ISO 9001 Registration to Support Growth
About
eSpin Technologies, Inc.was founded with the mission to develop technology to commercially manufacture nanofibers and nanofiber-based products. Functioning as a self-funded advanced research facility, eSpin has teamed up with several federal agencies and industry partners to develop unique solutions for filtration and environmental remediation, functional textiles, and advanced materials.
eSpin works with its partners to enhance existing, as well as develop new-to-the world, products by customized application of nanofibers to meet the current and future needs of the customer. eSpin has emerged as a global leader in nanofiber technology with commercial manufacturing capabilities and products in the market place. eSpin currently manufactures and markets customized non-woven nanofiber rolls (nWeb™) for filtration and functional textiles. They have also launched high performance nanofiber-based Air Filters (exceed ® with nanofibers) for commercial, industrial, and residential customers requiring superior sub-micron particle filtration. eSpin is based in Chattanooga, TN and currently employees approximately twenty people.
The Challenge
In 2019, TN MEP, part of the MEP National Network™, was contacted by eSpin President Jayesh Doshi to discuss assistance with implementing a quality management system. At the time, eSpin was not registered to ISO standards; they had started the registration process several times and developed a quality manual and several procedures but had not followed through to registration. Growth in sales for non-woven nanofiber rolls for filtration, functional textiles, and development and commercialization of high-performance nanofiber-based air filters was driving their need for documentation and certification of their quality management system under ISO9001:2015 standard.
MEP's Role
TN MEP had a plan to help. Through the TN MEP intern placement program, TN MEP connected eSpin to an intern that completed development of the quality manual and procedures. eSpin also purchased an ISO Quality Management Software package used for document retention. In addition, eSpin requested assistance to understand the specific requirements required for their organization, identifying a pool of registrars, final preparation for the registration audit including an internal audit with support to resolve potential gaps before the registrar audit.
As of result of the assistance, eSpin was awarded ISO 9001 registration. During the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, eSpin was able to pivot production to serve the healthcare industry in providing mask filter material but is not refocused on business growth and anticipates new opportunities and significant follow-up impact from increases in automotive, commercial, and residential air filtration sales.
RESULTS
- $30,000 in new investment
- $30,000 in cost savings
- $10,000 in training