AST is Europe's leading high volume, high technology, zinc alloy electroplating specialist. It operates at the forefront of technology, with a continuing investment in the latest processes. The company has the majority of its business within the automotive sector, but now it also serves a number of other key industries, such as aerospace, petrochemical and the fastener sector.. From its inception, quality and reliability have always been considered to be of paramount importance and are firmly rooted in the company's philosophy. As an extension of the existing QS9000 standard AST has undergone a 12 month programme to achieve ISO/TS16949:2002. This quality standard is an ISO Technical Specification which aligns existing US, German, French and Italian automotive quality standards within the global automotive industry. AST believe they are one of the first in the worldwide plating industry to do so and have achieved it even before some of their tier one customers. AST's accreditation to ISO 14001 is a key requirement to enable AST to continue to develop a greater market penetration within the global 'blue chip' automotive sector of manufacturing industry. Without exception the world's community of OEM vehicle manufacturers are insisting that their supply chain network 'buy-in' to establishing a culture of 'best practice' to manage environmental improvement. The addition of Investors In People accreditation confirms a commitment to training that encompasses the company's most important asset: its people. Advanced Surface Treatments has grown to become a £2.5m company, employing 40 people working on a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week basis. The company is independently owned and managed, and has a considerable and ongoing investment in new equipment totaling over £2 million to date.