Answered by Dick Gorelick

Question:
What is ISO 9002? Is it important for print suppliers to have this certification?

Answer:
ISO is a Swiss-based certification organization dedicated to establishing standards in the manufacture of products and the delivery of services. Contrary to popular opinion, it does not address quality. Instead it addresses consistency of processes. Print suppliers should have some written standards and procedures to help them address the issues of consistency and responsiveness to customer needs. However, it's my opinion that ISO 9002 is not a panacea or a guarantee that buyer expectations will be met. In the buying and selling of custom-manufactured product, it is critical that you, the buyer, communicate your expectations and your idea of "quality" before a job is awarded to a supplier.

Why the interest in ISO 9002? It is considered a useful device by Fortune 500 buying organizations and, especially, by multi-national organizations to ensure consistency.