West Michigan Manufacturing Consultant
Stop Losing Revenue
to Customer Changes You Never Captured.
Solvesmith helps small and mid-size manufacturers build ISO 9001 quality systems that protect contracts, control scope creep, and open doors to larger customers — without the bureaucracy.
Book a Free Discovery CallSee How It Works
Engagement Phases
1
Gap Assessment
2 days on-site · Written report
$2,000
2
QMS Implementation
8–12 weeks · Full system build
$8–11K
3
Certification Support
Registrar prep · Audit support
$3,000
Typical timeline to certification
3–6 months
The Problem
Your fab shop runs well.
Your paperwork doesn’t.
These aren’t quality problems. They’re contract and customer management problems — and they’re costing you every week.
📋
Contracts Before Clarity
Jobs get committed before prints are fully reviewed. Surprises discovered mid-job become your cost, not the customer’s.
ISO Clause 8.2 — Customer Requirements Review
🔄
Continuous Customer Changes
Customers send revisions after work has started. No formal process to capture, price, or approve them. Revenue leaks silently on every job.
ISO Clause 8.5.6 — Change Control
📁
No Paper Trail When It Counts
When a customer disputes scope, cost, or timeline — you have no documented record of what was agreed, what changed, and who approved it.
ISO Clause 7.5 — Documented Information
🚪
Locked Out of Bigger Contracts
General contractors and OEMs increasingly require ISO 9001 certification from suppliers. Without it, you don’t make the shortlist.
ISO 9001:2015 Certification
How It Works
Three phases. No surprises.
Each phase has a defined scope, fixed price, and clear deliverable. You decide what to authorize and when.
01
Gap Assessment
$2,000 — 2 days on-site
The fastest way to know exactly where you stand. Not a sales pitch — a diagnostic report you can act on with or without Solvesmith.
- 2 days on-site at your facility
- Review of current documentation and processes
- Floor interviews and workflow observation
- Written report: current state vs. ISO 9001 requirements
- Prioritized gap list with estimated implementation effort
- Fixed-price implementation quote
02
QMS Implementation
$8,000–$11,000 — 8 to 12 weeks
Build the system. Document the processes. Train your people. Fix the problems the gap assessment uncovered — for real, not just for the audit.
- Quality Manual and core procedures
- Customer print review gate (before commitment)
- Change order control and approval process
- Nonconformance and corrective action system
- Document control — no more outdated prints
- Equipment calibration tracking system
- Employee training — role-appropriate
- Internal audit and management review
03
Certification Support
$3,000–$3,500 — registrar to certificate
Navigate the certification process without guesswork. Registrar selection, audit preparation, and on-site support through to the certificate.
- Registrar selection and application support
- Stage 1 audit preparation and document review
- Corrective action support after Stage 1 findings
- Stage 2 on-site audit support
- Note: Registrar fees ($3,500–$6,000) paid directly by you
What the research shows about ISO 9001 ROI
304%
ROI in Year 1
Documented manufacturer case study
Source: Ademero / Precision Components
$3.90
Return per $1 invested
Small manufacturer average
Source: NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership
15–20%
Procurement premium
for certified suppliers
Source: Global ISO Certification Market Report 2025
42
Scientific studies
confirm financial benefit
Source: ISO.org meta-analysisStart With a $2,000 Gap Assessment
About Solvesmith
Built by someone who’s worked the floor.
Solvesmith is a West Michigan manufacturing consultancy founded by Ben, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with hands-on experience in quality management, welding, powder coating, and OSHA compliance.
Most ISO consultants come from certification bodies. They know audit checklists. Ben comes from the shop floor — he’s worked the processes, managed the quality systems, and seen firsthand what breaks when documentation doesn’t exist.
That difference matters when you’re building a QMS that your team will actually use — not one designed to pass an audit and collect dust.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
OSHA Certified
Welding & Fabrication
Powder Coating
Quality Management
West Michigan Based
Floor Experience, Not Just Credentials
Real manufacturing background means the systems we build are practical — built for the people doing the work, not just the auditor reviewing it.
Fraction of Large-Firm Cost
Large ISO consulting firms charge $25,000–$75,000 for the same outcome. Solvesmith delivers the same result with more hands-on attention at a fraction of the cost.
Pain-First Approach
We don’t lead with compliance. We start with your specific operational problems — change orders, contract disputes, documentation gaps — and build the system that solves them.
Phased Commitment
Start with a $2,000 gap assessment. No obligation beyond that. Each phase is authorized separately so you’re always in control of pace and investment.
Ready to stop absorbing your
customers’ changes?
Start with a two-day gap assessment. You’ll know exactly where you stand and what it’ll take to get certified — before committing to anything else.Email ben@solvesmith.com
Or call directly — no intake forms, no sales team. Just Ben.SOLVESMITH
© 2025 Solvesmith Consulting · West Michigan
To be and not to seem 