International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE) ISSN: 2278-3075, Volume-2 Issue-1, December 2012 31 Published By: Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering & Sciences Publication Retrieval Number: A0365112112/2012©BEIESP Abstract: Development of the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System (QMS) has seen many companies willing to implement it and get certification so as to improve quality delivery. Due to the globalization phenomenon, certification to ISO9001 becomes a prerequisite. Many manufacturing companies in Zimbabwe have been certified in a quest to improve their quality delivery. The main certification body in Zimbabwe is the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ). This paper is based on a case study research for KT Textiles and it assesses the challenges that one certified manufacturing company is facing in a bid to sustain conformance to the ISO 9001: 2008QMS. Questionnaires and Interviews were the main research instruments used in the study. There was also reference to archival records and minutes of important meetings from the organization. Using stratified random sampling, questionnaires were administered to both managers and employees drawn from different departments. Employees were also interviewed to provide further information to compliment the questionnaire data. The data was analyzed using statistical graphs and charts. This research identified how the organization applies the 8 principles of ISO 9001:2008 QMS. The research findings revealed that the main challenges faced by the firm in maintaining the QMS are lack of top management involvement and support, lack of employee creativity and innovation, lack of focused internal audits, preventive maintenance schedule and data analysis lack priority. Keywords: Quality Management System, ISO 9001: 2008, Textile Manufacturing, Sustainable quality improvement. I. INTRODUCTION Consistence of quality delivery for both product and service is what distinguishes World Class Manufacturing (WCM) companies from the rest. The result will be global competitiveness through satisfied customers and overall business excellence. Consistent quality products can be a deliverable from an organisation that has a robust quality management system. This will mean that the company will Revised Manuscript received on December, 2012. Eng. William Msekiwa Goriwondo, Dept. Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, ZIMBABWE. Davison Zimwara, Dept. Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, ZIMBABWE. Samson Mhlanga, Dept. Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, ZIMBABWE. C. T. Mutopa, KT Textiles (Pvt) LTD, ZIMBABWE. F.Nkomo, Hwange Colliery Company, Hwange, ZIMBABWE. T. Gutu, Dept. Wood Technology, Mutare Polytechnic College, Mutare, ZIMBABWE. P. Ngwena, Dept. Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, ZIMBABWE. aspire to consistently manufacture products at the right cost, and the manufacturing processes are controlled through a set of specifications, procedures and tests for checking the capability of the process [1]. This paper is based on a research that assessed the challenges faced by manufacturing companies in Zimbabwe in sustaining conformance to the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System (QMS) using KT Textiles as a case study. The major activities in textile manufacturing include spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, and finishing, production of non-woven fabric, and interlinings from locally grown 100 percent cotton. KT Textiles produces a variety of fabrics for industrial use. This research sought to assess the benefits of implementing ISO 9001: 2008 and its associated certification. There is need to identify the major challenges that manufacturing companies face is trying to sustain conformance to the requirement of the ISO9001 QMS standard. Many companies that implement ISO9001 do not fully realize the associated benefits due to various factors. It is also notable that such companies manage to maintain their certification because they will be meeting the most basic requirements of the ISO 9001 standard. The effects of globalization result in stiff competition and as such there is need to voluntarily improve quality delivery and sustained conformance to ISO 9001 is critical. II. RELATED LITERATURE It has been realized over the years that, “Excellent Quality Management does not just happen [2]. It requires active involvement of managers from all levels of an organisation. ISO 9001 is thus a QMS standard that requires synchronization of a company’s operations through documentation of operational procedures and managerial actions used to achieve customer requirements [3]. The ISO 9000 series consists of a set of international standards being used worldwide to provide a framework for quality management systems in order to eliminate country to country differences, to eliminate terminology confusion and to increase quality awareness [4]. One of the main objectives of ISO 9001:2008 certification is to make the organization system driven rather than people dependent [5]. The QMS is mainly concerned with customer focus where organizations strive to improve product quality, reduce costs, and increase productivity to gain market share and achieve customer expectations [6]. Leadership is a Challenges Faced by Manufacturing Companies in Sustaining Conformance to ISO9001:2008 in Zimbabwe: A Case Study of a Textiles Manufacturing Company Goriwondo, W.M., Zimwara, D., Mhlanga, S, Mutopa, C.T., Nkomo, F, Gutu, T and Ngwena, P.