NPCA Plant Certification program offers many benefits to plants, customers, owners and the industry

Evolution is necessary for advancement. In every industry, achieving success means embracing innovation and possessing an insatiable desire for continual progress.

This can be accomplished in a variety of ways: rigorous training techniques for employees, the adoption and deployment of advanced technology or the rollout of new products and services that solve complex problems.

The precast concrete industry is a prime example of an industry embracing evolution. While the strong, resilient nature of manufactured concrete products has remained consistent through time, the world’s most versatile building material has improved over the years thanks to new production techniques, novel admixtures and mix designs, and an increasingly high set of standards.

At the center of many of these advancements is the NPCA Plant Certification program, which delivers myriad benefits to producers, DOTs and the entire precast concrete industry.

Setting the standard

In 1987, NPCA launched its Plant Certification program to increase the quality of precast concrete products and offer industry stakeholders a means of verifying that quality.

“Our program offers an independent look at plants,” said Phil Cutler, P.E., director of quality assurance programs at NPCA. “It levels the playing field for the industry.”

Plants seeking certification submit an application to NPCA, then work with a third-party auditor to schedule an initial audit. During the audit the plant’s performance is assessed on various factors, including product quality, documentation, production procedures, management and more. If the plant obtains an overall score of 80% or higher and at least 75% in the critical sections, certification is awarded. Maintaining certification requires consistent performance at a high level. Plants undergo additional unannounced audits annually.

NPCA is dedicated to raising the bar on its certification program. In recent years, the scoring system was changed to reflect this through the concept of continuous improvement, which is defined in the NPCA Quality Control Manual for Certified Precast Plants as “an ongoing effort to improve products, services or processes.” Some examples include a documented rearrangement of the production floor based on a new product line or workflow, or improving efficiency through a facility expansion. Currently, plants can only achieve a 100% score during an audit by participating in continuous improvement.

The NPCA Plant Certification program is backed by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), having earned accreditation in 2012 to meet the requirements of ISO/IEC 17065:2012 – Conformity assessment. It is unique in the industry as the only process-focused certification in concrete. As such, it brings tremendous value to participating plants, including enhanced market credibility, improved customer satisfaction and increased revenue.

“Since the program was introduced, it’s made the entire industry better,” said Jon Ohmes, CEO at Champion Precast of Troy, Missouri, and former NPCA Board Chair. “It’s held us all up to a higher standard.”

Benefiting everyone 

The wide-reaching nature of the Plant Certification program helps ensure that precast concrete products continue to be manufactured to a high standard across the industry. According to Cutler, more than 400 NPCA producer member plants are certified. This represents approximately 2/3 of the association’s producer plant membership. With so many plants involved in producing high-quality products, precast continues to build its competitive advantage over other building materials.

In many cases, precasters obtain NPCA Plant Certification to open the door to certain types of DOT work. Eighty percent of U.S. DOTs recognize the program across an expansive range of products, from reinforced concrete pipe and box culverts to lift stations, manholes and beyond. On DOT-led projects, the certified plant benefits from having the opportunity to secure the work, while the DOT benefits from the guarantee of a building material that will meet and often exceed their needs.

Even on projects where certified products are not required, certification still delivers.

“Plant certification is something that we can point to on all projects,” said Drew Wieser, vice president at Wieser Concrete Products and the current chair of the NPCA Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Committee. “It helps indicate to whoever we are working with that they will receive a high-quality product.”

Wieser further explained that obtaining certification can also lead to career development pathways for team members. With a rigorous set of standards to work toward, production floor employees at certified plants must enhance their level of performance. This ultimately leads to tighter operations along with more career opportunities for your team.

“Adhering to the program offers employees the opportunity for education and professional development not just with us but also within the industry as a whole,” Wieser said. “Plus, being certified shows our team members, customers and community that we are committed to operational excellence and quality.”

Improving every year

NPCA’s Plant Certification Program is constantly evolving. This is because the QA/QC Committee reviews its standards annually to ensure that certification evolves alongside ever-changing technology. Each year, the QA/QC Committee convenes during NPCA Committee Week to discuss how changes within the precast concrete industry affect plant certification.

“When we sit down at Committee Week, we go through every single chapter of the Quality Control Manual,” Cutler said. “We break into groups and look at all the requirements to make sure that our language is up to date with current industry standards and technology – that’s really the elevator for the program.”

One important adjustment has changed how the group conducts their review. In the past, the Committee consisted entirely of producer and associate members. But after the program earned ANAB accreditation, voting and non-voting DOT members were required to be a part of the mix. The result is an even more representative committee that considers adjustments to the program from additional perspectives.

According to Wieser, the QA/QC Committee also considers commentary from the wider NPCA membership – including both certified and non-certified plants – about additional changes that could be made to improve the program. Ohmes noted his appreciation for this.

“NPCA does a fantastic job reviewing the program each year and updating it to address current needs,” he said. “It’s not like they just made the program and are sitting on it. They’re always tweaking it to make it better.”

As Cutler explained, the QA/QC Committee’s philosophy is to “raise the bar on quality for the industry every single year.” By doing so, the NPCA Plant Certification program remains a dynamic force within the industry.

High quality, high performance

Since launching in 1987, the NPCA Plant Certification program has helped make precast concrete the building material of choice in the construction industry. Today, it functions as the linchpin of the industry’s continued evolution and success, providing architects, engineers, precasters and DOTs with the assurance of high-quality products that power high-performing projects.

Thanks to an endless quest for improvement among NPCA, the QA/QC Committee and the wider membership, the plant certification program is the key to unlocking continued success for all who choose to take advantage of it.

For more info, visit precast.org/certification.