Palfinger Becomes ISO 14001 Certified

ISO 14001:2009 certification by TÜV Süd is considered to be the starting point of the full certification of a management system at Palfinger Marine's  corporate headquarter in Köstendorf. Safety, environmental protection and the highest quality are key values for Palfinger Marine  that can now be demonstrated. It facilitates continual improvements. Since customers are increasingly demanding internationally recognised certification such as ISO 14001, Palfinger Marine  has launched a process to introduce different environmental and management systems. Palfinger Marine's  complex offshore area will benefit in particular from the certification.
 

Competitive advantages through sustainable environmental management
ISO 14001 analyses important requirements for identifying and managing environmental aspects, provides process descriptions and shows the company how it can improve the entire system. One of the objectives is a continuous optimisation process for achieving ambitious environmental management goals, which is supported by annual internal and external audits. Palfinger Marine is expecting specific competitive advantages from the certification. In addition to increased confidence of customers and other Palfinger Marine stakeholders, cost savings from handling energy and raw materials conservatively can also be anticipated.

Three certifications and implementation in three areas by the end of 2013
Palfinger Marine is pursuing a bold plan: In addition to ISO 14001, the company is expected to attain three additional certifications and meet guidelines. By the end of the year, the company is planning to have ISO 9001:2008 quality management system certification for the sale of marine, offshore and wind cranes. Suppliers who provide welded components already meet the complete quality requirements for welding work and have EN 3834-2 certification in addition to being ISO 9001-certified. The Köstendorf location is also expected to prove its efficient energy use by obtaining ISO 50001 certification. The third important objective is to implement a management system for occupational health and safety in accordance with the certification guidelines in Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS). The OHSAS is closely based on the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards and thus is very well suited for use as a part of an integrated management system which Palfinger Marine aims to achieve.