QUALITY POLICY

QUALITY POLICY

2

CONTENTS

Introduction 3

Company History 4

The Quality Management System 5

Management Responsibility 6

Resource Management 7

Product 8

Product Realisation 9-10

Measurement, Analysis and Improvement 11-12

QUALITY POLICY

3

INTRODUCTION

This document is the Quality Policy Manual of K-Panels Limited. The purpose of which is to give the reader an overview of how the Company audits and assures quality in all aspects of service and delivery.

K-Panels Limited is dedicated to providing their Customers with best value. This is achieved through a commitment to teamwork, customer care, people, innovation and continuous improvement.

This quality policy manual together with the quality statement, quality objectives and process procedures constitute the documented Quality System that has been established and implemented within the Company.

QUALITY POLICY

4

COMPANY HISTORY

K-Panels was formed in 2004, as a Kingspan TEK delivery partner with a focus on promoting modern more sustainable methods of construction.

We are specialists in the design, supply and erection of Structural Insulated Panels, distributed as Kingspan TEK panels.

TEK Panels are manufactured by Kingspan’s central plant in accordance with BBA and Trada certification using PEFC audited supply chain timber components.

K-Panels have been selected as a supply partner for a large portfolio of varied projects, from luxury private self build’s with high specification sustainability objectives, to multi-unit affordable housing developments, schools and large scale social and health care developments.

Our objective is to deliver consistent and competent service levels to all projects within our scope, and offer expertise and project coordination which meet with the high expectations of our clients, building working partnerships based on transparency, integrity and open communication.

QUALITY POLICY

5

THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

K-Panels limited are an operational elected Kingspan TEK delivery partner and as such conform to the standards and guidelines set out in the Kingspan TEK Building System Delivery Partner Agreement.

Where we choose to outsource any process that may affect product conformity with requirements, we ensure full control over such processes. Control of the outsourced processes are identified within the quality management system.

Our quality management system documentation includes a documented delivery Partner agreement, which sets out the responsibilities of all Kingspan TEK delivery Partners.

As such we are audited and deemed competent and licensed to design, distribute and erect in accordance with Kingspan construction guidelines and BBA specifications Kingspan TEK panels and the Kingspan TEK Building system.

This quality manual covers the scope of our quality management system, including details and justifications for any exclusions, reference to the documented procedures established for the quality management system and a description of the interaction between the processes of the quality management system.

The documents required by the quality management system are controlled. Documented procedures define the control needed to approve documents for adequacy prior to issue, to review/update/re-approve documents, to ensure that changes and the current revision status of documents are identified, to ensure relevant versions of documents are available at points of use, to ensure documents remain legible and readily identifiable, to ensure documents that documents of external origin are identified/their distribution controlled and to prevent the unintended use of obsolete documents/apply suitable identification to them if they are retained for any purpose.

Records are established and maintained to provide evidence of conformity to requirements and of the effective operation of the quality management system. Records remain legible, readily identifiable and retrievable.

Documented procedures have been established to define the controls needed for identification, storage, protection, retrieval, retention time and disposition of records.

QUALITY POLICY

6

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY

• Provide evidence of its commitment to the development and implementation of the quality management system and continually improving its effectiveness by communicating the all in the Company the importance of meeting customer as well as statutory and regulatory requirements, by establishing the quality policy, by ensuring that quality objectives are established, by conducting management reviews and by ensuring the availability of resources.

• Ensures customer requirements are determined and are met with the aim of enhancing customer satisfaction.

• Ensures the quality policy is appropriate for the company, includes a commitment to comply with the requirements and continually improve the effectiveness of the quality management system, provides a framework for establishing and reviewing quality objectives and is reviewed for continuing suitability.

• Ensure quality objectives, including those needed to meet requirements for product, are established at relevant functions and levels within the company. The quality objectives are measurable and consistent with the quality policy.

• Ensure that the planning of the quality management system is carried out in order to meet the requirements of the quality management system, the quality objectives and ensure the integrity of the quality management system is maintained when changes are planned and implemented.

