News Article
Soitec earns multiple qualifications for global quality, safety and environment
The firm, which produces III-V multi-junction solar cells using its Concentrix technology, is now qualified with TQM systems for ISO/TS, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001
Soitec has gained new certifications from the International Standards Organisation (ISO) and the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS).
Soitec’s customer base includes global microelectronics and energy leaders located on five continents. All of Soitec’s operational sites worldwide, including its semiconductor material and solar module factories in France, Germany and Singapore, now meet ISO quality and environmental requirements.
As the result of the most recent audit conducted at the end of 2011, LRQA (Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance) has awarded:
ISO/TS 16949 certification to Soitec’s semiconductor material operations in France at its Bernin and Paris Sud facilities, both of which demonstrated full compliance on their initial audits. The company’s Singapore factory also achieved this compliance, so Soitec will now use the ISO/TS 16949 standard – which is more specific and stringent than the ISO 9001 standard – as the basis of its worldwide quality-management system.
ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification to Soitec’s solar facility in Freiburg, Germany, where the company manufactures its concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems.
OHSAS 18001 health and safety certification to Soitec’s Paris Sud facilities. Therefore, all of the company’s semiconductor material operations are in compliance with OHSAS 18001. The company is now working to extend these protocols to its solar module facility located in Freiburg by the end of 2012.
“Soitec’s corporate culture embodies continuous improvement,” says Paul Boudre, chief operating officer of Soitec. “Our fully integrated quality, safety, health and environmental management system is focused on ensuring the superior quality and reliability of our products as well as maintaining our best practices to deliver the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Our employees’ dedication to this company-wide initiative ensures Soitec’s ability to anticipate and meet our customers’ diverse requirements in both the electronics and energy markets.”
Soitec’s newest manufacturing solar plant in San Diego, California, is currently being refitted to produce CPV modules for the U.S. renewable-energy market. This facility aims to gain ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications next year and OHSAS 18001 compliance by 2014.
