At BPW, they live and breathe quality in every aspect of their global operations. Within the BPW Group, a consistent approach to comprehensive quality management across the entire development and production process and beyond ensures the high quality of BPW products, such as running gear systems and trailer body components.
In its global network of leading specialists in research, innovation and development, industrial production and sales, the BPW Group relies on quality every day to ensure its products meet the exacting requirements of vehicle manufacturers and operators.
To maintain its streamlined operations in the world of transport and logistics it is this steadfast adherence to quality that ensures all facets of BPW’s operations remain fully connected and at the peak of their operations.
Rigorous testing
Trailer axles being jolted on hydraulic pulsers. Entire semitrailers drifting over icy surfaces. Heavy vehicles swirling up dust on sandy tracks. Rumbling over potholes on bad roads.
These images of trailer test drives and test bench trials are well known across the transport sector.
This is how BPW tests its individual components, as well as entire modules and complete vehicles to ensure product reliability and durability as realistically as possible.
During these tests, BPW’s engineers put the products through rigorous testing – expecting a lot more from the products than those conditions they must later withstand in daily use.
This is done to ensure the reliability of BPW running gear systems and components and therefore the BPW name is synonymous with quality.
Quality management at BPW begins in the early phases of product development. A deciding factor for product reliability is advanced planning in terms of quality.
“This process is an integral part of every development phase. At an early point in the process, we systematically evaluate the quality risks relating to a product and define measures to reduce risks and avoid errors”, said BPW Head of Quality Management, Markus Niehaus.
As a result, project quality engineers at BPW play a central role in the development project team.
Their roles are so vital that the quality engineers typically hold an additional internal qualification from BPW, ensuring they are capable of maintaining the company’s high standards.
“Their role is that of a customer, scrutinising evaluations and decisions in the project that may have a negative impact on the quality of the product”, said Niehaus.
Constant quality monitoring
At the BPW Group, quality is monitored throughout the entire product life cycle — from production to sales and after-market — and is ensured by many specialists.
Quality is so highly rated that more than 160 employees in different departments and regions work in quality management and customer service for BPW.
Experts in purchasing are responsible for the quality of purchased parts and ensure this thanks to targeted supplier selection, intensive supplier support and incoming goods inspections.
In addition, series-accompanying and requalifying tests ensure the quality of BPW products during production, as well as during use.
Customer service employees are responsible for product monitoring. They forward any feedback from the vehicle manufacturer and fleet operators on product behaviour during use.
“This area plays an important role. If irregularities first occur during use, it is important to identify them and take preventive action to rectify them as soon as possible”, said Markus Niehaus.
BPW’s thorough attention to customer service means that it also includes product and service training sessions at trailer manufacturers and service stations.
Certified management system
BPW’s philosophy is simple: uniform work processes and a certified management system ensure quality.
There are clear rules for the auditing and certification of a quality management system.
The BPW production locations are certified in accordance with the industry standard ISO 9001. In addition, selected BPW sites are also certified in accordance with the automotive standard IATF 16949.
These certifications apply to the core processes of development and manufacture, as well as supporting processes such as human resource management, purchasing or information technology.
“This is how we ensure that every employee of the BPW Group operates machinery in the same way or comply with the same rules when purchasing components,” said Markus Niehaus.
In addition, BPW also adheres to self-created rules and processes resulting from years of industry experience, testing and feedback.
In keeping with its quality-focused approach, BPW also engages independent auditors as early as the development project stage to ensure maximum product quality during the development process.
“Our aspiration is to provide vehicle manufacturers and vehicle operators with a product that is reliable, with a high utility and that also ensures low operational costs,” Niehaus said.
“We strive for quality not only in our company, but also beyond. BPW is able to adapt to the logistics and production processes of our customers enabling us to work hand in hand at these interfaces too.”
That is yet another aspect of the company’s multi-faceted comprehensive quality management philosophy that ensures the production of reliable trailers with high-quality products and services, all embedded with the trademark BPW quality.
Read more about the work of the BPW Group.