• Ensures that responsibilities and authorities are defined and communicated through the company.

• Have appointed a member of management who, irrespective of other responsibilities, has responsibility and authority to ensure that processes needed for the quality management system are established/implemented, for reporting to top management on the performance of the quality management system/any need for improvement and for ensuring the promotion of awareness of customer requirements throughout the organisation.

• Ensures that appropriate communication processes are established within the company and that communication takes place regarding the effectiveness of the quality management system.

• Reviews the quality management system, at planned intervals, to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. The review includes assessing opportunities for improvement and the need for changes to the quality management system, including the quality policy and quality objectives. Records of management reviews are maintained.

Input into the management review includes information on the results of audits, customer feedback, process performances and product conformity, the status of preventive and corrective actions, follow-up actions from previous management reviews, changes that could affect the quality management system and recommendations for improvement.

The output from the management review includes decisions and actions relating to the improvement of the effectiveness of the quality management system and its processes, improvements of product related customer requirements and resource needs.

QUALITY POLICY

7

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The Company: -

• Has determined and provides the resources needed to implement and maintain the quality management system, to continually improve its effectiveness and to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements.

• Ensures personnel performing work-affecting quality are competent based on appropriate education, training, skills and experience.

• Determine the necessary competence for personnel performing work affecting product quality, provide training or take other actions to satisfy those needs, evaluate the effectiveness of the actions taken, ensure that its personnel are aware of the relevance and importance of their activities and how they contribute to the achievement of the quality objectives and maintain appropriate records of education, training, skills and experience.

• Determines, provide and maintain the infrastructure needed to achieve conformity to product requirements. The infrastructure includes, as applicable, buildings, workspaces, associated utilities, process equipment and supporting services.

• Determines and manages the workspace needed to achieve conformity to product requirements.

• Plans and develops the processes needed for product realisation. This planning is consistent with the requirements of all other processes of the quality management system.

• In planning product realisation, determines, as appropriate, the quality objectives and requirements for the product; the need to establish processes, documents, and provide resources specific to the product; the required verification, validation, monitoring, inspection and test activities specific to the product and the criteria for product acceptance; and the records needed to provide evidence that the realisation processes and resulting product meet requirements. The output of this planning is in a form suitable for the company.

• Determines the requirements specified by the customer, including the requirements for delivery and post delivery activities, the requirements not stated by the customer but necessary for specified or intended use, where known, statutory and regulatory requirements related to the product and any additional requirements determined by the company.

• Reviews the requirements related to the product. The review is conducted prior to the company’s commitment to supply a product to the customer and ensures that the product requirements are defined, contract or order requirements differing from those previously expressed are resolved and that the company has the ability to meet defined requirements.

QUALITY POLICY

8

PRODUCT

The Responsibility for manufacture of the Kingspan TEK delivery system is undertook by Kingspan Insulation Ltd and is subject to Kingspan’s internal quality processes and audits.

Records of the results of the review and actions arising from the review are maintained.

Where product requirements are changed, the company ensures the relevant documents are amended and that relevant personnel are made aware of the changes.

The company determines and implements effective arrangements for communicating with customers in relation to product information, enquiries, contracts or order handling, including amendments and customer feedback, including customer complaints.

Kingspan Insulation plans and controls the design and development of products.

During the design and development planning, the company determines the design and development stages, the review/verification and validation that are appropriate to each design and development stage and the responsibilities and authorities for design and development.

The company manages the interfaces between different groups involved in design and development to ensure effective communication and clear assignment of responsibility.

Planning output is updated, as appropriate, as the design and development progresses.

Inputs relating to product requirements are determined and records maintained. The inputs include functional and performance requirements, applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, where applicable, information derived from pervious similar designs and other requirements essential for the design and development.

The inputs are reviewed for adequacy. Requirements will be complete, unambiguous and not in conflict with each other.

