On 9 and 10 September, 2020 Iskraemeco completed the first remote audit of its production process. We are used to having audits in Iskraemeco but till now all were running in person.
On the first day of the audit, the Dutch buyer SMM audited the production preparation process for the SMR 5.2 project, which specifies completion of Milestone 3 as a precondition for the dispatch of the pilot series of smart meters featuring a new communications module LTE-M to four Dutch utilities. After the installation and trial run, we will be able to begin large-series production. The second day was scheduled for the audit of the production machinery and equipment, which was relocated in the period before and during the company’s annual summer shut-down. The buyer wanted to inspect the meter manufacturing process, new logistic routes and the overall organization of production facilities.
The audit was delivered via Microsoft Teams, partly from the conference room but mostly from the shop floor where we recorded and transmitted the entire auditing process using a mobile phone. The auditors in the Netherlands gave us instructions on what to record so that they were able to remotely check all the details needed. The remote audit was a novelty also for the Dutch team and in the end, they were extremely pleased with the transparent execution and stable IT connection.
Both audits were successfully completed, which proves that the challenges posed by the coronavirus crisis and related safety measures can be overcome with the help of modern online technologies.
And one “behind the scene” detail … our Dutch partners always bring their local speciality, Stroopwafel cookies, to the audit. Since they were unable to visit us in person, they sent the cookies by courier and we can say that the audit was difficult but also sweet.
