What is it when a manufacturer says they are 9001 certified?

ISO 9001 is a quality system that the manufacturer adhers to, and must be audited regularly to maintain the accrededation. ISO means International Standards Organization, and the 9001 is the standard that they meet. There are other standards for different industries. Like a trucking company would not have the same standards as a manufacturing facility, because one is a service provider and the other is making a product.

Actually, you forgot a couple of letters in the front of 9001. ISO9001 is a quality assurance, independent auditing company. When a manufacturer passes the ISO9001, their quality is assured to a certain number per million, defects. It is usually 25 parts per million. Some companies set higher standards for themselves to insure passing of the ISO9001 standards.

ISO 9001 certification is a measure of competenece by the company that they have achieved a certain standard of procedures. These procedures usually relate to customer service, training, management involvement, and conformance with customer requirements.

ISO9001 is a Quality Assurance thing

IT IS A CERTIFICATE THAT TELLS YOU THEY HAVE ALL THERE PAPER WORK IN ORDER ABOUT THERE BUSINESS. BASICALLY THAT THEY HAVE THERE DUCKS IN A ROW.