Quality Professional Interview Roger Alvarez – Quality Control Specialist at Mapei Corporation MERCER UNIVERSITY School of Engineering Lucas Meyer ISE 428 / ETM 591 – Quality Engineering Dr. Joan A. Burtner, Certified Quality Engineer

INTRODUCTION

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND MAPEI – “Materiali Ausiliari Per l’Edilizia e l’Industria”, Italian for “Auxiliary Materials for Construction and Industrial”. Founded in 1937 by Rodolfo Squinzi in Milan, MAPEI opened as a family business with a three-person workforce providing interior and exterior paints and masonry repair products. Specialization became a hallmark of this company. Expanding their products MAPEI is now headed by Dr. Giorgio Squinzi, industrial chemistry graduate and Rodolfo’s son. Rodolfo Squinzi

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND In 1983, Nicholas Di Tempora, a business man from Canada, partnered with Dr. Squinzi to create MAPEI Corp. in the United States. The company today is the world’s leader in the manufacture specialty products for the building industry like mortars and adhesives, concerned with the environment and R&D. MAPEI logo

CONTACT PERSON BACKGROUND Interviewee Information Name: Roger J. Alvarez, MIBA, CSSGB Company: MAPEI Corporation Position at the Company: Quality Control Specialist Interviewee Professional Background Bachelor, Industrial Engineering – Mercer University (2002 – 2006) MBA, Int. Business Administration – Nova Southeastern University (2007 – 2009) Quality Control Manager Standard Concrete Products (May 2006 – May 2007) MAPEI (April 2009 – December 2012) Quality Control Specialist – MAPEI (2013 – present)

INTERVIEW

The interviewer got permission to publish all the questions and answers from Mr. Alvarez in all the vehicles related to this project, the report document and slides presentations. The interview is constituted by 21 questions divided in two sections: Corporate Philosophy Questions – related with the philosophy of the company towards quality. Quality Methodology Questions – related to the practical and tools that the company uses to assure quality in their products.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY QUESTIONS Does your company's mission statement mention quality? R: Yes. It states that MAPEI Americas is fully committed to maintaining a high level of quality in all its activities, within an environment that has health and safety as a first priority, and is focused on customers and on the implementation of sustainability initiatives, and that fosters continuous improvement. Does your company's mission statement mention customer service? R: Yes. Customer is a key driver to our success.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY QUESTIONS Does the company have a separate quality mission statement? R: Yes. We have a separate Quality Policy. Does the company have a written quality plan? If so, where is it located? R: We have written Quality principles that are available through all facilities (Lunch rooms, cafeteria, and conference rooms). In your organization, who is responsible for quality? R: Everyone is responsible for quality. From CEO and Leadership team to a floor level operator, everyone has an impact to the quality of our process and products.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY QUESTIONS What are some job titles that relate to quality in your company? What is the educational background for these positions? R: Quality Control Technician I/II/III – High School Diploma Quality Control Supervisor – High School Diploma and minimum of 5 year supervisory experience. Quality Control Manager – Bachelor in Science with a minimum of 2 years of Experience. Quality Control Specialist - Bachelor in Science with a minimum of 2 years of Experience. Six Sigma and ASQ certification is required. Corporate Quality Control Manager - Bachelor in Science with a minimum of 7-10 years of Experience. Six Sigma and ASQ certification is required. Quality Management Specialist - College Degree with 3 years of experience in quality management or certificate with 1 year of experience in quality management. Quality Assurance Management – College Degree with 7-10 years of experience. ASQ certification required.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY QUESTIONS How does your organization define quality? R: Quality is defined as degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfill requirements. How do you train/educate your employees concerning quality issues? R: We have a non-conformity process in which quality issues are investigated, root causes are identified and corrective actions are implemented. For each of the quality issues, several training takes place among departments and employees relates to how this issue occurs and what we are doing in order to mitigate and avoid reoccurring.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY QUESTIONS How do your customers influence your quality program? R: We follow Voice of the Customer to make decisions. Has your company ever applied for or earned a national quality award or certification? (Baldrige Award, ISO 9000, CMMI, Other?) R: Yes. MAPEI Corporation is certified as ISO 9001 across North America and six of our facilities have been certified as ISO Do government regulations have a large impact on your quality procedures? R: Our products are not regulated by the government; however, several of our quality procedures are lined up with ISO standards and ASTM regulations.

