The Northern Region Industrialists Association (AIREN) in coordination with the National Competitiveness Council (CNC) began a project to support the competitiveness of businesses in this area of the country, through the implementation of ISO 9001-2000 quality management systems as a way to stimulate the export capacity of its associates and to provide a favorable climate for competitiveness for Dominican industry in the region.

“We are convinced that we should refocus the Dominican Republic into a specifically export country,”

With shared financing of 361 million pesos between AIREN and the Competitiveness Fund, they are working with five industrial zones in the northern area of the country. They selected manufacturing companies with export potential. The companies chosen were Baldom, Cibao Cement Company, Espalsa, Isidro Bordas and Francisco H. Espejo and Associates.

This coordinated work with the public and private sector was set into motion by AIREN President Oliverio Espaillat and Andrés van der Horst Álvarez, Executive Director of the CNC who signed an agreement to promote this initiative, according to a CNC communiqué.

“We are convinced that we should refocus the Dominican Republic into a specifically export country,” expressed Oliverio Espaillat, AIREN president. The businessman said that due to globalization, Dominican companies are confronting new competitors, obliging them to seek higher levels of quality. In this sense the ISO norms constitute a very valuable tool to raise levels of efficiency and productivity on all levels, making the DR more competitive in the process.

He noted that the majority of European organizations demand this certification from its providers, to guarantee product quality. Thus these norms will represent an important seal of approval “that will permit us far more access to foreign markets.”

Andrés van der Horst Álvarez added that adopting quality management practices in Dominican companies is an effort that has been promoted by the National Competitiveness Council (CNC) as part of the National Plan for Systemic Competitiveness. “The achievement of quality will be the tool that will allow us to be successful on the playing field of the hyper-competition. Unity among the public and private sectors to achieve this will provide permanence and strength to the initiatives underway to achieve those goals,” said the CNC Executive Director.

Throughout these eight months, the management and PR departments of these companies will be receiving 8 hours per week of training and, in a parallel effort, they will work on implementation of the Quality Management System that will impact all areas of their companies in an effort to improve the processes. The process will culminate with internal audits and final evaluations leaving the companies ready to undergo external auditing and certification. The professional team of consultants that have been hired, having won a bid, is being led by Edward Nouel who has vast national and international experience as a Leader Auditor trainer. Mr. Nouel will be accompanied by Simón López.

The objective of this project is to be expanded to reach some 30 industrial companies in the north of the country so that they will be certified based on international norm ISO-9000 and thus obtain the many advantages this carries. For this reason, AIREN has submitted the proposal to international organizations in search of more financing..

With a view to better using the resources, we have reached an agreement with INFOTEP who will finance the training management and support the implementation of ISO-9000 with four other companies.

With this certification, “Baldom will standardize and optimize its administrative processes and, as a result, we will be prepared to compete in the international markets,”

Business People: ISO Will Give Us Optimization and Quality

With this certification, “Baldom will standardize and optimize its administrative processes and, as a result, we will be prepared to compete in the international markets,” said Rainer Knupper, General Manager of Baldom.

By the same token, Huascar M. Rodríguez, President of Cibao Cement, indicated that with the development of this system we are pursuing a method of guaranteeing the efficiency of our processes. This way we can offer first class products that meet the standards required by national and international consumers.”

Adriano Bordas, President of Isidro Bordas Liquors, said promoting the implementation of ISO-9001 “increases productivity, provides the continual improvement of the processes and the quality of the products. It also offers a commitment to the clients that will result in an increase of trust and confidence on the part of national and international consumers.”

Following this, María Espejo, Executive of the Francisco H. Espejo Company, added that the adoption of quality management practices will also strengthen the competitive capacity of the country’s companies in terms in accessing new markets.