Efficient standards management on a global scale: Bekaert chooses NBN
Last updated:
June 5, 2026
In an international organisation Bekaert, standards are much more than just a technical requirement. They form the foundation for consistent processes, quality management, compliance, and efficient collaboration among teams worldwide.
To manage this complex standards environment centrally and efficiently, Bekaert relies on the NBN Standards Portal and its partnership with NBN as a strategic partner.
“For us, standards are the foundation of our management system,” says Kurt De Somviele, Global Quality Assurance & SQM Director at Bekaert. “We have opted for an integrated management system that serves as a global framework, while at the same time allowing us to adapt to local needs.”
Bekaert has more than 65 sites in 21 countries worldwide and serves customers in over 130 countries. The Organisation in steel wire processing and coating technologies for a wide range of applications, from automotive tires and high-voltage cables to complex construction projects and industrial applications.
“That international presence also presents challenges when it comes to standards management,” says Kurt. “As a result, we have to deal not only with international standards but also with local requirements. It’s essential that we maintain consistency in our approach.”
At Bekaert, international management standards, such as ISO and IATF standards, form the basis of the integrated management system. This system is then tailored to the specific needs of the various business units.
“We’ve developed a kind of plug-and-play system,” Kurt explains. “There’s a core foundation that applies to everyone, supplemented by specific requirements depending on the type of business unit. This allows us to maintain global consistency without sacrificing flexibility.”
For Bekaert, standards provide an essential foundation for operating in a uniform and controlled manner worldwide.
“Standards help us standardize processes worldwide,” says Kurt. “They ensure that we can work consistently and comply with both legal regulations and customer requirements.”
In addition, standards play an important role in managing risks.
“With large-scale infrastructure projects, you want absolute certainty that everything is being done correctly and in compliance with regulations,” he explains. “When you’re working on bridge construction or other critical applications, standards form an indispensable foundation.”
Within Bekaert, standards are used by a wide range of departments and roles worldwide.
“Quality departments are obviously key users, but engineering, safety, health & environment, production, and audit functions also rely on standards on a daily basis,” says Kurt. “This happens across various sites worldwide.”
Engineering teams, in particular, work closely with standards. “Engineering plays a key role in new developments,” Kurt explains. “Those teams need to stay constantly up to date on changes to standards and the applicable requirements.”
To provide users worldwide with efficient access to the right standards, Bekaert works with the NBN Standards Portal.
“The big advantage is that everything is centralized,” says Kurt. “For us, the standards portal serves as a single point of access to all relevant standards.”
That centralized approach represented a major step forward compared to the previous situation.
“In the past, different sites purchased and managed standards on their own,” he explains. “This led to a lot of duplication, and we didn’t have a clear enough picture of which versions were in use. That was inefficient and difficult to monitor.”
Today, employees around the world have quick access to the correct and most up-to-date standards through a single user-friendly portal.
“Employees quickly find their way around the portal,” says Kurt. “We’ve also noticed that the system is being used extensively. This confirms to us that it’s well integrated within the organisation.”
That ease of use is crucial in an international context. Employees can easily find standards, consult documents, and be confident that they are always working with the most recent version. According to Bekaert, this offers significant added value compared to local drives or scattered documents.
In addition, the portal offers significant benefits in terms of compliance and copyright management.
“We know that everything is managed correctly and in compliance with copyright laws,” says Kurt. “That gives us confidence and peace of mind.”
For Bekaert, the partnership with NBN goes far beyond simply providing access to standards.
“We truly view NBN as a reliable partner,” says Kurt. “Our collaboration is professional and constructive.”
According to him, the added value lies primarily in the proactive support and the way NBN works with the customer to find solutions.
“Whenever we have specific questions, we can always count on their support,” he says. “Sometimes they’re simple questions, and sometimes they’re more complex challenges. In both cases, they work with us to find solutions.”
A concrete example of this was the optimization of Bekaert’s standards library.
“NBN has actively helped us optimize our internal standards library,” says Kurt. “There’s little point in managing a library of 5,000 standards when only a fraction of them are actually used.”
Together with NBN, Bekaert analyzed which standards were relevant to the organisation how the library could be managed more efficiently.
“To me, that really demonstrates the strength of our partnership,” says Kurt. “NBN doesn’t just focus on offering as many standards as possible; it also works with us to determine what’s organisation relevant and efficient for our organisation .”
This approach not only helps Bekaert operate more efficiently, but also keeps costs under better control.
In addition to using standards, Bekaert also plays an active role in their development.
The Organisation in various technical committees and contributes to the development of future standards and trends within its sectors.
“It’s important for us to be at the table,” says Kurt. “That way, we know in advance what changes are coming and can help come up with feasible and balanced solutions.”
Within Bekaert, experts from various fields are brought in for this purpose, depending on the subject matter and the expertise required.
“In the past, we often sent just one person to technical committees,” he says. “Today, we take a much more targeted approach to determining what expertise is needed for specific topics.”
This commitment not only helps Bekaert stay prepared for future developments, but also supports innovation, knowledge building, and competitiveness.
Sustainability is also playing an increasingly prominent role in standards management.
“Sustainability is a key part of our strategy today,” says Kurt. “That’s why we closely monitor developments in sustainability standards.”
At Bekaert, there is a strong focus on topics such as recycled content, circular processes, and sustainable supply chain management.
“Standards help us bring structure and consistency to this process,” he explains. “They clarify what requirements apply and how we can remain compliant in different countries and markets.”
According to Kurt, the importance of sustainability standards will continue to grow in the coming years. “Sustainability affects every level of the organization today, organisationhe says.
For Bekaert, professional standards management has become a strategic necessity today.
“You can’t leave standards management to chance,” Kurt concludes. “You have to approach it in a structured and forward-looking way.”
That is precisely why Bekaert sees NBN as much more than just a supplier of standards.
“The combination of subject matter expertise, a user-friendly standards portal, strong support, and a personalized approach really makes all the difference for us,” says Kurt. “It helps us continue to operate efficiently, compliantly, and with an eye toward the future worldwide.”
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