Quality is a core pillar for NITRAS and the company’s 35-year track record as an industry leader. As a trusted name in personal protective equipment (PPE) and workwear, product quality is more than a checklist. It is central to performance, consistency, and customer trust.
With a global supply chain, customer base, and expanding product line, the company continually works to enhance its quality assurance and quality control.
The starting point is a mindset of always being able to improve.
“Quality is a dynamic force,” says Andreas Münzenmaier, Head of Quality Management at NITRAS. “You cannot assume you have reached the top. If you’re satisfied with where you are, someone else will catch up and overtake you.”
Evolving beyond traditional QC
Looking back a few years, NITRAS's quality assurance (QA) processes were typical for the industry at the time – and remain the case for many companies. Shipment sheets reviewed by purchasing, container checks upon arrival in Germany and visual and tactile on-site inspections for apparent flaws were three of the main approaches.
The company started identifying potential upgrades that would enable them to work more proactively with quality.
“There was a time when checking a product’s surface and basic fit was enough. But we have continuously grown, adding labs, testing capabilities, and more touchpoints across the supply chain,” Münzenmaier explains.
A core priority was better ways to document, streamline, and improve quality control (QC) operations. At the time, NITRAS's quality inspectors would perform on-site checks, then return to the office and write their reports. This resulted in long days for the inspectors and communication gaps between headquarters in Germany, the QC inspectors, and the producers.
A smarter way forward
When a colleague introduced Qarma during a team meeting, demonstrating its mobile functionality and real-time capabilities, Münzenmaier and the NITRAS leadership team saw immediate potential.
“We had been relying on Excel sheets and emails but wanted a system that captured details, was easy to use, and worked across time zones – all of which Qarma delivers,” says Münzenmaier.
Qarma's inspection platform provides NITRAS with a single source of truth, with real-time updates from quality inspectors in China, India, and other manufacturing hubs. Instead of waiting a day or more for emailed reports and photos, NITRAS’s staff can view inspections instantly, leave comments, and make informed decisions before containers leave the factory.
“Now, if a defect is found during an inspection, I can see it right away – even while I am working on something else,” Münzenmaier says. “That saves us hours, sometimes days, in communication time. It also allows us to act quickly and proactively fix issues through real-time interactions with the QCs and producers.”
Precision in every detail
The switch to Qarma also enabled NITRAS to expand and deepen the scope of its inspections. Inspectors now use detailed templates embedded with photo documentation, reference points, and granular quality standards.
"We used to send a two-page Word document to suppliers. Now, we have micro-level detail data for areas like leather thickness, glove markings, label positioning, and colour codes. There is less room for misunderstanding," Münzenmaier notes.
This also enables better QC and interaction over time. For example, if a customer flags a potential issue weeks or months after delivery, the team can quickly trace it back to the inspection, review the photos, and verify whether it was an isolated case or a broader problem.
“It refines our baseline. That is key. You cannot improve what you do not measure,” Münzenmaier says. “And once you have the baseline, Qarma gives you the structure to keep moving forward.”
The team also appreciates Qarma’s design and how easy it has been to adopt and integrate into daily operations.
“It is fast, mobile, and it works. Our organisation has many software systems, and few are as intuitive as Qarma. You do not need to prepare a lengthy report or spend hours formatting something. It is just there – organised, visual, clear," Münzenmaier says.
.svg)