QUALITY METHODOLOGY QUESTIONS Do you routinely collect data on the quality of your product or process? Do you use statistics to analyze the data collected? R: Yes. We collect data in the daily basis. We collect data for each property of our final product. We collect raw material delivery for accuracy. We collect final product weigh to be in compliance with NIST. We collect and analyze data to evaluate process capability Cpk, normal distribution, control charts, etc. Do you use control charts? If so, what processes are charted? R: Control charts are constantly used in our data analysis. We use it in out packaging process, quality specifications process among others.

QUALITY METHODOLOGY QUESTIONS What kind of quality reporting techniques do you use? Who generates the reports? Who sees the reports? R: Run Charts, Histograms, Control Charts, Process Capability Analysis, Time charts are some of the quality reporting techniques used in MAPEI. It is generated by group leaders and quality employees. Everyone in the company could read the reports. What kind of quality/process control software do you use (Excel, generic SPC, proprietary, etc)? R: Excel is mainly used for data collection and simple analysis. SPC for Excel and Minitab is mainly used for more sophisticated data collection and analysis.

QUALITY METHODOLOGY QUESTIONS How do you monitor incoming materials and/or your suppliers? R: We have a procedure in place that requires testing properties of incoming raw material as well as certificate of Analysis or Certificate of Compliance. Everyone incoming material is tested before it is used to make final product. Do you use acceptance sampling methods? If so, what standards are they based on? Who designs the plan? R: Yes, we use sampling by variable and by attribute depending of the situation. Final products are usually samples by sampling sequence. What percentage of your product is scrapped or reworked? R: 0.38%

QUALITY METHODOLOGY QUESTIONS Has your organization ever issued a product recall? If so, please identify the product and the date of the recall. R: Yes. The non-conformity process requires recalling any product that is found non-conformity during the testing process or technical service complaint. The last product recall was a self- leveler/underlayment and it was done on Dec Does your organization follow Six Sigma or Lean Sigma quality methodologies for process improvement? R: No. We do not have a requirement to follow Six Sigma quality methodologies; however, most of our Quality managers are certified or familiar with this methodology and they are put in practice very often. DMAIC, PDCA, Root Cause analysis, among others are frequently used.

QUALITY METHODOLOGY QUESTIONS Are employees encouraged to obtain quality credentials such as Certified Quality Engineer or Six Sigma Black Belt? R: Yes. Quality Managers, supervisors and technicians are encouraged to obtain Six Sigma certification (Any level) and ASQ certifications. Quality Managerial level are encouraged and/or required to obtain CQE certification.

DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION

DISCUSSION MAPEI has been devoted to ensure the quality of its products and services to meet customers’ needs. The company instructs their employers in an everyday quality assuring environment, putting Quality Policy in common places and encouraging employers to obtain quality certification like Six Sigma, ASQ and CQE. MAPEI got ISO certifications all over the world, considering ISO the most comprehensive and demanding standard, developed to ensure continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

CONCLUSION Mr. Squinzi was a key factor for the success of his company. When he founded MAPEI he created a whole new market with no competitors and no feedback available. The founder implemented all the quality culture in his company, he was devoted to identify trends by bringing innovative products to the market that immediately met the newly founded demands. MAPEI today is example in R&D globally, concerned with environment, sustainability solutions, and continuous improvement. All that and the culture towards quality to satisfy the customer, the key drive of their success.

BIBLIOGRAPHY About Mapei. MAPEI Corporation’s Marketing Department, The World of MAPEI. Quality and Value for Construction. Locations – MAPEI. Roger Alvarez, MIBA, CSSGB – LinkedIn. Ian Linton, Demand Media. Why is Quality Important for a Business? C. M. Borror, The Certified Quality Engineer Handbook. 3 rd ed. ASQ Quality Press.