Why ISO certifications improve tennis court quality
Laykold is the only ISO certified court surface made in the USA, Australia and Europe
Processes drive excellence for Grand Slam players and their courts
‘What’s the best way of doing this?’
This is the question that the International Organization for Standardization or ISO was created to answer. In its most simple terms, only the companies who can answer this question through demonstrable processes which are independently audited, can achieve this world-recognised mark of quality and trust.
Processes are repeatable actions that lead to excellence. Players at the US Open use them to achieve excellence. Laykold, which is made in ISO certified facilities in the USA, Australia and Germany, is the only court manufacturer to use the same commitment in our manufacturing processes across three continents to achieve a proven elite level serve after serve.
The process of achieving ISO certification and the value it drives is multifaceted. Here we explore what certification really means and why it matters to tennis.
“ISO 9001 accreditation means Laykold consistency is achieved by following proven processes. This removes the risk of variation and provides product consistency.”
Guaranteed Quality, Safety, Efficiency
As a non-governmental, not-for-profit, body, the ISO pools expertise from a wide range of proprietary, industrial and commercial standard organizations to develop global standards. The international standards it develops give independent, world-class specifications for services and systems to ensure quality, safety and efficiency.
Continual Improvement
In order to achieve certification, companies need to commit to the standards set by the ISO and the management systems needed to meet these standards. This is verified via independent third-party audits and the process is thorough and continual.
Companies with the certification cannot rest on their laurels. They are routinely audited to ensure ongoing compliance with the defined standards and as those standards evolve and the bar is raised, organizations must upgrade their processes and re-certify to the latest version of the standard.
ISO certification, therefore, isn’t a one-off tick-box exercise. It isn’t just a nice proof point for the marketing team to communicate. It ensures that quality is part of a company’s DNA – from its planning to its performance evaluation and everything in between.
“The ISO 14001 environmental standard helps organizations to find solutions to the big global challenges surrounding environmental stewardship.”
Laykold is made with the most advanced processes in the world
Laykold is manufactured by Sport Group’s manufacturing divisions, Advanced Polymer Technology (APT) in Australia and Pennsylvania, USA and by Polytex in Germany.
These facilities meet ISO 9001 Quality Management and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems standards. But what does this actually mean?
ISO 9001 - A Mark of Quality
ISO 9001 accreditation means Laykold consistency is achieved by following proven processes. This removes the risk of variation and provides product consistency.
Our ISO procedures require us to:
Adhere to ISO accredited manufacturing with strict control on process, formulation, and approved suppliers
Carry out 100% final inspection and testing on all batches of product according to strict acceptance criteria before the product can be packaged and distributed
Quality control checking includes color (delta E), viscosity, specific gravity, % solids, pH, and physical properties
Assign specific batch numbers to products for traceability of the batch and its documentation
ISO 14001 – A Mark of Sustainability
The ISO 14001 environmental standard helps organizations to find solutions to the big global challenges surrounding environmental stewardship. Combined with the Quality Management System certification, it enables transparency about products and best practices for limiting their impacts. Our ISO 14001 certification means that we are able to:
minimize how our operations negatively affect the environment
comply with and go beyond applicable laws, regulations, and other environmentally oriented requirements
continually improve our environmental practices and technology
Processes you can trust. Value that’s guaranteed
Our ISO certifications amount to a non-negotiable commitment to providing tennis with the most reliable and effective products and services and the best value every time, while promoting environmentally conscious practices throughout our operations.
The value this generates is multi-layered:
Financial
The life-span of our products is greater due to the highest quality standards allowing us to offer the longest warranties in the industry and the associated long-term financial efficiencies to customers
Environmental
Our processes and products are the most sustainable in the court industry and lower the cost to the environment
Player Welfare
Greater operational and product consistency provides better court performance and improved player welfare and safety
Our certifications demonstrate a commitment to greater transparency, responsibility, safety and quality which matches and amplifies the values and requirements of our customers and stakeholders, including the US Open. Certification carries a transferable reputational value.