Noel Walter

Owner, NDW Associates, Murrells Inlet, SC, USA

Noel D. Walter is a Management System Professional, specializing in the development and implementation of Quality and Environmental Management Systems that truly add value to your organization.

As a Registered Lead Assessor, Noel has been responsible for verifying organizations’ conformance to international standards including IATF16949, ISO 9001, and ISO14001 for two of the largest certification bodies in the world. In addition, he is a Certified Quality Auditor, Senior Member of the American Society of Quality, and past participating Member of the US Technical Advisory Group TC176, i.e. the US voice on international standards development. Noel has helped numerous companies in various industries in the achievement of international standards recognition.

His focus is primarily in the Automotive industry, but likewise in the Aerospace, Cosmetic, Metal Working, Packaging, Paper, and Plastics industries. Noel provides QMS and EMS training and consulting services for many consulting and training organizations.

How to Maintain an Effective IATF 16949 QMS

How to maintain an effective QMS that meets the requirements of the IATF16949 standard without breaking the bank.

There is an effective and efficient method that truly adds value to the organization and then there is the long-drawn-out method that drives top management nuts. It’s almost as if you are serving 2 customers.

The OE and the IAOB. You don’t want to get on the wrong side of either one of them. Getting placed on some OE’s “special status” and/or being subjected to an IAOB witness audit is never fun. I know I’ve been there done that numerous times and I never failed to get my client out of hot water. The secret is how to avoid these situations all together.

It takes someone who’s very familiar with the automotive industry and knows how the IATF and IAOB works to show you how it’s done. I’ve conducted literally 100’s of IATF16949 3rd party audits over the past 20 plus years for all the top 10 tier 1 suppliers.

When not auditing I was assisting companies with the implementation of their QMS. Including providing all the required training that goes along with it. I’d like to share my experiences with those that are faced with these challenges and hopefully help them avoid the unnecessary non-value-added labor that burdens so many automotive suppliers.