First as Northern Ireland firm achieves internationally recognised certification whilst expanding team

Saintfield-based thermoforming company, Donite Plastics has been recognised for its environmental performance, having recently been awarded the ISO 14001 certification for Environmental Management Systems, becoming the first vacuum forming company in the UK and Ireland to hold both the ISO 14001 and AS9100 standards.

Undertaking a comprehensive and stringent range of assessments and audits, Donite Plastics successfully met the requirements of the BS EN ISO 14001:2015 standard for the design and manufacture of thermoformed plastic products.

This accolade highlights Donite Plastics’ commitment to achieving its environmental sustainability goals and improving its environmental performance through a more efficient use of resources and reduction in waste during its manufacturing processes. It follows on from the company receiving the globally recognised AS9100 aerospace quality management standard earlier this year.

At a time of heightened environmental consciousness and increasing global challenges such as climate change and resource depletion, ISO 14001 offers a structured approach for businesses wanting to address these concerns. By undertaking this standard, organisations are committing to regulatory compliance, as well as ongoing environmental improvement.

Business development manager at Donite Plastics, Stephen Kissick, said, “We are thrilled to have received the ISO 14001 certification, which further showcases our dedication to continuous improvement at Donite Plastics. We are committed to improving our environmental performance and meeting the needs of our global customer base, and this award, which closely follows the AS9100 award that we received earlier this year, instils confidence in our customers that they are working with a company that is serious about creating a more sustainable future. A big well done to our team for their hard work and dedication.”

Further reinforcing Donite Plastics’ commitment and dedication to meeting the needs of its global customer base, particularly those within the aerospace sector, is the company’s recent appointment of Alister Heatlie as its new product development and commercial manager.

Having extensive experience in manufacturing, with a focus on design and new product development introduction, and over seven years’ experience in the aerospace sector namely within main cabin interiors, Alister’s primary focus will be implementing compliant new products through the manufacturing NPI gates.

In his new role, Alister will work closely with customers’ commercial teams to translate clients’ requirements into concepts and specifications, in addition to ensuring new projects are delivered on time and on budget, KPI management, NPI, onboarding of new customers, and costing and estimating.

Alister explained: “Donite Plastics has established an excellent reputation across many sectors, and is steadily increasing its presence in the aerospace sector, which has huge potential for future growth. It is great to see the company building a global customer base and become a leader in the field of thermoforming. With recent investments in state-of-the-art machinery and further plans in place for expansion, it is an exciting time to be joining the company. I look forward to using my experience, particularly that of working with leading global aerospace companies, and technical skills and knowledge to push the company to the next level, and contribute to its ongoing success.”

Donite Plastics will be exhibiting at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo, as part of the Invest Northern Ireland stand (7B42), which takes place at Hamburg Messe from Tuesday, May 28 to Thursday 30.