Delivering business savvy to small welding shops

CWB Certification aims to serve every segment of its audience to ensure increased value in company operations. With that in mind, it has decided to introduce a new initiative intended for single-person welding shops. This program has been designed to give small welding shops the same competitive advantage as larger organizations. Our goal is to equip sole proprietors with the same business knowledge to implement a quality program in their shops.

Benefits for the Industry

The goal of the Sole Proprietor service model is to ensure that the entire welding industry is given the resources to enhance its operations' credibility and quality, regardless of company size. The CWB Group has recognized the need to make certification even more accessible to everyone, especially single-person welding shops. By taking advantage of this service, clients will get value through quality assurance, third-party oversight, enhanced credibility, and savings through efficiency.

One of the significant benefits that can be enjoyed through this model is reduced application fees. With a price that aligns with the budget of many small organizations, the service model equips sole proprietors with the same business knowledge to implement a quality program, and the benefits to their business are substantial. It offers a complete CWB Certification support system, including a designated contact centre team member to assist the sole proprietor in meeting all the initial requirements and support from a certification services representative for their ongoing service needs. Through these resources, our clients gain access to expertise to ensure high confidence within their organization and assurance that all required documentation is completed, with assistance if needed. Plus, they receive confirmation that all requirements have been met and the next steps are relayed clearly.

Qualification Requirements

Since the program is designed with stringent standards in mind, users will have to meet all existing certification requirements. This new initiative upholds the same quality and compliance criteria industry has come to expect from CWB Certification and applies to new clients. Existing one-person welding operations will not be affected by this change.

Success Stories

Our clients are the backbone of our industry and are excited about this new offering. There has been nervousness and hesitance in the past, but upon learning of the support that comes with the program, the industry has been very responsive. The certification team provides full support and oversees the process from start to finish, whether it be filling out personnel forms, asking about welding procedures, or booking supervisor exams.

"I often hear the surprise in their voice at the lengths we go to help them," shared Connie Hodgson, manager, client services. "I thoroughly enjoy working with our companies, so I think I probably get just as much satisfaction helping clients as they do receiving it."

So far the team has found that clients like follow-up calls to be scheduled to be comfortable with the process. Through the testimonials so far, the organizations that have become part of the model are pleased that the lines of communication are always open and follow-ups are scheduled until the certification team is confident that the client can proceed independently.

The company is thrilled with the rollout of our new service model, which further helps our industry succeed and fuel forward.

CWB Certification is committed to providing updates on all our new initiatives. We encourage you to visit our website at www.cwbgroup.org/certification-and-qualification for the most up-to-date information on this program and others that are being offered this year.

Craig Martin is VP Certification, CWB Group, craig.martin@cwbgroup.org, 800-844-6790, www.cwbgroup.com.