Solar Solve Marine Quality Assurance — 30 Years of Commitment to Excellence
Solar Solve Marine, the South Shields-based British manufacturer of SOLASOLV® anti-glare roller screens for ship wheelhouse windows, has maintained a fully quality assured manufacturing and business management system since February 1991. For more than three decades, this commitment to quality assurance has underpinned every product supplied to the global marine and offshore industry.
Quality assurance is not a background process at Solar Solve. It is a core part of how the business operates, how its people work, and how the SOLASOLV® products that reach navigation bridge windows on vessels worldwide are manufactured, checked, and delivered.
The Origins of Quality Assurance at Solar Solve — 1991
Solar Solve’s quality assurance journey began with a seminar at Sunderland Polytechnic that Chairman John Lightfoot MBE attended in the early days of the company’s transition into the marine industry.
John Lightfoot MBE recalled:
“This all began as a result of a seminar in Sunderland Polytechnic that I was invited to all those years ago. I don’t think any of the delegates had ever heard of BS5750 or even Quality Assurance. However, the presenter was very enthusiastic as I recall and very convincing. I was diversifying into the marine industry and it seemed exactly the right way to go, which it obviously was. Initially the motivation for me was the possibility of increased sales but I soon realised that there were much, much greater benefits to be had.”
From that seminar, Solar Solve adopted the British Standard BS5750 quality system in February 1991, becoming one of the first companies in its sector to operate under a formally recognised quality assurance framework.
From BS5750 to ISO 9002 — A Decade of External Accreditation
After ten years operating under BS5750, Solar Solve transitioned to the International Standard ISO 9002, bringing its quality system in line with internationally recognised manufacturing and production standards.
Throughout this period, Solar Solve built an outstanding record with the British Standards Institution (BSI):
- 12 years of successful internal quality audits
- A 100% record in external BSI audits with zero Non-Conformities raised across the entire period
This record is exceptional by any measure and reflects the depth of commitment that the Solar Solve team brought to its quality management processes from day one.
Going Independent — The Solar Solve Marine Quality Assured System, 2003
In March 2003, Solar Solve’s directors made a significant decision. The direction that international standards authorities were taking was moving away from what Solar Solve considered the most important aspects of quality — the quality of the product itself and the production methods used to manufacture it — toward administrative and procedural aspects that the company felt were less relevant to its core manufacturing mission.
This view was shared at the time by a significant number of manufacturing businesses across the sector.
With 12 years of unbroken quality audit success and a deep institutional knowledge of what effective quality assurance actually requires, Solar Solve’s directors concluded that the company had the capability, the knowledge, and the right attitude to manage its own quality system independently.
The Solar Solve Marine Quality Assured (SSMQA) system was established immediately after parting company with BSI and has remained in continuous operation ever since.
John Lightfoot MBE reflected on the impact of the formal quality system years:
“Once the System had been in place for a few years, our effectiveness and efficiency improved dramatically and suddenly we were accountable to an outside assessor who was effectively a customer representative. It made a huge difference to the business, not so much with increased sales but very much in every other respect.”
How the SSMQA System Works Today
The Solar Solve Marine Quality Assured system continues to operate with the same rigour and commitment that has characterised Solar Solve’s approach to quality assurance since 1991.
Key features of the SSMQA system:
- Two formal internal quality audits conducted every year
- At least one external audit every year, conducted by marine classification society auditors as part of the Type Approval process for SOLASOLV® products
- External auditors consistently assess the SSMQA system during these visits and provide commendatory feedback on both the quality of the system and the attitude of Solar Solve’s employees toward it
- An annual management review committee chaired personally by Chairman John Lightfoot MBE, with 8 members representing 45% of Solar Solve’s total workforce across directors, managers, production, and administration
This breadth of participation across the business is one of the most distinctive aspects of the SSMQA. Quality assurance at Solar Solve is not a function of one department. It is owned collectively by the people who design, manufacture, pack, and dispatch every SOLASOLV® screen that leaves the South Shields factory.
John Lightfoot MBE commented:
“I’m pleased I went to the seminar and delighted I took the guy’s advice. We have never looked back. I am proud that I have always been the chairman of Solar Solve’s committee that annually reviews the SSMQA and that 8 people, 45% of our employees sit on it.”
