Importance of a NADCAP Certification

For a company that began in a small garage, we’ve certainly come a long way in receiving a NADCAP certification.

For more than half a century, Midwest Metal Products has provided outstanding metal fabrication services to customers across the globe. Major industries—including aerospace, electronics, and the medical field—trust our quality, precision, and excellent customer service. We’re pleased to be a preferred provider for these high-profile fields.

In 2016, we received a new and important aerospace certification.

What is NADCAP Certification?

Established in 1990, the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program—or NADCAP—is a special designation for companies who work in the aerospace industry. After a thorough audit and a strict review of our standards and practices, industry professionals chose Midwest Metal Products to be NADCAP certified. We are happy to add this designation to our list of long accomplishments.

To seek conformity, experts from industry and government help define a standardized approach to quality to reduce supplier audits and lower costs.

According to the NADCAP website: The mission is to “provide international, unbiased, independent manufacturing process and product assessments and certification services for the purpose of adding value, reducing total cost, and facilitating relationships between primes and suppliers.”

Becoming certified

In order to become certified, Midwest Metal was thoroughly vetted and passed inspections regarding resistance welding, chemical processing, and wet paint coatings. We also displayed our skills in measuring, testing, calibrating, and documentation. We learned our processes were sound and we passed with flying colors.

This is the flowchart showing a typical NADCAP audit:

What a NADCAP Certification Tells You

The goal of the industry-managed program is to ensure quality and standardized methods of doing business. Auditors for NADCAP typically have more than 30 years of experience in their field. Among other assurances, NADCAP certification:

Guarantees solid industry standards
Improves product quality
Boosts customer satisfaction
Ensures the implementation of best practices
Lowers prices through improved standardization
Results in fewer audits

Advantages of a NADCAP Certification

According to research by the non-profit Performance Review Institute (PRI) in 2010:

85% of suppliers reported a quality improvement in the certified areas
69% of stakeholders believed that certification contributes to the aerospace industry’s safety record
60% of suppliers felt accreditation improved their standardization metrics
54% of suppliers said NADCAP certification helped boost their sales and gain new business
Nearly a third reported that participation in NADCAP reduced their scrap rates

Accreditation from NADCAP provides yet another way to show our clients that our standards and processes are top-of-the-line. We plan to become active members and attend programs, training, and conferences.

At Midwest Metal Products, we look forward to another 50 years of providing precision metal fabrication products worldwide. We are pleased to be recognized through a NADCAP certification for our focus on quality.