点亮每一天：Delivering quality data quickly and accurately

2024 年 12 月 6 日

The business of manufacturing is complicated. Ascend has hundreds of different products with dozens of grades and specialized versions of each material. Each product has its own stock keeping unit code, or SKU, to track inventory. Dozens of production lines in our sites around the world are producing these products, and every shipment requires a COA, or certificate of analysis, detailing quality assurance test results from the specific line where it was manufactured.

With literally thousands of SKUs and COAs in play at all times, the data is overwhelming. Who could make sense of it all? At Ascend, the answer to this question is Howard Ashcraft.

Howard, a quality technician at our Pensacola site, is known around the world as the company’s go-to expert on all things involving product quality data.

“Howard gets so many requests from every site and every continent and every product segment, it could be completely overwhelming,” says Kelsey Wade, quality manager and Howard’s supervisor. “But he works diligently and stays positive – quietly ensuring that all our products all over the world are getting the correct testing and that all our customers are getting correct quality information.”

When it comes to quality, accurate data is king. Rigorous testing on every batch of material produces a COA that must accompany the shipment to ensure that each customer receives materials to the exact specifications required for their application. It also results in a constant stream of questions from colleagues wanting to be sure their order is correct. That's where Howard excels.

“Serving as many customers and as many outlets as we do, somebody has to be reactionary,” Howard says. “It's a constant stream of questions from customer service reps, salespeople, technology folks and labs around the world.”

Not only is Howard known as the first person to contact for product specs, test results and quality details, he’s also known for his quick service.

“Howard is extraordinarily proficient at finding root causes and resolving urgent issues,” says Ken Krueger, senior quality manager. “He’s an exceptional communicator and delivers results quickly. He doesn’t take shortcuts and has high integrity in his work.”

The thought of wading through huge batches of data to quickly resolve issues might seem daunting, but the payoff for Howard is in the positive feedback he receives.

“I appreciate it when people respond and say ‘Hey, thank you for getting this done so quickly,’” he says. “I like completing the task and getting the feedback that lets me know I’ve helped resolve their issue.”

A veteran of 26 years with Ascend, Howard spent 14 years in technology before moving to his current quality role. His command of a vast list of product specs and quality test protocols enables him to deliver solutions as well as train others around the world to solve problems.

“Howard never comes forward with just a problem, he always has a solution in the works,” Kelsey said. “His ability to translate the complexities of our quality programs has also been a huge asset for training new team members.”

His most recent contribution came during a project to improve the efficiency of Ascend’s quality tests worldwide. Howard played a key role in identifying the most valuable and accurate tests while reducing low-value ones and streamlining lab operations. The effort has made us more efficient and customer-focused at the same time.

That was a global project with big impact, but according to Howard, it’s the steady stream of smaller requests he enjoys fulfilling the most.

“I may be a bit of a perfectionist,” he smiles. “But I always want my work to be right.”

And based on the glowing reviews of his quick and accurate service, he is the right man for the job.