Focus on Quality Pays off at Orbit Irrigation Products Inc

Business Wire, Dec 8, 2003

Business Editors

NORTH SALT LAKE, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 8, 2003

QMI (Quality Management Institute) Issues ISO 9001:2000

Certification to Orbit Irrigation Products Inc. for the

Design, Manufacturing and Distribution of Its Commercial

and Residential Irrigation Products

North America's leading management systems registrar, QMI (Quality Management Institute), has awarded ISO 9001:2000 certification to the Quality Management System at Orbit Irrigation Products headquarters in North Salt Lake, Utah. The scope of certification applies to the design, manufacturing and distribution of Orbit's commercial and residential irrigation products. According to QMI, obtaining registration shows those with whom Orbit does business that the company is committed to national and international management systems. "Thanks to the dedication and hard work of everyone at Orbit, our company has earned certification based on third-party assessor reviews of our business processes and practices," commented Orbit President K.C. Ericksen.

In order to achieve certification, Orbit developed procedures to establish and standardize quality levels and goals at every level of company operations, noted Orbit EVP of Quality Bob Holiday. The process included defining and documenting procedures, human resource training and on-going measurement and improvement. Additionally, Orbit refined the areas of strategic planning, process management, and information analysis. "Of equal importance, we closely examined and enhanced customer and market focus as key to Orbit's mission of 'Conservation Through Innovation,'" added Holiday.

The ISO 9001:2000 serves as an international reference for quality management requirements in business-to-business dealings. The standard is primarily concerned with how an organization fulfills customers' quality requirements and applicable regulatory requirements, while enhancing customer satisfaction and continually improving its performance in pursuit of these objectives.

About the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

ISO is a network of national standards institutes from 147 countries working in partnership with international organizations, governments, industry, business and consumer representatives. ISO is able to act as a bridging organization in which a consensus can be reached on solutions that meet both the requirements of business and the broader needs of society, such as the needs of stakeholder groups like consumers and users.

About Orbit Irrigation Products Inc.

Orbit Irrigation Products Inc. is one of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of irrigation products for the commercial and residential markets. Orbit manufactures and distributes more than 1,500 quality lawn and garden irrigation and misting products to customers in 32 countries worldwide under the sub-brand names Orbit Professional(R), WaterMaster(R), DripMaster(R), SunMate(R) and Arizona Mist(R). With manufacturing locations in the Far East and United States, Orbit employs 650 worldwide in its peak season. Orbit products can be purchased both domestically and internationally at most contractor supply houses, home improvement stores, and lawn and garden centers. For more information, go to www.orbitonline.com or call 800-488-6156.