WAS provides confidence and security:
for emergency crews, occupants and customers
A vehicle that not only satisfies all the standards but is also operational and reliable at all times provides security. That applies in equal measure both to emergency ambulances and first response vehicles in the emergency services and to vehicles used by the police and the justice system. In order to be able to promise this security, we go a little further than industry standards require of us.
We draw up and adhere to regulations which are more rigorous than the majority of standards. We use high-tech solutions where normal solutions wouldn't satisfy our aspirations. We continue to develop technologies, methods and standards ourselves. And we employ a service division that is big enough to ensure that a WAS quality vehicle isn't just reliable when it's delivered but for many years of use.
We promise special security. That's why in many cases we define the standards ourselves – even higher than required as standard. We also subject ourselves to particularly demanding safety tests, such as those by the VCA in England, UTAC in France and TÜV Rhineland in Germany. Not just with individual models but with our entire range of vehicles. Because we want our customers and the crews onboard our vehicles to have confidence in us.
We use our own methods and standards for testing which are just as rigorous. We are probably the only manufacturer of emergency service vehicles in the whole of Germany that can boast a European type approval for ambulances from the Federal Motor Transport Authority. Because WAS satisfies all 56 EU Directives, paramedics driving one of our ambulances or first response vehicles are driving the only vehicle to have been granted approval by the highest authority in Germany according to EU standards. That creates confidence, too.
Quality can't be bought.
You have to build it.
WAS quality standards place demands on the material and the employees – from development of an idea through to service for the finished product. Maintaining our high WAS quality throughout the production process and across different vehicle series requires continuous, seamless quality management.
In 1997 we became the first company in our industry to introduce just such a quality management system. It complies with DIN EN ISO 9001 and 14001 as well as DIN EN ISO 9001 in accordance with German and international road traffic law. And it meets our own standards and those of others: WAS ambulances pass tests and meet requirements such as DIN EN 1789. And WAS bodies are the only ones of their kind to pass a roll-over test according to DIN 13500/ECE-R66. Furthermore, accident statistics show that WAS specialist vehicle come out on top when it comes to safety.
With the growing challenges faced by emergency services, the justice system, police and customs, here at WAS we continue to drive quality forwards. To do this, we allow ourselves to be inspired by those who cross boundaries – for example with developments from the aerospace industry. Following their example, we have developed and patented the Vacutherm® method for our particularly light and stable box bodies.
This approach to quality also creates confidence among our customers. For example, we have certified partner status for Europe's leading automotive manufacturers. This gives our customers the freedom to choose the vehicle make they like best or that they have had the best experience of. We then turn it into a completely unique special vehicle.
Ergonomics in a special vehicle means reliability in everyday use.
A tailor-made special vehicle from WAS utilises the latest in ergonomic deign. It meets all the legislative user requirements and also the special requirements of the emergency services crews. Our in house design specialists work to millimetre-perfect tolerances using technology and equipment to ensure that each vehicle is designed specifically to meet each customers’ specific requirements.
Every design has standard features – whether in disaster relief, in emergency services, in special public authority use or in mobile clinics. A WAS special vehicle enables basic, daily procedures to be carried out quickly and smoothly. To do this, our experts question space and time: they ask how the space inside an emergency vehicle can be used efficiently. And how they can save paramedics a little more time.
Building something to be ergonomic is precision work – from selection of the material and the equipment right down to the fine detail. From the right handle to the optimum wall connection. One way is with flexibly installed components such as seats, which adapt as needed to the interior in no time at all. Another way is with practical equipment such as loading aids, which effortlessly make life easier.
An emergency vehicle needs to be easy to handle and convenient. When our experts develope a design concept, they use CAD (Computer Aided Design. They also undertake product research and development projects to continually improve our customer solutions, often drawing upon other similar specialist industries for ideas. In this way, the first water-resistant and disinfectant-resistant interior was developed by WAS in close collaboration with furniture experts. Only by continuing to think can you continue to develop.
We invest time in efficiency.
At WAS, being efficient means: investing time at the beginning of the process so that no time is lost in production. Firstly, we discuss the project in detail with our customer, then we drill down further to improve our understanding of the requirements by talking with ambulance crews, paramedics, drivers and patients. When all the facts are on the table, then we start work.
Safety, quality and ergonomics are measured for efficiency too. We ensure that our vehicles and our internal processes are subject to the highest quality standards and process controls. We work with industry leading technology manufacturers and highly experienced specialist partners. We ergonomically optimise the use of space and incorporate sophisticated design techniques to meet and surpass our customers’ expectations.
A WAS vehicles perform tasks efficiently when it counts. The WAS maintenance concept provides reliable assistance to put ambulances and special vehicles back on the road within 48 hours in the event of a fault. A direct contact person and flexible service team will see to that. With regular maintenance by our qualified maintenance specialists, this efficiency can increase further still – because it simply makes it less likely a fault will occur.
A high standard ensures quality.
And the basic principles for our environment.
WAS produces special vehicles, which people trust with important responsibilities or with the lives of their occupants. So we know the importance of responsibility. Perhaps that's one reason why we have also introduced an environment management system in addition to our quality management system. It helps us to conduct our business in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way throughout the entire production process.
Our production sites are accordingly certified in accordance with the globally-recognised standard DIN EN ISO 14001. We select our suppliers, monitor our production and supply our vehicles according to this standard. We are regularly examined by independent auditors to identify the areas where we can still make improvements.
However, maybe it isn't just the sense of responsibility that drives us to run our business sustainably. Maybe it's also the exceptionally clear and fresh air that we get here in northern Germany. And the fact that we just want it to stay that way.
WAS complies with regulations.
For us, compliance is more than just a word.
As an internationally active company, we want to see a level playing field for all participants and providers. That's why we are leading by example: together with a renowned, internationally active group of experts, we have developed a Compliance Management System (CMS). This system sets down mandatory rules for how to deal with customers, market participants and suppliers, which we adhere to. We are one of the few companies to go a step further, however, and have our CMS audited by an independent body: TÜV Rhineland attested with its certificate that our 2012 CMS was an effective and powerful directive for achieving this company objective.
We protect business relationships, information, data and employees. The standards we impose in this area are just as high as those governing the safety of our WAS special-purpose vehicles. Ethical conduct such as equal treatment, respect and transparency are important to us. As important as occupational safety and environmental protection. You can see our full code of conduct, which is the basis for our CMS, here.
Help us to meet our expectation. Please let our compliance officers know if you think we can improve our CMS or if you think we are contravening our rules:
Patricia Braun
Phone: +49 5925 991-153,
Fax: +49 5925 991-604,
E-Mail: p.braun@was-vehicles.com
WAS has also set up an anonymous whistleblower system to which employees and business partners of WAS can turn. This whistleblower system ensures that information is passed on to WAS anonymously and that the identity of the whistleblower remains anonymous to WAS and is treated confidentially. If desired, non-anonymised information can also be passed on to WAS. You can access the whistleblower system via the following link: was.hinweisgeber-biehn.de
