achieved in which the Director General, Standard Organization (SON), Dr. John Akanya who was represented by Mr. Louis Njoku said, "No nation today can afford to compromise on quality in the current competitive environment, which focuses on customer satisfaction".

Quality and continuous improvement, he further noted, have become extremely important to expanding organization's local and export trade, raising the competitiveness of its goals in the market and improving organization's image.

The real test of a quality management system (QMS) is the extent to which it leads to customer satisfaction in the product or service", Dr. Akanya maintained noting that, since the system would be placed on probation continually for effective implementation of quality, the company has a herculean task, else, the certificate would be withdrawn.

"Let me inform, the company that the certificate presented today is on loan. The system having been certified will be placed on six months surveillance audits to ensure continuing suitability and effectiveness of the implementation of the quality system

"In the course of audits, where non-conformance are observed and are effectively corrected within specified time frame, the system will still retain the certificate.

"However, if corrective actions are not taken within the specified time frame and for a certain allowable period, the certificate will be recalled, pending the implementation of the necessary corrective actions", Dr. Akanya warned.

Managing Director of Champion Breweries, Mr. Ravindranathan Mundarath expressed appreciation to (SON), staff and his management team for the success in the collaboration to establish a world class management quality management system.

Quality system, according to Mundarath, was structured so that control is exercised over all activities affecting quality and listed some of the derivable benefits of this recognition by SON to include; operating business franchises with other world class organizations in the world as currently in partnership with InBev Group of Germany, owners of the Becks brand of beer, products acquire world ranking, empowerment/accountability of company's personnel, self worth, teamwork, internal consumer concept as well as increased operational safety levels/environment policy (HSE) amongst others.

In his comment, Chairman, Board of Directors of the company, Chief Cyril Nta described the certification by ISO through its Nigerian affiliate (SON) as an acknowledgment of the company's strive to build and sustain a legacy of quality noting, "This award has further strengthened our resolved and commitment to the culture of excellence. The quest to maintain quality and the highest production standard is therefore our hallmark and ... our service charter with the consumers".


20 April, 2007