Industry Challenges
The Steel Industry is very mature dating back to 1854. Key to the industrial age, modern steel products are used today in a very wide range of applications by industries like automotive, appliance, shipbuilding, construction and packaging and transport. The biggest challenges to the steel industry have been key competition from alternative materials, global competition from within (including threats from third country producers), instability in raw materials sources and pricing, and an undeserved reputation for low tech and “dirty” products.
Since steel is the largest volume supplier in the world, it is also the largest industrial contributor of greenhouse gases in the world – thus there is tremendous pressure to reduce emissions. Fortunately, steel is easily recovered and recycled without loss of its intrinsic properties, which adds to its competitiveness and environmental benefits. In fact, steel is the most recycled material on earth,
Phoenix TEQ and Phoenix Services have been key allies of the Steel Industry. A common role is to outsource to Phoenix functions that support steelmaking, but are not intrinsic to their production processes. As an example, Phoenix TEQ provides expert resources to conduct quality assurance testing of raw materials, molten steel baths (prior to “fixing” the final steel chemistry), and of finished products prior to release to customers. These services yield tremendous cost and productivity benefits compared to the use of internal labor for the same services.
On-Site Testing, Engineering and Quality Services:
o Testing Services: On-site quality assurance testing for raw materials, BOF steelmaking operations, coating chemistry, thickness and integrity, and metallurgical properties of finished products.
o Engineering Services: Manufacturing process cost reduction, variation and waste reduction, and throughput improvement.
o Quality Services: On-site plant quality coordinators who oversee and manage quality system documentation to support operations and maintain ISO – TS certification.
o Safety Services: On-site plant safety coordinators who oversee safety systems, implement continuous improvements and maintain operational safety compliance records.
Quality SystemsExperts in ISO9001, ISO/TS16949, ISO14001, AS9100, ISO17025, ISO 13485, and Core Tools.
Quality System Development: to help you develop a quality system, improve your present system, prepare your organization for certification audits, conduct internal audits to measure effectiveness, identify improvement opportunities, write your department control plans & FMEA’s
Quality System Training: provide overview training of quality system standards and core tools.
Supplier Audits: audit suppliers to insure they follow their quality system prescriptions and are reliable suppliers, minimizing risk to your organization.
Supplier and Processor Containment Programs: we execute third party, Level 2 containment programs: insuring countermeasures are in place to prevent non-conforming materials to be released into the system, confirming broken systems are repaired, and validate that countermeasures are effective and the supplier / processor is reliable again.
Customer Application, Technical Services: Phoenix provides experts in stamping and sheet metal conversion processes, to assist in issues resolution and maintain positive customer relationships. The use of our experts in the customer arena is an effective strategy for minimizing employee cost / burden, while utilizing expertise that is not available from within. Core capabilities:
Metal Formability and Die Improvement Services: Circle Grid Analysis, Thickness Analysis, and Die Re-Engineering.
Contract CTS Representatives: Product inspection, defect analysis, claims resolution and containment support.
Materials Specification and Customer Product Qualification: Phoenix has the metallurgical expertise and OEM engineering knowledge to lead or assist in the materials qualification process. This includes working knowledge in the emerging field of Advanced High Strength Steels.
