Irvine, California – November 20, 2009 – The Supplier Excellence Alliance (SEA) announced that GENTEX Respiratory Systems, an aerospace company located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, has achieved SEA Stage One Certification.

GENTEX Respiratory Systems is an integrated life support systems company, designing and manufacturing respiratory systems for human protection and enhanced human performance. Its various product groups are backed by extensive research and development capabilities, making GENTEX a world leader in both military and commercial markets. “A commitment to continuous improvement and lean practices by the leadership and employees of GENTEX helped the company achieve this certification. We have seen improvements throughout the facility; a reduction of lead time and increased capacity while maintaining our on-time deliveries and increased sales per employee by over 40%” said Robert McCay, Vice President and General Manager.

SEA is an unprecedented aerospace and defense alliance led by sub-tier suppliers committed to accelerating supply chain performance. SEA provides a proven turnkey system for supplier development targeted to mid-tier aerospace and defense customers and provides an industry voice for suppliers on issues affecting supply chain performance. SEA also provides a platform for supplier visibility, performance improvement and collaboration.

Virtually all major prime and tier-one contractors who founded SEA, helped to develop the SEA Certification as the preferred approach to continuous improvement and process management. “While the SEA Certification is voluntary, it will distinguish the highest performing supplier companies and provide our customers with a reliable way to identify low-risk, high-performing suppliers,” said, Michael G. Beason, Founder, Chairman and CEO for SEA. .

SEA Certification follows the three stages of the SEA Roadmap for development (Stage One – Stabilization, Stage Two – Supply Chain Integration, and Stage Three – Sustainability). Supplier companies pursue the coveted SEA Certification for each Stage of the Roadmap. To become certified, a supplier company must satisfactorily meet criteria in four critical areas: Leadership and Culture, Workforce Development, Operational Excellence, and Business Results.

SEA Educational Partners include Glovia, Ellison Technologies, Mori Seiki, The Rule Group and America Approved. SEA partners and alliances include The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), The International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG), A|D|S, the UK’s AeroSpace, Defence and Security Trade Organization and The California Space Authority.

To learn more:

Contact:
Hilda Pacheco Taylor
(949) 476-1144 x 316
hilda@seaonline.org
www.seaonline.org