Introduction
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2026. Despite only being a few weeks into the year, there is already plenty of news to share with you. Here are some key takeouts from our January newsletter, we are sharing the key takeaways from the newly approved standard for ISO 9001: 2026 and what this means for your business. Looking at the key highlights from Make UK’s 2026 executive survey and how this impacts the UK Manufacturing.
We’ll also be introducing you to our brand new auditor, Crispin Steele, celebrating our first International Audit in China, and looking into the history of Capacity Serving Measures (the marked glasses we all see in the pub today).
Alternatively, if you would like to submit an application for certification you can so so by clicking here
Clarity on Upcoming Changes to ISO 9001
he last update to the ISO 9001 framework was made in 2015; since then, business practices have advanced, processes have become increasingly digitalised. AI has made its way into almost every industry, and quality is increasingly being seen as a benchmark of success. This has led to a need for International Standards to be amended to reflect the needs of both businesses and consumers in today’s world of business.
The draft plan for ISO 9001: 2026 was approved in December, and the good news is that it isn’t radically different from the requirements for certification set out in 2015. Meaning that if your organisation is currently compliant with ISO 9001: 2015, it should be fairly easy to transition to the new standard.
The key confirmed changes outlined in the draft International Standard are as follows:
1) Integration of Climate Considerations: The impact your business has on the environment needs to be factored into your infrastructure. However, what this actually entails in terms of requirements has not yet been outlined.
2) More focus on Leadership Responsibilities: It is now a requirement of ISO 9001 for senior management to promote and demonstrate that the company’s culture is focused on quality and ethical behaviour. This is good news as it aids staff retention and creates a culture of continuous improvement. The new standard will also include guidance on this area.
3) Tweaks to Quality Policy: The new standard states that organisations must ‘take into account the context of the organisation and support its strategic direction.’ Strengthening the relationship between your quality management system and business strategy.
4) Clarified Risk and Opportunity Management: Actions for addressing risk and pursuing opportunity need to be clearly separated, with documentation provided on both. Expanded guidance will be available on both.
5) Improved Awareness of the Standards Internally: In order to demonstrate and maintain compliance, it will also be a requirement that all employees understand what a quality culture is and maintain ethical behaviour.
Many of the changes maintain the core framework of ISO 9001: 2015 and demonstrate how this is still valuable today. If you would like to read the full draft, you can do so by clicking here.
If you already have ISO 9001 certification in place, your certificate will still be valid for three years from the date of issue (with the deadline for transition proposed to be late 2029).
If you are thinking about becoming ISO 9001 Certified, we would advise you not to wait for the new legislation to come into effect, because:
1) You’ll already have a Certification body in place to support you with the transition, ensuring it is as smooth as possible and there are no delays.
2) All the work you put towards becoming compliant with the ISO 9001: 2015 framework will stand you in good stead for the transition to ISO 9001: 2026.
3) Having ISO 9001 certification in place highlights your commitment to quality, helping you to future-proof your business and pitch for high-value contracts that enable your business to grow.
If you would like to find out more about becoming ISO 9001 Certified, or if you have any questions about the upcoming changes, then do send us an email, give us a call or click here to submit an application here.
Key Highlights from the Make UK Executive Survey
Earlier this month, Make UK released their annual Executive Survey. The survey looks at current business attitudes towards British Manufacturing, predictions for the year ahead and the importance of a clear Industrial Strategy for the manufacturing sector as a growth driver.
We found the report to be really interesting reading, and despite rising costs, most businesses’ surveys believe that opportunity outweighs risk when it comes to manufacturing in the UK in 2026.
Here are some of the highlights from the report:
- Manufacturers are investing in digital transformation to enable them to ‘…meet real customer real needs and deliver commercial impact’. Although the response to market changes and consumer demand needs to be more agile.
- Businesses are becoming increasingly customer-focused; they are refining their processes to better engage with customers and invest in marketing, quality systems and processes that enable them to do so.
- Growth is a clear focus for businesses within the sector, and 68% of those surveyed are planning on investing in new product development to drive this.
Despite concerns around rising costs, many businesses plan to invest in new technologies and focus on sustainability in order to future-proof their business. It seems that despite challenges, the overall outlook is optimistic and based on embracing new opportunities. If you would like to read the full report, you can do so by clicking here
What’s Been Going on at the UKMB?
