DP Seals, one of the UK's foremost suppliers of precision custom rubber seals and mouldings, today achieved AS 9100 accreditation, the quality management standard specifically developed for the aviation, space and defence industries. Achieving this demanding quality standard means DP Seals joins the very select group of AS 9100-accredited custom rubber moulding companies around the world.

AS 9100 goes beyond the requirements of ISO 9000 to define a single, common quality-management system for the whole aerospace industry, satisfying DOD, NASA and FAA quality requirements. To achieve AS 9100, DP Seals needed to enhance its existing ISO 9000, 14000 and 18000-accredited quality management system in the areas of employee training, customer interaction, product development, materials and services purchasing, and product delivery.

"It is a tribute to the extremely talented team at DP Seals that we were able to implement and achieve AS 9100 accreditation in less than a year," states Andrew Piper, Technical Director. "We always seek to achieve the highest standards of quality in everything we do, and this demonstrates the commitment throughout the company."

Accreditation to AS 9100 automatically upgrades the company?s ISO 9001 quality management system, ensuring non-aerospace customers also benefit from the higher level of quality assurance, customer satisfaction and continuous improvement. The accreditation covers both DP Seals' main manufacturing site and satellite operation.

AS 9100, developed by the International Aerospace Quality Group, is the internationally recognised, quality standard specific to the aeronautics industry. Based on ISO 9000, AS 9100 contains over 80 additional requirements and focuses particular on quality, safety and technology across all industry disciplines - civil and military - and throughout the entire supply chain. Known as EN 9100 in Europe, AS 9100 in North America and JISQ 9100 in Japan, the standard is strongly supported and adhered to by major manufacturers including Airbus, Boeing, General Electric Aircraft Engines, NASA and Rolls Royce, and has become the basic requirement demanded by all these companies of their suppliers.