Committed to Western’s Quality Advantage
Craftsmanship Endures
Since 1915, Western’s goal has been to provide masonry, concrete and waterproofing solutions to stand the test of time. Our unrivaled standards mean our customers can count on Western as a reliable, long-term partner that produces outstanding work every time.
Today, quality is a frequently over-used term that, in many instances, has lost its impact. At Western, it is truly our passion. Our Quality Program is a reflection of our deep-seated commitment to unsurpassed customer satisfaction.
It’s in Our Culture
For nearly a century, Western has considered quality a cornerstone of our organization. It’s woven into the fabric of our daily work lives — integrated into every activity and process. It is the foundation of a healthy, long-term relationship with our customers and an internal source of pride. Bottom line, quality is good for business.
Value Proposition
Superior quality is not just a catch phrase at Western, it’s measured in tangible benefits to our customers by:
- Eliminating rework (we get it right the first time)
- Extending the useful life of structures and reducing unexpected maintenance
- Completing projects on time, within budget
- Better documentation, clarifying expectations and minimizing surprises
- Testing and verifying to ensure expected results
For Owners – Our passionate pursuit for quality translates into durable, long-lasting results that maximizes value to building owners. Our solutions address underlying problems, not just symptoms. Plus, thorough planning not only delivers superior results, but it also ensures that tenants’ comfort is carefully considered and disruptions to their daily routines are minimized.
For Consultants – Our robust documentation keeps the clients of our architectural and engineering partners well-informed and minimizes the need for subsequent change orders. Western’s Quality Program ensures their clients’ satisfaction is kept high and that expectations are clearly communicated and surpassed. This makes everyone’s job easier.
For Facility Managers – It’s common that timetables and budgets are tight, leaving little room for errors or delays. Our well-documented and implemented quality process ensures that both criteria are met. Plus, quality execution assures that building occupants are inconvenienced as little as possible.
For General Contractors – Value is at the intersection of Price and Quality. Our program addresses both components by reducing unnecessary costs and delivering lasting, durable results. Additionally, our tough quality standards ensure that everyone’s reputation is maintained at the highest level.
In short, Western’s Quality Program was designed and developed with the explicit goal of adding measurable value to our customers.
Program Overview
Western’s Quality Program is documented in the Quality Assurance and Quality Control Policy and Procedures manual. This multi-section manual details the specifics of our program and illustrates:
- Clearly defined roles and responsibilities
- Well established document control
- Detailed proposal preparation, project set-up and process controls
- Strict guidelines on purchasing and material controls
- Robust verification, inspection and testing protocols
- Specific guidance in the identification of non-conforming actions and the necessary corrective procedures
Program Highlights
Highlights of Western’s Quality Program include:
- Site Specific Quality Control Program (SSQCP) prepared for each project
- Quality Control Inspection Sheets, customized for each specific job
- A Quality Control Supervisor (QCS) assigned to each project to ensure overall quality compliance
- All materials inspected to ensure conformance with project requirements before being released for use
- A series of well-defined tests and inspections before, during and after construction to verify that all items conform to stated project requirements
- A complete set of all documents required for the proper execution of work to be maintained on site
Industry Best Practices
Western’s Quality Program was derived from some of the best practices across a range of industries, including:
Lean – While Lean is most often thought of in a manufacturing context, the principles can be applied in service industries as well. Western has incorporated many Lean principles in the form of improving total quality, eliminating waste, reducing project time, ensuring consistency and decreasing overall costs.
ISO – The ISO standards provide an excellent framework for the design and development of total quality programs. Western’s documentation of the Quality Assurance and Quality Control Programs strives to comply with the ISO 9002 Quality Systems. The ultimate objective of our QC/QA Program is to comply fully or surpass the quality standards established by ISO 9002.
Six Sigma – Six Sigma is also most often associated with manufacturing processes. That said, Western has applied the same principles to develop:
- A clear focus on achieving measurable and quantifiable financial benefits
- An increased emphasis on strong and passionate leadership and support
- A clear commitment to making decisions on the basis of verifiable data
- Continuous efforts to achieve stable and predictable process results