Standardization of quality management in steel stamping with Kapture.io
From scattered data to the need for visibility
At Stamptech Group S.L., a sheet steel stamping company with almost 200 workers distributed in two plants in Spain and two in Eastern Europe. Quality management had always been a fundamental pillar to maintain its competitiveness in demanding sectors such as automotive, household appliances and consumer goods. With customers expecting excellence and just-in-time deliveries, the organization knew it could not afford major failures. However, as with many mid-sized companies, there were operational challenges that were beginning to weigh on its day-to-day operations.
One of the main challenges was in the management of control patterns. Although the company had implemented an organized system for recording data on paper and spreadsheets, this approach was beginning to show its limitations. The lack of centralization and real-time visibility complicated the analysis of results. This not only meant overtime in collecting data to generate quality reports, but also increased the risk of human error in recording and interpretation. Quality teams spent a disproportionate amount of effort ensuring that everything was properly documented, but still faced inconsistencies that sometimes led to internal rework or customer returns.
The cost of these inefficiencies was not easy to calculate, but clearly manifested itself in several areas: delays in strategic decisions due to lack of reliable data, cost overruns due to unplanned shutdowns to correct problems detected late and, in the worst case, delivery delays that compromised the confidence of key customers. These problems were not catastrophic, but they were beginning to accumulate and create tensions between departments. Quality and production managers knew there was room for improvement, but change always seemed like a complex and costly project that never found the right moment.
Trigger: Demand for enhanced traceability from a customer
The situation changed one day when, during a review for an automotive customer, a problem was identified in a number of batches. Although the team was able to demonstrate that the problems were contained and corrective action had been taken, the customer requested greater traceability and more robust controls as a condition for continuing to work together. This request set off all the alarms, as a strategic relationship was at stake, and brought to the table the need to modernize quality processes. It was at this point that the steering committee decided to explore digitalization solutions to gain efficiency, reduce risks and meet growing market demands.
The solution: Kapture.io as a QMS platform in the cloud
In the search for options, Marta, head of the quality department, contacted several technology companies. Among them, Kapture.io stood out, a platform that not only promised to digitize control patterns, but also to transform the way quality data was managed. During an initial meeting, the Kapture.io team listened carefully to Stamptech Group’s specific challenges and presented a solution tailored to their needs. It was not a generic proposal, but a clear plan that addressed the specific problems that Marta and her team faced on a daily basis. In addition, references from other companies in the industry that had already worked with Kapture.io gave the steering committee confidence.
Deployment: Agile pilot and team adoption
The project began with a pilot scheme in one of the plants in Spain, which allowed the solution to be validated without taking on major risks. The transition was easier than expected, thanks to the close support of the Kapture.io team, who ensured that the operators felt comfortable and managers felt comfortable with the new tools. Within a few weeks, the benefits began to become apparent: the data of quality were recorded automatically in real time, the reports were generated instantly and the teams could access the information from any plant, which made it easier to take coordinated decisions.
Key moment: Audit passed with clear data
The turning point came during an audit by one of the most demanding customers. For the first time, Stamptech Group was able to present the entire process traceability in a matter of minutes, with clear and verifiable data. The auditor was impressed, and the customer reaffirmed his confidence in the company. But the impact was not limited to audits. Eastern plants quickly adopted the system, achieving a global alignment in quality standards that previously seemed unattainable.
Conclusion and lessons learned
Today, Stamptech Group has moved from dealing with reactive issues to proactively managing quality. Teams work more efficiently, customers are more confident than ever in their ability to deliver, and managers have full visibility into processes. Marta, who led the transformation, sums it up simply:
“Kapture.io not only digitized our processes; it gave us the peace of mind and control we needed to continue to grow.”
Marta – Digital Transformation Leader at Stamptech Group
What started as a solution to a specific problem became a cultural change for Stamptech Group, marking the beginning of a new stage in its path to excellence.