Quality Assurance and Type Approval — How They Work Together
Solar Solve’s internal quality system works alongside the external Type Approval certifications held by SOLASOLV® products. These two layers of quality assurance together give shipbuilders, vessel owners, and procurement managers the highest possible level of confidence when specifying Solar Solve products.
SOLASOLV® Type Approvals
| Classification Society | Type Approval Status |
| Lloyd’s Register | Type Approved |
| DNV-GL | Type Approved |
| ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) | Type Approved |
The external audits conducted by classification societies as part of the Type Approval process also assess the SSMQA system, providing independent external validation of Solar Solve’s quality management approach every single year. This means Solar Solve’s quality system receives external scrutiny continuously, even as an independently managed system.
You can find out more about SOLASOLV® products and their Type Approval certifications on the marine sector page.
What Quality Assurance Means for Solar Solve Customers
For vessel operators, ship managers, and procurement teams specifying SOLASOLV® marine screens, Solar Solve’s quality assured manufacturing means:
- Every screen is manufactured to a consistently documented standard
- Production processes are regularly audited both internally and externally
- The people making the products are directly involved in reviewing and improving the quality system
- The company has maintained unbroken quality assurance since 1991, with zero Non-Conformities recorded during its BSI accreditation period
- External classification society auditors consistently commend the quality of the system and the attitude of Solar Solve’s employees
This is the manufacturing foundation behind every SOLASOLV® screen installed on navigation bridges worldwide. You can explore the full range of SOLASOLV® products on the SOLASOLV® product page.
A Business Transformed by Quality
John Lightfoot MBE’s reflection on more than 30 years of quality assurance at Solar Solve captures the broader impact of the commitment made back in 1991:
“Once the System had been in place for a few years, our effectiveness and efficiency improved dramatically. I’m pleased I went to the seminar and delighted I took the guy’s advice. We have never looked back.”
From a seminar in Sunderland to three decades of independently managed quality assurance, Solar Solve’s commitment to getting things right has shaped every aspect of how the company designs, manufactures, and delivers its products to customers across 108 countries worldwide.
To learn more about Solar Solve’s history, manufacturing heritage, and the team behind the products, visit the Solar Solve about page.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Solar Solve first introduce quality assurance?
Solar Solve Marine introduced its quality assurance system in February 1991, initially operating under the British Standard BS5750 before transitioning to the International Standard ISO 9002 after ten years.
What is the Solar Solve Marine Quality Assured system?
The Solar Solve Marine Quality Assured (SSMQA) system is Solar Solve’s independently managed quality assurance framework, established in 2003 after more than 12 years of successful BSI accreditation with a 100% record of zero Non-Conformities. It involves two internal audits per year, at least one external audit annually through the Type Approval process, and an annual management review chaired by Chairman John Lightfoot MBE.
Why did Solar Solve leave the BSI quality standard?
In 2003 Solar Solve’s directors concluded that the direction international standards authorities were taking was moving away from the most important aspects of quality, specifically the quality of the product and its production methods. Having built 12 years of unbroken external audit success with zero Non-Conformities, the company had the capability and knowledge to manage its quality system independently through the SSMQA.
How is the SSMQA externally validated?
Although the SSMQA is independently managed, it is externally assessed at least once every year by marine classification society auditors as part of the Type Approval audit process for SOLASOLV® products. External auditors consistently commend the quality of the system and the attitude of Solar Solve employees toward it.
Who is involved in Solar Solve’s quality assurance system?
The annual quality review committee is chaired personally by Chairman John Lightfoot MBE and includes 8 members representing 45% of Solar Solve’s total workforce, covering directors, managers, production staff, and administration. Quality assurance at Solar Solve is a company-wide commitment, not a single department function.
What does Solar Solve’s quality system mean for buyers specifying SOLASOLV® products?
It means every SOLASOLV® screen is manufactured to a consistently documented and regularly audited standard, backed by more than 30 years of unbroken quality assurance and independently validated annually through the marine classification society Type Approval audit process.
