Editorial
Written by: Tom Isonhood
Dear Readers,
Welcome to our summer edition of FOCUS, a magazine that profiles quality at Ergon. With this issue, we hope to provide you an update on some of the new things ongoing within our company and other information that shows how quality continues to be a way of life here at Ergon.
Last year, our company successfully worked through the many challenges brought on by the current economic crisis by taking the necessary actions to position the company to handle slower markets. Ergon also had unexpected opportunities to open up new markets for our products.
This issue features articles on various topics, including Ergon’s Financial Controls Department; Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc., lease terminals; the use of aromatic replacement oils in the tire industry; how business process management tools and methodologies might help with process management; and a new type of quality audit recently implemented that focuses on improving Ergon business processes. Besides providing an awareness of various aspects of our company, some of these articles explore the theme of building quality and continual improvement in our day-to-day work activities.
Our commitment to the Ergon Quality Management System (QMS) helps our company to remain competitive and perform consistently.
Congratulations to the employees of Ergon – Baton Rouge, Inc.; Ergon – Knoxville, Inc.; and Lion Oil Trading & Transportation, Inc., for successfully obtaining their compliance certificates for the Ergon QMS. Lion Oil Company will complete their QMS implementation this year and be scheduled to receive a compliance audit later this year. Ergon Refining, Inc., is continuing implementation work for their environmental management system based on the ISO 14001:2004 quality standard. Thank you all for your commitment to quality and the dedication you’ve shown to attain these management systems.
Don’t forget this publication is available in a limited print edition. The print editions are available upon request.
Our department manages this publication for the employees of Ergon. We always welcome contributors–please let us know if you would like to contribute an update about your organization. Let us hear from you–we appreciate knowing what our readers find worthwhile and interesting. E-mail us at synergy.focus@ergon.com.
Have a good summer!