So far, January has been all about getting back into the swing of things after the Christmas break. We have been getting to grips with the upcoming changes to ISO 9001, preparing our new applicants for their audits, and booking in surveillance audits for our existing clients.
We also finished 2025 on a high with our first International Audit in Wuhan, China, which Phil Thomas, our Auditor, dubbed ‘Tower Block City’ (you can probably see why from the image below). The audit was part of a transfer and re-certification for Adam Equipment Co Ltd’s ISO 9001 Certification.
Meet Our New Auditor
We are pleased to announce that our team is growing, and in order to ensure we can help you to achieve the relevant marketplace certifications as quickly as possible, we have appointed a new auditor, Crispin Steele. To welcome Crispin, we asked him a few questions about his background and his passion for legal metrology.
Tell us a little bit about your background…
I have been a qualified Trading Standards Officer for 25 years and currently work for Warwickshire County Council as a Service Manager (Trading Standards), a position I have held since 2020. I am their Lead Metrologist with management oversight of our UKAS Accredited Calibration laboratory for both mass and flow, and for our Module F Approved Body certification. Currently, I am a panel member on the National Legal Metrology Technical Panel and act as vice-chair on the Central England Trading Standards Authorities (CEnTSA) regional Metrology group.
What are you most looking forward to about working with UKMB?
I am passionate about legal metrology, and its importance in underpinning accuracy, precision and trust. I really enjoy being on-site, meeting clients, finding out about their individual businesses and the machinery they use. I am looking forward to helping our clients achieve certification and making a positive difference to their business.
Tell us something we don’t know about you?
Around 20 years ago, in my capacity as an Inspector of Weights & Measures, I was asked to be the official tester and recorder of mass as part of a World Record attempt to create the world’s largest paper bag of chips. I am pleased to say that it was a new World Record, weighing in at 368.5kg! The chips were tasty…but the influx of seagulls was horrendous! Sadly, the record was surpassed a few years later.
How Much Does it Cost to Achieve UKMB Certification?
How Much Does it Cost to Achieve UKMB Certification?
We are often asked about the cost of achieving certification and whether we have fixed prices. All of our audits are bespoke to your needs, and therefore, it isn’t possible to provide a cost before receiving your application. However, once you have submitted your application, we will provide you with a detailed quote that is based on:
- The scope of your audit and the certifications required
- How many standards you require
- How many sites the audit needs to be conducted across, and the location of those sites
- How many people are involved in the scope of certification
This ensures we can provide you with an accurate quote that is bespoke to the needs of your business. All of our audits are conducted by our highly experienced auditing team, ensuring great communication, a speedy response and a professional audit that enables you to meet your deadlines. This is reflected in our latest testimonial from Tim Harris, Adam Equipment Co, Ltd.
‘We worked with Paul and his team to transfer our ISO9001:2015 and NAWI-Module D certifications from our previous certification body to UKMB. We found the whole process to be easy and efficient with great communication. UKMB managed the transfer, audits, and re-certification across multiple locations on time and in a professional manner. We were particularly impressed by their speed of response as the deadline we needed to meet was very short. We would not hesitate in recommending UKMB to anyone in the weighing industry who needs help with their certifications’.
Some Dates for your Diary
Southern Manufacturing and Electronics 2026: Taking place from 3rd -5th February at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre, this show features over 500 exhibitors as well as a series of practical and insightful seminars to help you improve efficiencies and learn more about adopting new technologies.
Make UK: National Manufacturing Conference, 2026: This annual conference takes place on Tuesday 3rd March 2026. It’s an event where over 700 people from the manufacturing industry come together to network, collaborate and learn.
MACH UK, 2026: Taking place at the NEC in Birmingham from 20th – 24th April 2026. This annual conference. The event is committed to driving innovation and helping UK manufacturing businesses to thrive.
ICW, 2026: The next International Conference of Weighing takes place in Kitakyushu, Japan, from 8th -10th June, the theme is innovative weighing solutions for a sustainable world and will focus on what weighing means for the future.
We hope you enjoyed reading the highlights from our January Newsletter, to get our regular updates direct to your inbox and to be the first in the know you can sign up here