This year, bema GmbH Maschinenfabrik celebrates its 25-year-standing ISO-9001 certification in its redesigned office complex and is granted the Crefo certificate for its outstanding creditworthiness for the twelfth time.
Having started as a simple blacksmith’s shop 84 years ago and having continued as an agricultural engines factory until the nineties, bema is now a future-proof machine factory boasting worldwide distribution partners and an extensive array of products. This transformation required well-organised production and operational processes as well as introduction of quality management systems (QMS). bema received its first DIN EN ISO 9001 certificate in 1999 already - as the first manufacturer of coupled sweepers. And even today - 25 years later - any and all operational and process flows are being implemented and audited under these internationally recognised standards. This ensures the bema company’s capacity to advance continuously. From the very beginning until his retirement, Dr. Hermann Saalfeld assisted the bema team managed by Marc Kemmer as quality management officer and general manager Sonja Koopmann. In a first step, as a consultant helping with establishing quality management and then, later on, as auditor for annual audits as well as for recertification purposes taking place every three years. Since 2022, Petra Wagner, the ISO fay from Melle, has been acting as independent auditor.
Picture 1: Petra Wagner (ISO fay) congratulates Marc Kemmer (QMB & IT) and Sonja Koopmann (general management) in front of the redesigned foyer on 25 years of ISO (photo: bema GmbH Maschinenfabrik)
25 years of ISO and Crefo creditworthiness certificate granted twelve times without interruption - this is how bema sustainably underlines the family-run company’s soundness. Armin Trojahn, company officer with statutory authority of Creditreform Osnabrück/Nordhorn Unger KG comments on this: “bema GmbH Maschinenfabrik is very discerning and focusses on the customer - this is particularly precious, as bema is in a position to underline its soundness as a reliable business partner owing to its business conduct and also its tangible figures.”
Sound creditworthiness reinforces one’s negotiation position towards customers, suppliers, and investors - provided that such creditworthiness is known. With the CrefoZert certificate, Creditreform certifies outstanding financial standing, irreproachable business conduct and a positive outlook for the future of the company. Such certification is based upon a professional annual accounts analysis carried out by Creditreform Rating AG, a BaFin-certified (federal financial supervisory authority) subsidiary of the Creditreform group. To this end, the companies undergo a multi-stage process. In a first step, the company’s, the responsible individuals’, and the parties’ involved creditworthiness is audited and verified during a management interview. Only where a company complies with all such criteria, the creditworthiness certificate shall be established. The validity of such certificate expires after one year, provided the award criteria are still complied with. The current status can be retrieved under www.crefozert.de.
Picture 2: The green moss wall is the new eye-catcher in the bema administration department. Here, Armin Trojahn from Creditreform is handing over to bema general manager Sonja Koopmann the CrefoZert for the 12th time (photo: bema GmbH Maschinenfabrik)
“Our slogan is clean work in all aspects. For my team and me, this is not only an advertising slogan, but a promise. We attach much value to irreproachable relations. This applies not only in-house, but trusting and fair relationships in our contacts with customers and partners are also of essential importance to us. This is shown by the Creditreform quality label. This builds trust with our customers, business partners and, of course, also with my team members. Owing to our sound financial management, we can avail of sufficient financial resources. In addition to developing new products, such as the new Sweezy® sweepers, these sufficient financial resources also enable us to invest in the Voltlage-Weese site. For example, we realised a modern office concept last year and rebuilt the administrative building with much attention to detail. It goes without saying that we also invest sustainably. This is shown by the refurbishment of our green spaces in compliance with ecological aspects or our photovoltaic array planned for the future. The CrefoZert certificate shows and confirms that we are well prepared for the future.” resumes general manager Sonja Koopmann to conclude and looks into the future. Because then, bema will celebrate its 85th anniversary.