The Safety and Quality Assessment System (SQAS) is an integral component of Responsible Care, a voluntary initiative focused on the chemical industry.
For a logistics company, SQAS certification confirms that it takes a socially responsible approach to the transport of chemicals or semi-finished products.
The aims of Responsible Care are to protect the environment, make chemical facilities safe, and ensure the health of chemical industry workers. The initiative has gained popularity around the world and has been visible in Poland since 1992 under the local name "Responsibility and Care" (Odpowiedzialność i Troska).
Due to the dangers posed by the transportation of chemical goods, attention is paid to the control and elimination of risk factors when fulfilling orders.
Since the corporate group was founded, AsstrA has been providing customers with road, air, sea and rail logistics solutions for neutral and hazardous chemicals (ADR). For 9 months of 2020, the AsstrA Chemicals Logistics team organized over 13,000 shipments – 11% of all company orders during the same period – with a corresponding turnover of 24 million euros..
Products transported include organic and inorganic substances, dangerous goods, paints and inks, and dyes and pigments. Transportation solutions are also available for plant protection products such as pesticides and herbicides, household cleaning products, air fresheners, disinfectants, as well as fibers and plastics and auxiliary chemical industry equipment.
The long-distance transport of substances of these types often serves as a test for transport and logistics companies. To avoid disappointment when choosing suppliers, wise customers look for SQAS certificates, fleets of customized vehicles, and a deep understanding of the market practices and regulations.
In a successful September 2020 SQAS audit, AsstrA Polska scored 7% higher than the European average with an overall grade of 81%.
Olga Kiziuta
“SQAS sets the European Chemical Industry Council standard for logistics providers. Certificate holders must be re-certified every 3 years. The assessment system covers how well logistics companies work with all types of dangerous goods, not just chemical industry products. For companies, the audit system is an excellent way to learn about where to improve processes and reduce risks in the future. For customers, certification is a key criterion to use when choosing providers,” summarizes Olga Kiziuta, AsstrA Branch Manager in Warsaw.