Goodwill Industries gets quality assurance certificate

12/11/93

Goodwill Industries of Western Australia received the coveted quality assurance certificate today during a ceremony at its Malaga premises.

The certificate was presented by Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan who said Goodwill had joined a rapidly increasing number of Western Australian firms to have achieved industry standards certification.

The company, founded almost 30 years ago, was set up as a sheltered workshop for sufferers of cerebral palsy and now employs 60 physically disabled people.

"Through the dedication of a small band of professional people, Goodwill Industries has not only achieved a sound place in its chosen field but has reached the stage of earning an internationally-recognised certification," Mr Cowan said.

Goodwill's factory supplies the building industry with a range of light engineering products as well as manufacturing gas manifolds for the State Energy Commission of WA.

"In fact it was SECWA's requirements for quality assurance for the manifolds which led the company to this milestone," Mr Cowan said.

The number of WA firms seeking certification has grown substantially in the past decade.

"Ten years ago there were fewer than 20 companies with quality assurance certification - today the number is around 350 and growing rapidly," Mr Cowan said.

He said the rising numbers of companies seeking quality assurance certification was a response to an increasing market demand for excellence.

"Resource projects, defence, government and export markets are leaning more and more towards quality assurance as a pre-requisite for sales," the Minister said.

A recent survey carried out by the Department of Commerce and Trade on local companies which had received certification found that the accreditation resulted in:

·   75 per cent of companies achieving productivity gains;

·   65 per cent gaining new markets;

·   55 per cent achieving cost savings.

"Goodwill Industries can look forward to these types of benefits as a result of its certification," Mr Cowan said.

Media contact:  Caroline Lacy  222 9595