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Quality and Efficiency Drive Performance

Quality That Builds Trust

At NWPX, quality is the foundation of everything we do.

We are committed to delivering exceptional products and services by continually monitoring, improving, and refining our quality management systems — always with our customers’ evolving needs in mind.

A strong quality program does more than meet expectations — it drives lasting success. It secures repeat business, earns referrals, strengthens our industry reputation, and reduces the risk of rework or product failure. Internally, a relentless focus on quality fuels higher employee satisfaction, engagement, and teamwork, while boosting communication, enhancing safety, and lowering turnover.

When we commit to quality, we build trust — and trust builds everything else.

Certifications

Our company holds the following certifications or licenses:

  • All Northwest Pipe Company steel pressure pipe plants hold an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Multisite ISO 9001:2015 Certification
  • NSF International – NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 Certification at Northwest Pipe Company plants
  • All of our precast plants are certified by the National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA) 
  • All of our precast plants in Utah are certified by the American Concrete Pipe Association (ACPA)
  • We hold an NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 certification from the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), the authority on health standards for food, water, and health products, and the environment.
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Quality Starts with Our People

At NWPX, quality isn’t just a department — it’s a company-wide commitment.
Across our operations, more than 60 dedicated employees support manufacturing quality, including Quality Assurance Managers, Quality Control Inspectors and Technicians, Production Managers, Welders, QC Radiographic Inspectors, and Document and Administrative professionals. Every plant is backed by a quality team responsible for upholding the highest standards in workmanship, practices, resources, and specifications.

Our quality teams collaborate to develop best practices and operational guidelines that drive product excellence and operational efficiency. For us, a strong quality program starts with a strong culture — one where every employee is empowered and aligned with a shared commitment to continuous improvement. At NWPX every team member plays a critical role in delivering the quality our customers expect and deserve.

Lean Thinking, Lasting Results

The core of lean manufacturing is quite simple: relentlessly work to eliminate waste from the manufacturing process. And we are relentless in this pursuit. By embedding Lean principles across our operations, we streamline workflows, improve quality, maximize efficiency, and empower teams to solve problems at the source.

Each of our plants is supported by a dedicated Lean Coordinator who understands the specific challenges of that facility and works hands-on with the team to drive improvement.

Our Lean journey follows a three-phase continuous improvement roadmap:

  • Phase 1: Stabilize, standardize, and sustain operations.
  • Phase 2: Optimize the value stream and boost performance.
  • Phase 3: Align Lean tools and training with our broader business strategy.

We move through these phases by tackling the ‘Eight Wastes’ of manufacturing head-on: defects, overproduction, waiting, non-utilized talent, transportation, inventory, motion, and extra-processing. The result? A smarter, more responsive manufacturing environment that cuts costs and is built for performance.