October 1993
Additives for Polymers
pigments. They are used for automotive finishes as well as industrial and architectural coatings, plastics, synthetic fibres and inks. This plant allows for the production of small batches of pigments to ensure that customer needs are met prior to large-scale manufacturing. The pilot operation also facilitates the deveIopment of new products and shades. Miles is now focusing on research into new pigment developments for use in plastics and fibres and products for waterborne coatings. Contact: Miles inc, ~obat Road, Pi~sburgh, PA 15205-9741, USA. Tel: +I-412-7772oG0.
Ciba Pigments
marketing
centre
Ciba Pigments has moved its UK Marketing Centre and Technical Support facility from its previous site at Clayton, Manchester, to the company’s Macciesfield headquarters which are at: ~~11~~Road, ~accles~e~, SlylO 2iVX, UK. Tel: -1-44-625-66500. Fax: +44-62.5502674.
QUALITY ASSURED ACCREDITATION Bayer plc Plastics Business Group, Bayer House, Newbury, Berkshire, RG13 lJA, UK. BS 5750 recognition has been granted to the company’s central warehouse at Bromsgrove in the Midlands (UK). Many of the group’s engineering materials and technical films are produced under IS0 9000 standards in Europe.
BS 5750:
its effectiveness
The British Standards Institution is looking to make BS 5750 more appropriate to small companies since it is not being taken up by ‘01993Elsevier Science Publishers Ltd
this sector as much as it could be. The Institution is carrying out market research to help find the real reasons for this, Prelimin~ results show that companies do not fully realise the benefits of the standard. They find it costly in terms of time and money to apply for the Standard. Several small firms have also suffered from consultants overcharging. As part of the process of acceptance, BSI has formed a Policy Committee for Small Businesses which is evaluating the role of accreditation and advising on safeguards that small firms may need to seek in using external consultants. The Committee is also planning a new application guide designed for small businesses.
Adoption of BS 5750, promoted to many companies as the most important quality practice, does not in itself gu~~tee any improvement in quality performance. Neither does accreditation make any difference to customer focus. These are conclusions from a new study ‘Made in Britain: the true state of British m~ufac~ring indus~‘, undertaken by the IBM Consulting Group and the London Business School. Copies of the report (f49.00) are available porn: IBM in London. Tel: i- 44-81-575- 7700,
Implementing by-step
BS 5750
step-
‘Achieving Quality Standards’ is the title of a book which provides a step-by-step guide to BS 57501ISO 9000. It is aimed at owners and in small or managers medium-sized companies, and assumes the reader has no prior knowledge or experience of formal quality assurance. Achieving Quality Standards is available fr om: Unyvern Business Library, 6 The Business Park, Ely, Ca~rid~eshire, CB7 4JW, UK. Tel: +44-358-665544. Price: f25.00 + p&p.
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