Managing documents: LTV Copperweld sorts it out

Outdated approaches to document management may be standing in the way rather than improving quality systems for some companies, but not for LTV Copperweld.

The large, multi-site manufacturer of mechanical and structural tubing has turned to updated, efficient electronic methods to make a difference in its compliance procedures and overall quality of its output.

LTV Copperweld depends on Quality Workbench Professional

LTV Copperweld depends on Quality Workbench Professional from PQ Systems as it pursues its goal of establishing a high caliber quality system, according to Mark Belmonte, Quality Workbench administrator and metallurgist for LTV Copperweld.

With increasing attention to ISO 9000 and other standards compliance, companies are finding that enhanced control of documents and responses to customer events is critical. Technology can improve speed, efficiency, and accuracy in ways that dated manual systems cannot.

Modular design allows LTV Copperweld to move to paperless system

The modular makeup of Quality Workbench has allowed LTV Copperweld to move to an efficient paperless system. The company uses the Document Control module, as well as the Audits, Nonconformities, and Training modules. "Quality Workbench has been instrumental in eliminating endless paper trails as well as inaccuracies or redundancies in documents," Belmonte says.

LTV Copperweld began its journey toward certification two years ago, when Blaine Hyde took over as quality manager and led a move toward ISO 9001 compliance. Quality Workbench has saved the company a "tremendous amount of time" since Hyde began the effort, according to Belmonte. "Quality Workbench has greatly reduced the amount of time it would have taken us to establish a document control system," he adds. Currently, more than 900 documents are in the system.

Improve quality system saves time

In addition to the time savings generated by the improved quality system, teams have been working to improve quality, reduce scrap, and reduce the incidence of downgraded products throughout the company.

LTV Tubular Products Company, Welded Tube Company, and Copperweld Corporation combined to form LTV Copperweld. Its parent company, LTV Corporation, with headquarters in Pittsburgh, employs more than 15,000, and has plants in Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois, Ontario, and Manitoba, as well as in Telford, United Kingdom. LTV Copperweld is the largest steel tubing company in North America. It employs 3,500 people and operates 23 manufacturing facilities.

Production capabilities of LTV Copperweld span the range of steel tube and pipe products, including seamless, drawn-over-mandrel, as-welded mechanical tubing, structural tubing, stainless tubing, pressure tubing, steel conduit, and pipe.