Subwon becomes first MRO firm to earn AS9120 aerospace quality management certification

Subwon, a maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) procurement solutions company, has secured an international quality management certification specializing in supply chain management for the aerospace and defense sectors. The company plans to develop defense as a key growth industry following shipbuilding, expanding its procurement and logistics support for related businesses.

Subwon announced Tuesday that it has obtained the AS/EN 9120 aerospace quality management system certification established by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG). It is the first domestic MRO company to earn the certification, according to Subwon.

AS/EN 9120 belongs to the AS/EN 9100 series of quality management standards used in the aerospace and defense industries. It is specifically tailored for the procurement, storage and distribution of parts and materials, as well as supply chain management. The certification focuses on parts traceability, counterfeit prevention, supply chain risk management and quality assurance frameworks required not only in general manufacturing processes but also throughout the distribution chain.

The aerospace and defense industries demand stricter management of parts production history and distribution channels than most other sectors. Nonconforming, counterfeit or falsified products entering the supply chain can affect the quality and safety of finished goods, making management capabilities at the procurement and distribution stages critical.

Through the certification, Subwon said it has established a quality management framework suited to the industry — covering product and transaction traceability, management of nonconforming and suspected counterfeit or falsified products, and procurement processes that reflect customer requirements.

The company also plans to apply its existing domestic and international materials sourcing capabilities and global supply chain management (SCM) infrastructure to defense projects. Subwon intends to expand an aerospace and defense-focused sourcing network connecting domestic partners with overseas manufacturers and distributors. It will support everything from consumables, subsidiary materials and raw materials procurement to export packaging and transport, as well as local procurement and inventory management.

Subwon has set a course to develop the defense sector as a major growth industry following shipbuilding. The company plans to expand its procurement and supply chain management services to support not only stable materials sourcing for domestic defense companies but also their export expansion and overseas market entry.

"The defense industry demands a high level of procurement capability — not just stable sourcing, but quality and traceability management and global supply chain responsiveness," CEO Lee Guk-hwan said. "We will expand our role in strengthening the procurement competitiveness and global supply chain stability of defense companies, drawing on the procurement and SCM expertise and global network Subwon has built up."

Building on the AS/EN 9120 certification, Subwon plans to review its services for aerospace and defense customers and continuously upgrade its quality management framework.