Altus Science Limited
Where did Altus Science Limited start?
Altus Science Limited had its origins in Debbie's and Graham's garage.
CA
Corrective Action
What is the name of the system that we use for temperature monitoring?
Saveris / Testo
In what country did Lean Manufacturing originate?
Lean Manufacturing originated in Japan.
Who assesses Altus Science Limited on a yearly basis?
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) performs a yearly assessment at Altus Science Limited in order to establish the technical competence and the extent of conformance to accreditation and our own QMS requirements.
Who from within the Production team provided us with the first improvement action recorded in the Quality Huddle?
Clarissa Wiegers
SOP
Standard Operating Procedure
How often do we perform glassware calibrations?
We perform glassware calibrations yearly.
In what company did Lean Manufacturing start?
Lean Manufacturing started at Toyota.
What is the correct term for when we check the data entries on records? (Hint: It is not 'GMP checks')
“Data integrity checks” is the more appropriate terminology when referring to checks of data entries on records. Data integrity checks are guided by the ALOCA framework which helps ensure that records are reliable, trustworthy and traceable throughout their lifestyle. Internal document Record Keeping Guidance (SHD 500) outlines the procedures and requirements for following data integrity practices within Altus Science.
Which two measurements are at the heart of Altus's reference standard business?
Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and conductivity.
QMS
Quality Management System
How often do we get an external accredited provider to perform the calibration of the balances?
A UKAS accredited calibration provider calibrates our balances on a yearly basis. It is important to note that UKAS does not perform calibrations, so "UKAS calibration" is not the appropriate terminology.
What is the meaning of Gemba?
Gemba (also spelled Genba, 現場) is a Japanese term meaning "the actual place" or "the real place". [1, 2]
What is the number of the ISO standard that relates to the general requirements for the competence of reference material producers?
ISO 17034 indicates the general requirements for the competence of reference material producers and we are accredited to it!
What honour has Altus been recently granted? (Hint: We had a big party on the day.)
Altus Science Ltd, based in Runcorn (Manor Park), received the King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade for 2026.
CRM
Certified Reference Material
How often do we now perform the White Knights repeatability test?
The White Knights repeatability tests are now performed on a 6-monthly basis after reviewing historical data and confirming that there was no risk associated to changing this check from 4-monthly to 6-monthly.
What is one of the key principles of Gemba?
Go & See - Genchi Gembutsu is a core pillar of the Toyota Production System meaning "go and see for yourself". It teaches that leaders cannot truly understand operational problems or waste (muda) from a desk or a report.
Ask Questions
Respect People
What is the number of the ISO standard that relates to the general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories?
ISO/IEC 17025 indicates the general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories and we are accredited to it!
What is the name of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) that we are all currently validating? (Hint: We are currently validating version 2)
Altus Connect
UKAS
United Kingdom Accreditation Service
What poke-yoke (i.e. error proofing) action have we taken to prevent colleagues from moving balances from their locations?
We have delineated the area where the balance is with black tape which is expected to serve as a reminder to not move the balances.
How often do we do Gemba walks at Altus?
We currently have weekly Gemba walks.
What is the property of a measurement result whereby the result can be related to a reference through a documented unbroken chain of calibrations with an associated uncertainty at each step of the chain?
Traceability (i.e. metrological traceability)