The outputs of design and development are provided in a form that enables verification against the design and development input and are approved before release.

Design and development outputs meet the requirements for design and development, provide appropriate information for purchasing/production/service provision, contain or reference product acceptance criteria and specify the characteristics of the product that are essential for its safe and proper use.

Verification is performed in accordance with planned arrangements to ensure the design and development outputs have met the design and development input requirements. Records of the results of the verification and any necessary actions are maintained.

QUALITY POLICY

9

PRODUCT REALISATION

Design and development validation is performed in accordance with planned arrangements to ensure that the resulting product is capable of meeting the requirements of the specified application or intended use, where known. Wherever practicable, validation is completed before the delivery or implementation of the product. Records of the results and any necessary actions are maintained.

Design and development changes are identified and records maintained. The changes are reviewed, verified and validated, as appropriate, and approved before implementation. The review of the design and development changes include evaluation of the changes on constituent parts and product already delivered. Records of the results of the review of changes and any necessary actions are maintained.

The company ensures purchased product conforms to specified purchase requirements. The type and extent of control applied to the supplier and the purchased product is dependent upon the effect of the purchased product on subsequent product realisation or the final product.

Purchasing information describes the product to be purchased, including where appropriate, the requirements for approval of product/procedures/processes/ equipment, the requirements for qualification of personnel and the quality management system requirements.

The company ensures adequacy of specified purchase requirements before their communication to the supplier.

The company establishes and implements the inspection or other activities necessary for ensuring that purchased product meets specified purchase requirements.

Where the company or its customer intends to perform verification at the supplier’s premises, the company states the intended verification and method of product release in the purchasing information.

The company plans and carries out production and service provision under controlled conditions. Where applicable, those controlled conditions include the availability of information that describes the characteristics of the product, the availability of work instructions, the use of suitable equipment, the availability and use of monitoring and measuring devices, the implementation of monitoring and measurement, and the implementation of release, delivery and post-delivery activities.

The company validates and processes for production and service provision where the resulting output cannot be verified by subsequent monitoring or measurement. This includes and processes where deficiencies become apparent only after the product is in use or the service has been delivered.

Validation demonstrates the ability of the processes to achieve planned results.

The company establishes arrangements for these processes including, as applicable a defined criteria for review and approval of the processes, approval of equipment and qualification of personnel, use of specific methods and procedures, the requirements for records, and revalidation.

Where appropriate, the company identifies the product by suitable means throughout product realisation. The company identifies the product status with respect to monitoring and measurement requirements.

Where traceability is a requirement, the company controls and records the unique identification of the product.

QUALITY POLICY

10

The company exercises care with customer property whilst it is under the control of the company or being used by the company. Customer property provided for use or incorporation into the product is identified, verified, protected and safeguarded. Any product lost, damaged or otherwise found to be unsuitable for use is recorded and reported to the customer.

The company preserves conformity of the product during internal processing and delivery to the intended destination. The preservation includes identification, handling, packaging, storage and protection. Preservation also applies to constituent parts of the product.

The company determines the monitoring and measurement to be undertaken and the monitoring and measuring devices needed to provide evidence of conformity of product to determined requirements.

The company have established processes to ensure that monitoring and measurement can be carried out and is carried out in a manner that is consistent with the monitoring and measurement requirements.

Where necessary to ensure valid results, the measuring equipment: - is calibrated or verified at specified intervals (or prior to use), against measurement standards traceable to international or national measurement standards; where no such standards exist, the basis used for calibration or verification is recorded – is adjusted or re-adjusted as necessary – is identified to enable calibration to be determined – is safeguarded from adjustments that would invalidate the measurement result – is protected from damage and deterioration during handling, maintenance and storage.

The company also assesses and records the validity of the previous measuring results when the equipment is found not to conform to requirements. The company takes appropriate action on the equipment and any product affected. Records of the results of calibration and verification are maintained.

When used in the monitoring and measurement of specified requirements, the ability of computer software to satisfy the intended application is confirmed. This is undertaken prior to initial use and reconfirmed as necessary.

