Florida MEP: Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2003

For more information please contact:
Gene Lussier
Board Chair, Florida MEP
321-939-4000

Bodiform Toes the Mark to Become ISO Certified

HIALEAH, FL - Bodiform Inc. of Hialeah recently completed a program to become ISO 9001-2000 certified, according to an announcement made today by Maria Alfano, director of operations for the Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).

"Getting ISO 9001:2000 certification means Bodiform will be better able to compete on an international basis and gain access to a large pool of potential new customers," Alfano explained. "I congratulate everyone at Bodiform who was involved in the certification process."

ISO stands for "International Standards Organization," and certification signifies the company has met a rigorous set of internationally observed standards.

While the process to become ISO certified entailed a lot of hard work, time and effort, it was definitely worth it, according to Anthony Paisley, Bodiform’s Director of Apparel Manufacturing.

"By implementing an ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System, we have been able to monitor and evaluate the impact that defects were having on our processes and take corrective action to reduce those defects," Paisley said.

In fact, the ISO process allowed Bodiform to reduce defects by 50 percent, saving the company about $150,000 a year. "The total investment in becoming ISO certified had a 3:1 return on investment during the first year," Paisley said. "And I honestly believe the process has given our management team the tools to better manage and continuously improve Bodiform."

A division of Capezio/Ballet Makers, Bodiform employs 125 people and has been in Hialeah since 1979. Bodiform specializes in using specialized stretch fabrics to manufacture dancewear, body wear, costumes and accessories for all ages. The company’s products are used in dance schools and professional theaters and dancewear is designed to satisfy beginners to professionals.

"We knew we had a good product," Paisley said, "and I thought we could demonstrate that fact to our domestic and international clients by becoming ISO certified.

"The only mistake I made, however, was thinking I could buy a book on the process and get certified without outside help," he added.

Once Paisley opened the book and realized interpreting the ISO standard and incorporating it in his business was going to be harder than he thought, he quickly put in a call to the Florida MEP.

"I am so glad I did," Paisley said. "The MEP was great. It provided the coach we needed to lead us through the process and provided support whenever it was required."

The MEP worked hand-in-hand with Bodiform for 18 months, Paisley explained. "MEP’s people didn’t just provide us with direction," he said. "They worked with us every step of the way. We could not have done this process without their help."

Bodiform is now halfway through its first year of ISO certification and the process has become a way of life, Paisley said. "Our management and supervisors are engulfed in this now," he said, "and it has changed the culture of our company."

Paisley explained Bodiform has employees of several different nationalities and ISO has helped to overcome any language barriers. "When it comes to the procedures we must use, everyone now speaks the same language," he said. "It has made a huge difference in the way we work day to day."

Another benefit of the ISO certification process, Paisley said, is that Bodiform now has the systems and controls it needed, but never really had.

"I knew we needed structure because our cultural environment required disciplines that were established and proven. I wasn’t sure initially how to achieve that, but once I heard about the ISO process and procedures I knew it was just what we needed," Paisley said.

Paisley is especially pleased because he now knows that as time goes by and things change in his business, ISO procedures can be rewritten to change with the times. "The Florida MEP helped us lay the foundation we needed and I am looking forward to things just getting better and better as time goes by," Paisley said.

The Florida MEP is an affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the U.S. Department of Commerce. The national MEP is a network of manufacturing extension centers that provide business and technical assistance to smaller manufacturers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Through MEP, manufacturers have access to more than 2000 manufacturing and business "coaches" whose job is to help firms make changes that lead to greater productivity, increased profits, and enhanced global competitiveness. For more information on the Florida MEP program call 321-939-4000.

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