R ussell A. Farrow Limited is pleased to announce that on July 20, 1999, their Ayr Regional Complex achieved certification under ISO 9002 quality systemsstandards. KPMG Quality Registrar Inc., recommended Russell A. Farrow Limited for registration. The Ayr Regional Complex, located in Ayr, Ontario, is Russell A. Farrow Limited's largest transaction processing centre.

"We are so proud of our accomplishment, that we can't wait to tell our customers." President and CEO, Rick Farrow said about the good news. "Our employees have worked very hard on this commitment toward company-wide quality and they deserve a great deal of credit. They have displayed dedication to strengthening our quality systems to assure our customers of consistent quality. We have always been committed to quality and our ISO 9002 certification only eight months after launching the project is our confirmation that we are indeed a quality driven organization."

As part of its ongoing continuous improvement program, Russell A. Farrow Limited launched an ISO 9002 certification project to strengthen the ability to provide consistent quality products and services. The project is following a multi-phase plan that involves the certification of all the regional facilities.

"ISO 9002 registration for all our regional facilities is a critical step in our continuous improvement program. Registration confirms our full and total commitment to quality customer satisfaction", said Romeo Girardi, Vice-President of Corporate Resources. "We are currently preparing to launch the project in the next regional centre. Our corporate philosophy has always been to ensure a culture of exceeding customer expectations and to consistently provide high quality service levels to our clients. By embracing this philosophy we are able to achieve our corporate mission to "contribute to the success and profitability of North American companies engaged in international trade." ISO 9002 certification assures all of our clients of our dedication to accomplishing that mission".

The quality standard required each department within Russell A. Farrow Limited to document and constantly improve processes. The checks and balances were implemented to assure non-stop quality service to Russell A. Farrow Limited customers. The results have been exciting and numerous. The entire staff is aware of quality and works tirelessly to perpetuate quality throughout the organization. The quality management system provides the framework for the continuous improvement to flourish in a fast paced changing environment.

"Our ISO 9002 management systems have provided strong tools to assist us to identify problems before they occur and rectify them before they affect the client." said Dave Hoyland, Vice President of Canadian Brokerage Operations. "The entire staff are aware of quality requirements and are vigilant in ensuring they are maintained. I am proud of all the work they have done in accomplishing ISO 9002 for this centre. I look forward to the implementation of the standards into the next regional centre."

With operations dating back to 1911, Russell A. Farrow Limited, is one of the largest customs brokerage firms in Canada offering a comprehensive range of international trade services to thousands of importers and exporters across North America. The services include Canadian and U.S. customs brokerage, parcel logistics, fullfillment for catelogue and internet sales direct marketers, international freight forwarding, transborder courier, warehousing, and specialized software development.