QUALITY POLICY

11

MEASUREMENT, ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT

The company plans and implements the monitoring, measurement, analysis and improvement processes needed to demonstrate conformity of the product, to ensure conformity of the quality management system and to continually improve the effectiveness of the quality management system.

This includes determination of applicable methods, including statistical techniques, and the extent of their use.

As one of the measurements of the performance of the quality management system, the company monitors information relating to customer perception as to whether the company has met customer requirements. The methods for obtaining and using the information are determined.

The company conducts internal audits at planned interval to determine whether the quality management system conforms to planned arrangements and the quality management system requirements established by the company. The quality management system is deemed to be effectively planned and implemented.

An audit programme is planned, taking into consideration the status and importance of the processes and areas being audited, as well as the results of previous audits. The audit criteria, scope, frequency and methods are defined. Selection of auditors and conduct of auditors ensures objectivity and impartiality of the audit process. Auditors do not audit their own work.

The responsibilities and requirements for planning and conduction audits, and for reporting results and maintaining records are defined in a documented procedure.

The management responsible for the area being audited ensure that actions are taken without undue delay to eliminate detected non-conformities and their causes. Follow-up activities include verification of the actions taken and the reporting of verification results.

The company applies suitable methods for monitoring and, where applicable, measurement of the quality management system processes. These methods demonstrate the ability of the processes to achieve planned results. When planned results are not achieved correction and corrective action is taken, as appropriate, to ensure conformity of product.

The company monitors and measures the characteristics of the product to verify that product requirements have been met. This is carried out at suitable stages of the product realisation process in accordance with the planned arrangements.

Evidence of conformity with the acceptance criteria is maintained. Records indicate the person(s) authorising release of the product.

Product release and service delivery does not proceed until the planned arrangements have been satisfactorily completed, unless otherwise approved by a relevant authority and, where applicable, by the customer

The company ensures that product which does not conform to product requirements is identified and controlled to prevent its unintended use or delivery. The controls and related responsibilities and authorities for dealing with non-conforming product are defined in a documented procedure.

The company deal with non-conforming product in one or more of the following ways: - by taking action to eliminate the detected non-conformity – or by authorising its use, release or acceptance under concession by a relevant authority and, where applicable, by the customer – or by taking action to preclude its original intended use or application.

QUALITY POLICY

12

Records of the nature of non-conformities and any subsequent action taken, including concessions obtained, are maintained.

When non-conforming product is corrected, it is subject to re-verification to demonstrate conformity to requirements.

When non-conforming product is detected after delivery or use has started, the company takes action appropriate to the effects, or potential effects, of the non-conformity.

The company determines, collects and analyses appropriate data to demonstrate the suitability and effectiveness of the quality management system and to evaluate where continual improvement of the effectiveness of the quality management system can be made. This includes data generated as a result of monitoring and measurement and from other relevant sources.

The analysis of data provides information relating to customer satisfaction, conformity to product requirements, characteristics & trends of processes & products including opportunities for preventive action and suppliers.

The company continually improves the effectiveness of the quality management system through the use of the quality policy, quality objectives, audit results, analysis of data, corrective & preventive actions and management review.

The company takes appropriate action to eliminate the cause of non-conformities in order to prevent recurrence. The corrective actions are appropriate to the effects of the non-conformities encountered.

A documented procedure is established to define the requirements for reviewing non-conformities (including customer complaints), determining the causes of non-conformities, evaluating the need for action to ensure that non-conformities do not recur, determining and implementing action needed, recording results of action taken and reviewing corrective action taken.

The company determines action to eliminate the causes of potential non-conformities in order to prevent their occurrence. Preventive actions are appropriate to the effects of the potential problems.

A documented procedure is established to define the requirements for determining potential non-conformities & their causes, evaluating the need for action to prevent occurrence of non-conformities, determining & implementing action needed, recording the results of action taken and reviewing preventive action.