SOPECAM opens up to international market

The ISO 9001 version 2015 certification process is expected to create new avenues for the Cameroon News and Publishing Corporation.

The printing business in Cameroon is highly competitive, with dynamic production houses. This notwithstanding, the Cameroon News and Publishing Corporation, SOPECAM, has been able to stand the stiff competition both at the local and sub-regional levels. The launch of the ISO 9001 version 2015 acquisition process for the company’s printing press in Yaounde on April 29, 2016, is expected to improve management, offer better customer services and increase its market share.

Understanding ISO 9001:2015

ISO 9001:2015, according to Charles Tiam Foka, expert in the sector, sets out the criteria for quality management system to be certified. It can be used by any organization, large or small, regardless of its field of activity. The standard is based on a number of quality management principles, including a strong customer focus, motivation and involvement of top management, the process its approach and continual improvement. “Certification means SOPECAM wants to show to customers that its staff master their work. They also want to improve internal performance and the main tool is to have the ISO 9001 version 2015,” said Tiam Foka. Using ISO 9001:2015 helps ensure that customers get consistent, good quality products and services, which in turn generates dividends.

Impact On Printing Press

Speakers at Friday’s launch, from the General Manager of Standards and Quality Agency, Charles Botoo à Ngon, the General Manager of SOPECAM, Marie Claire Nnana, the President of the Steering Committee of the Management of Quality at SOPECAM, Claude Ozela, to Charles Tiam Foka, all affirmed that SOPECAM’s sustained success will be achieved when it attracts and retains more confidence of customers and other interested parties not only in the local and sub-regional markets where it has a reputation, but also in the international market. The company’s printing press upon certification will increase customer value, satisfaction, loyalty, enhance business reputation, organisation, increase revenue and market share, it was disclosed.

Role of Personnel

All is well that ends well. The General Manager of SOPECAM sees in the success of this process committed personnel. Competent, empowered and engaged people at all levels in the organisation are essential to enhance SOPECAM’s capability to deliver value once its printing press is certified. Putting in place a customer-oriented policy will therefore be the guiding principle for improved quality and efficiency as wished by the company.

The certification process comes on the heels of SOPECAM’s modernisation of its technical facilities with the acquisition of a Heidelberg CD 102 4-colour printer capable of printing 14,000 sheets an hour. The company’s bookbinder is also outstanding, capable of producing over 7,000 books an hour.

The company’s production line schedules, binding equipment, with an automatic folding machine, a cutter and an automatic laminator, all make SOPECAM different. But the largest of the company’s acquisition is the KBA COMET printing machine that is capable of producing over 75,000 newspapers per hour with unmatched print quality in the sub-region.

The machine can print magazines and textbooks with better price/quality ratio when its extension project comes online. The company wants to maintain its undisputed leadership in graphic arts in Cameroon and the Central African Sub-region, while eyeing international markets in Europe and Asia. The acquisition of the ISO 9001 version 2015 is therefore expected to be the panacea for winning the global printing market.