What Our ISO 9001:2015 Recertification Means for You

ISO 9001:2015_Seacole

We’re recertified! Seacole recently upgraded its ISO certification to the enhanced 9001:2015 guidelines. Our upgraded certification bolsters our already strong quality management system, so we can continue to deliver a high-quality product and customer experience for you.

Our founder Gregg Elliott was featured in Enterprise Minnesota recently. He described the many benefits ISO certification bestowed on Seacole’s customers, employees, and bottom line:

Seacole, which has nearly 50 employees, buys chemical components and blends them into new products. It manufactures 2,000 products in its 85,000-square-foot facility. Its capabilities include creating chemical products for surface finishing, printed circuit boards, industrial cleaning, railroad and other transportation, agriculture, and laboratories.

Because Seacole deals with significant quantities of chemicals, it is highly regulated by numerous agencies, from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to the Department of Homeland Security. As the level of regulation continues to increase, many companies have started outsourcing their chemistry manufacturing to specialists like Seacole.

The manufacturer already has benefitted from this trend, and it will be compounded by Seacole’s ISO certification. Thanks to these factors and more, Seacole is on track to hit $35 million in revenue in three years, Elliott said.

Through the process, Seacole uncovered that it was making the same errors repeatedly. Obtaining ISO certification helped the manufacturer secure significant business from large customers like 3M and Dow, but it also prompted better workflow, reduced mistakes, and improved customer service, Elliott said.

“Incidents of both internal and customer complaints have gone way down since ISO was put in place,” he added. “And in this day of finding employees, I found this was a really good way to empower people. It gave them pride in the job they didn’t have before and it helps with retention of employees.”

Documenting our workflows and abiding by our ISO-certified processes helps the Seacole team deliver you a better experience, from sourcing and blending your products to support and advice once our products are in the field.

For more information on ISO certification or to get started on your order, contact Seacole today.


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Happy Anniversary, Seacole!

Did you know that Seacole is celebrating its 15-year anniversary? It’s true! In 2002, our CEO and owner Gregg Elliott founded Seacole and acquired Circuit Research Corporation (CRC) to offer exceptional chemical solutions for surface finishers and printed circuit board manufacturers. Here’s a look at our work over the past 15 years and a sneak peek at the exciting things happening at Seacole in 2018.

The First Five Years: 2002-2007

After founding Seacole, Gregg Elliott acquired his first company, CRC, to build a powerful chemical manufacturing and distribution organization. Over the next five years, Seacole-CRC expanded its offerings to include chemistries for metal finishing, semiconductor fabrication, lab analysis, personal care, and food and pharmaceutical manufacturing. In 2007, Seacole-CRC purchased C&H Chemical to expand Seacole’s industrial cleaning offerings and reach national clients including Northwest Airlines and Burlington Northern Railroad. We also expanded our custom blending capabilities to serve more customers.

A Move to Plymouth

By 2009, it had become apparent that we could improve our efficiency and productivity by consolidating our two locations down to one. That year, Seacole-CRC moved into a new building in Plymouth, Minnesota, just west of Minneapolis. This remains our facility today, and houses both our sales and office staff and our warehouse and production team.

Earning ISO Certification

In 2015, Seacole became ISO 9001:2008 certified. The certification process helped us create and implement business operations systems that keep our processes efficient and productive. Being ISO certified is a badge of honor and tells potential customers that Seacole’s one of the best-run chemical manufacturers and distributors in the industry.

A Look at What’s Ahead for 2018

This year, we look forward to starting the process to update our ISO certification to the 9001:2015 guidelines. This February, we’ll attend the IPC Apex Expo in San Diego to learn all about the latest technologies and innovations in the printed circuit board industry. You’ll see us in June for the NASF SUR/FIN® conference in Cleveland.

As always, we’ll continue to partner with the most trusted chemical manufacturers to provide our customers the surface finishing, printed circuit board, and industrial cleaning solutions they need to keep their own facilities working optimally. If you have a specific challenge you need to solve in 2018, contact the Seacole team today.


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