Illinois-based fastener manufacturer and distributor Optimas Solutions — which ranks No. 29 for MDM’s Top Industrial Distributors and No. 8 for Fasteners — announced it has completed IATF Certification for its worldwide operations.

IATF Certification is granted by the International Automotive Task Force. Optimas said in its Dec. 23 announcement that the certification “represents the highest level of quality assurance in the automotive industry and beyond.”

“Coupled with Optimas’ annual achievement of ISO 9001 certification, this accreditation is a high-water mark for Optimas as the first time all its global operations have achieved these levels of certification,” the company said in a statement.

Optimas said the IATF 16949 standard offers guidance and tools for companies and organizations to ensure that products consistently meet customer requirements. It is used in conjunction with ISO standards and a common set of techniques for typical product and process development in the automotive manufacturing industry. The standards are employed outside the automotive industry and reflect a high level of applicability across other manufacturing sectors, Optimas said.

“As a team, our entire global organization has worked extremely hard to achieve the IATF certification, representing best-in-class quality management systems for manufacturing, distribution, engineering, and supply chain management,” said Gabriela Gallegos, Optimas Vice President of Quality. “This is meaningful to our customers as they expect the highest quality from Optimas. Less than 15 percent of suppliers in industrial markets have achieved IATF and ISO certification, and we are very proud to be part of that elite group.”