SGS Provides RISAS Certification of Bombardier Ilford in the UK

Nov. 4, 2013 - PRLog -- SGS CORREL Rail was selected by Bombardier Transportation earlier this year to conduct RISAS certification for its heavy maintenance depot at Ilford. RISAS certification encompassed Bombardier delivery of rolling stock overhaul including C4 & C6 classified repairs, supply of door header kits, door control equipment and gangways at the Ilford facility. RISAS certification was successfully achieved and took effect on 16 May 2013.

Dave Adams, General Manager at the Bombardier Ilford depot stated, “This is a fantastic achievement for everyone at Ilford, having been through a very challenging process, we are deriving a huge amount of value from RISAS. It was a deep delve into our management systems and processes, resulting in improvements to our business. Our RISAS certificate is third-party proof of Ilford's heavy maintenance capability to the world.”

Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation (http://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation.html), a global leader in rail technology, offers the broadest portfolio in the rail industry and delivers innovative products and services setting new standards in sustainable mobility. With over 3,200 employees at eight Bombardier sites and 31 customer locations across the UK, Bombardier provides more than 60% of the country's existing fleet and currently maintains approximately 40% of the entire UK rolling stock. Bombardier experience in supplying state-of-the-art signaling technology to the UK rail network spans over 50 years.

With 1.5 billion passengers and almost 50 million freight train kilometers travelled in 2012/13, the highly intensive and popular UK railway relied on fault-free rolling stock to safely and punctually transport people and goods to destinations throughout the United Kingdom. Working in unison with a RISAS-certified sister site for bogie overhaul located in Crewe, Bombardier Ilford provides more comprehensive overhaul services to rolling stock leasing companies, commonly known as ROSCOs.

Railway Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) and Rail Industry Supplier Accreditation Scheme (RISAS)
RSSB (http://www.rssb.co.uk/Pages/Main.aspx) manages RISAS in providing agency for accrediting approval bodies which subsequently assess candidates for RISAS certification. RSSB facilitates RISAS in combing expertise in national program administration with a deep knowledge of and extensive experience with rolling stock standards and competence. RISAS (http://www.sgs.com/en/Logistics/Transportation/Rail/Rail-...) offers suppliers the high level of assurance commensurate with the crucial importance of rolling stock maintenance. The scheme demands suppliers and customers to possess both a lucid appreciation of risk and a proven capability to manage them. RISAS greatest benefit is providing high level assurance required for the entire rail system based on a single universally accepted, rigorous assessment.

Tim Dugher, Chairman of the RISAS Board commented, “The buying community should be encouraged that Bombardier continues to expand its corporate commitment to RISAS by going through the rigorous process of seeking and indeed achieving this certification at Ilford. It's very gratifying to see the fruits of the effort undertaken and that Bombardier at Ilford merits RISAS certification. The scheme is designed by the industry, for the industry and endorsed by the regulator.”

SGS CORREL Rail Assessment and RISAS Services
SGS CORREL Rail, accredited by RSSB, is a Rail Industry Supplier Approval Body (RISAB) providing single, third-party assessment in order to recognize RISAS-approved suppliers for defined product groups. The RISAB status allows SGS RISAS services (http://www.sgs.com/en/Logistics/Transportation/Rail/Rail-Industry-Supplier-Accreditation-RISAS-Services.aspx) to provide organizations independent assessment. RISAS was specifically developed to provide suppliers to the railway industry the vital opportunity to demonstrate processes, competences, resources and procedures compliant with quality and regulatory requirements. These assessments pose Bombardier and all candidates seeking RISAS certification ambitious challenges in the quest to exhibit excellence throughout the entire activity spectrum.

Barry Cullinane, team leader during SGS CORREL Rail RISAS assessment added, “SGS awarded Bombardier the RISAS certificate following a lot of hard work all round. As we have seen with so many other organizations, the assessment had an immediate impact and unlocked a huge amount of hidden value. Such a comprehensive examination of shop-floor and boardroom processes will identify opportunities to improve, and as an RISAB, we have to be sure that the business is applying its processes properly and correctly. The Ilford set-up has made the grade.”

As part of the SGS Group, SGS CORREL Rail is a leading RISAB and independent certification body offering verification and validation services to the UK, European and global railway (http://www.sgs.com/en/Logistics/Transportation/Rail.aspx) rolling stock industries. SGS is proud to have assisted Bombardier Transportation in the RISAS certification and congratulates the SGS CORREL team on a job well done.

For further information, please contact:

SGS Industrial Services
Gary Winstanley
Business Development Manager
SGS CORREL Rail Limited
Gee House, Holborn Hill
Birmingham B7 5PA United Kingdom
t: +44 (0)121 326 3672
f: +44 (0)121 328 5343
E-mail: industrial.pr@sgs.com

www.sgs.com/rail

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 75,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,500 offices and laboratories around the world.