Quality Management

KITZ's quality assurance system is unmatched in the industry. In 1989, after the Company's engineering and manufacturing facilities fully implemented the just-in-time production methodology, which is internally named KITZ Innovation and Challenge System or "KICS" in short, the facilities were audited by Bureau Veritas Quality International of London and accorded official certification as being in conformance with ISO 9001 requirements. As the only internationally recognized quality standard, the requirements had been established in 1987 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to evaluate quality assurance systems in design, development, production, installation, and servicing operations. KITZ won the distinction of being the first Japanese valve manufacturer to receive the ISO 9001 certificate.

Comprehensive Control and Testing
KITZ's major quality assurance efforts include control of such items as documents, procurement of materials, production processes, test and inspections, calibration of tools and equipment, nonconforming products, corrective actions for nonconformance, and education and training of employees.

Through all foundry operations and machining processes, the Company uses the most stringent test and inspection procedures available to ensure that materials, products, and performance meet all the existing applicable test standards. At the final stage of the assembly process, KITZ valves are subjected to 100% pressure tests to ensure reliability under extreme operations. Different valve performance test -- such as piping load, pressurized steam injection, blow-off, torsional, durability, fire-safe, and cryogenic tests -- are all conducted in-house, with standards that often surpass those set by regulatory authorities.

Environmental Friendliness in Quality Management and Valve Engineering
The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the most significant environmental legislation ever enacted in the United States, alerted the world valve industry to the need for reducing hazardous air pollutants emitted from plant equipment. KITZ responded quicker than any other company in its commitment to the development of ultra-low emission valves. The valves KITZ now offers for the 100 ppm maximum emission standard feature stringently controlled precision components and patented emission-free SEALEVER® packing sets. Every shipment of KITZ valves must first pass the demanding KITZ QA standards before it is ever allowed to leave the plant.