Penske Logistics: QMS redesigned to work for the organisation

Penske Logistics was already ISO 9001 certified but struggled to work effectively with its own quality management system. Processes were documented but cluttered and difficult to find. Symbol helped redesign the entire QMS: visual, clear, and in the Penske corporate identity. The result: a successful recertification for three standards and a system that works both internally and for customers.

Challenge

QMS documented but cluttered and unusable in practice

Approach

Complete QMS redesigned based on primary, supporting, and management processes

Result

Successful recertification for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and HACCP

About Penske Logistics

Penske Logistics is located at the Majoppenveld industrial estate in Roosendaal, centrally positioned between Rotterdam and Antwerp, and is part of a global logistics group. The company provides full supply chain solutions for customers: from transport and storage to central shipment handling and the management of global logistics flows. Penske is certified for three quality systems: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and HACCP. Quality assurance is not just a regulatory requirement but a strategic choice that directly contributes to the customer relationship.

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The challenge

Penske had documented all processes in accordance with ISO 9001, but the system did not work in practice. Information was hard to find, there was a lack of overview, and employees did not know which processes were primary and which were supporting. There was no clear structure showing how Penske generates revenue and how processes align with the interests of customers and other stakeholders.

At the same time, Penske wanted to be prepared for the new ISO 9001:2015 standard, which focuses much more on process thinking and puts the customer at the centre. The existing system did not align with this.

Our approach

A Symbol consultant analysed the organisational structure and helped Penske rebuild the QMS from the ground up, in their own corporate identity and according to their own way of working.

What was actually done:

Management processes structured
Visual format developed
QMS implemented
Process owners coached
System prepared for ISO 9001

“If you want a quality system that works for you, it only works if everyone actually works with it.”

Results

Metric	Before	After	Improvement
Recertification ISO 9001, ISO 14001, HACCP	Uncertain	Passed with flying colours	Achieved
Findability of information in QMS	Difficult and cluttered	2-3 clicks to the lowest level	Directly accessible
Process structure	No distinction between primary and supporting	Fully structured	Secured
QMS usable for customer communication	Not possible	Customers have direct insight via system	Transparent

Successful recertification for three standards simultaneously.
Penske now also uses the QMS to inform customers about quality assurance: in just a few clicks, they can see how everything is organised. That is the difference between a system that works for the standard and a system that works for the organisation.

Lessons learned

A certified quality system is not the same as a working quality system. Penske demonstrates that achieving ISO certification and actually working with it are two different things. A system that nobody uses solves nothing, no matter how well-documented it is.

The second insight: do not underestimate the investment. Jan Luijten is honest: Penske started light-footedly and discovered that mapping all processes is a massive task. Starting well means being realistic about the time and energy it requires.

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Do you recognise this in your organisation?

A quality system that exists but doesn’t work. Processes documented but no one can find them. A certification is approaching but the system isn’t ready for it.

Symbol helps you set up a QMS that also works in practice. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation.

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