Looking Back & Looking Forward in the New Year
The year 2019 started out with announcing that the updated website design was released. But this was not the only update that APQP4Wind could reveal during the year. At the beginning of September, the APQP4Wind Manual Version 1.2 was successfully launched and the changes were introduced during the first APQP4Wind Webinar – A Closer Look.
Kim Schmidt Petersen, Vice Chairman of APQP4Wind Board, was the main contact person between the Board of Directors and the Working Group “Manual and Toolbox”, and he was very pleased about the launch:
“We decided to make an updated APQP4Wind Manual to implement the new ideas and inputs that we have received throughout the last two years from users of APQP4Wind. It had to include updated vocabulary, data, general adjustments, and a new design, but not affect users of the previous version to ensure a fully reliable process no matter what. I am proud of the work that the Working Group has put into the update and pleased that the following feedback has been positive.
Read more about the succesful launch of the APQP4Wind Manual Version 1.2 here
Throughout 2019, it has been a clear priority to discuss APQP4Wind and the future direction together with the users of APQP4Wind. In order to facilitate such feedback, multiple Networking Sessions were organized in connection with this year’s global trade fairs in the US, China, Germany, and Denmark. During these Networking Sessions, Henning Bach Jokumsen, Chairman of APQP4Wind Board, presented the milestones and new initiatives such as the opportunity to become a Company Member of APQP4Wind:
“Networking Sessions are crucial for the development of APQP4Wind. As an example, one of the main points, we learned from our first Networking Session earlier this year, was the demand for promoting the internal work with APQP4Wind to potential customers. We therefore decided to offer Company Memberships that entails endorsement among other key benefits. This new initiative was announced during Husum Wind 2019, and since then 24 companies have signed up for a Company Membership. It is fantastic to see the APQP4Wind Community grow.
GE Renewable Energy, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, and Vestas Wind Systems were the first Company Members of APQP4Wind. Now the community includes 24 APQP4Wind Company Members, 18 suppliers, and 3 additional key global OEMs: Goldwind, MHI Vestas and Nordex. Altogether, they will contribute to the development of APQP4Wind and help to strengthen its adoption and application within the supply chain in the global wind industry.
Learn how to become a Company Member and a part of the APQP4Wind Community here
To grow a network across borders is an important part of APQP4Wind’s “Go Global” Strategy together with the ambition to translate key material such as the APQP4Wind Manual, Toolbox and Website into other languages. Kim Nedergaard Jacobsen, General Manager of APQP4Wind, is proud to see the global collaboration expand and recognizes the importance of overcoming the language barriers that comes with it:
“Basically, our purpose is to create support for all companies that want to go that extra mile in quality assurance by listening to their needs through our international APQP4Wind Community with Company Members, Working Groups and Company Ambassadors. Especially in China, there was a growing need for having the key materials in Chinese to ensure that the local employees felt comfortable and well-informed throughout all phases of APQP4Wind. The launch of the APQP4Wind Manual, Toolbox and Website in Chinese was therefore a very important new initiative.
Looking forward to the New Year, the ambition for APQP4Wind in 2020 is to grow the global commitment by expanding the APQP4Wind Community, discussing new initiatives during Networking Sessions at next year’s global trade fairs and accommodating the demands from other foreign countries.
We look forward to working together with you in the coming year.