Product quality and safety

Consistent level of quality

Part of GNFK StartThe company ensures and improves the quality of its products and processes with a variety of tools: All Schaeffler Group production sites¹⁾ have certified management systems in accordance with globally recognized quality standards and regulations. The company has successfully implemented the requirements of the following certification-relevant standards in all Schaeffler plants concerned worldwide:

• IATF 16949:2016 quality management system (automotive industry standard)
• ISO/TS 22163 quality management system (with specific requirements for the application of ISO 9001:2015 in the railway sector)
• SAE AS 9100D:2016-09-20 quality management systems (requirements for aerospace and defense organizations)
• ISO 9001:2015 quality management system (industry standard)

The conformity of the products, systems, and processes is periodically checked and confirmed at the affected locations by way of internal and external audits. In 2020, product liability cases²⁾ were able to be avoided thanks to the standard company processes and the integrated product safety management system that was introduced.Part of GNFK End

“Quality for Tomorrow” initiative

Part of GNFK StartTo guarantee maximum quality, the Schaeffler Group has launched the “Quality for Tomorrow” initiative at executive level as part of the program for the future “Agenda 4 plus One”. To ensure that both products and processes are free from errors, the following priorities have been set:

• Continuous improvement of products and services in the core business
• Constant improvement of the quality management system as well as manufacturing and business processes
• Preventive measures in product development through product safety assessments on products selected according to the risk-based approach defined in IATF 16949

The projects of the “Quality for Tomorrow” initiative were transferred to the corresponding line organizations and completed in the reporting year.Part of GNFK End

High standards in product safety

Part of GNFK StartProduct safety is an essential quality characteristic for industrial plants and transport systems. The company would like to guarantee this safety with standardized and audited processes.

The Schaeffler Group’s product safety representatives are trained in a combination of online and classroom training sessions. In addition, annual industry-related product safety days were introduced to provide automotive professionals and managers with the opportunity to chat with NGOs, authorities, and governmental organizations. The meetings serve to make product safety and conformity processes even more reliable. The product safety days were taken over by the VDA and continued on a cross-national level. The VDA established a working group of OEM and supplier representatives to further develop the issues of product safety, integrity and conformity under the direction of Schaeffler product safety and using the holistic approach developed by the Schaeffler Group. Within the Schaeffler Group, the product safety and conformity representative (PSCR) network and a lessons-learned process for each topic ensure implementation of the findings of external working groups for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of product safety management.

The Schaeffler Group is committed to ensuring brand protection and to fighting product piracy in an effort to further increase product safety for its customers. The brand protection strategy aims to force counterfeits out of the market worldwide – especially on civil and criminal-law measures. The company is also focusing on increasing market participant awareness and knowledge about this topic. In addition, the Schaeffler Group supports its authorized resellers with training courses, authentication offers, and in-house trade fairs. These measures also serve to minimize product liability risk for counterfeit products through product monitoring.Part of GNFK End

1) According to the scope of the Schaeffler Group’s management manual and valid certification rules.

2) Product liability cases (pursuant to product liability law) are claims by end users against Schaeffler for compensation for damage that occurred to the end user as the result of a safety-related
product defect.