Certification Peps Up Employees

La-Z-Boy’s management thanked its more than 300 employees Tuesday in celebration of a milestone achievement by reaching a tough industry certification standard. Tommy Casey, general manager, congratulated employees with a public thank-you and catered lunch at the Lincolnton plant. He said achieving the ISO (International Standardization Organization) certification was a major step toward future success. “We are extremely proud of this accomplishment, and its taken the dedication of the entire team to make it happen,” he said. Achieving the ISO standard require months of planning, training and teamwork. Workers documented an assortment of quality performance demonstrations. The ISO certification is one of the highest honors a manufacturing facility can achieve. But Casey cautioned workers that they face tough, hurdles in the future. Manufacturers today are in a very different environment because of the challenge from abroad, and many are faltering. “Job losses are everywhere,” he said. “Those of us who live in North Carolina have seen a lot of that publicized here recently.” Today’s consumer demands superior quality, fast delivery, and value for their money, Casey said. “They have lots of choices and we need to give them good reason to choose La-Z-Boy,” Casey said. To survive, La-Z-Boy must become “a world class organization” and Casey said ISO certification is a step in that direction. The certification itself doesn’t guarantee quality and workers must develop “an attitude of excellence,” Casey said. “Accept nothing less than the best.” Employees signed their names on a large, self-congratulatory banner which will be publicly displayed. Headquartered in Monroe, Michigan, La-Z-Boy is the nation’s largest single manufacturer of upholstered furniture and the world’s leading producer of reclining chairs. The company manufactures a full lime of products for the living room and family room, including the company’s world-famous recliners.