IIW White Paper

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Short, medium and long-term strategic agendas of the world of welding and joining technology

10.1 Objectives of Strategic Agendas (SAs) The International Institute of Welding through this White Paper is providing short, medium, and long-term strategic agendas (SA) related to the technological and societal needs of the welding and related industries. Consequently, the resultant challenges, trends and effects should be considered in various time-scales to suit different countries and regions of the world.

Due to the complex nature of the items and their wide-range of areas, the following sections give SAs under general technological and societal headings.

10.2 Short-term Strategic Agendas IIW has 56 member countries representing more than 80% of the world’s GDP. Its strategies could also apply to non-IIW members as well. The key to improving the global quality of life is ensuring the integrity and reliability of welded products whether an energy-producing plant, bridge, pipeline carrying water to an African village or artificial heart. Conformity Assessment or compliance of the product to standards, codes or specification is therefore a key issue requiring immediate attention. IIW will guide industry on this. Culture defined as “a way of life or life style summarised in a system of particular values and attitudes which result in characteristic actions and customs” will determine the success of the application of welding technology in a community. Successful strategies to inculcate cultures of quality, workplace health and safety (WHS), environment, skills, ethics, morality, corporate governance and product compliance into people, companies and authorities in all countries are critical, and will be promoted by IIW. IIW will continue introducing its personnel Education, Training, Qualification and Certification ( ETQC) programmes and company certification programmes into all countries based on companies having a welding coordination team linked to quality, WHS and environment.

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Through Optimum Use and Innovation of Welding and Joining Technologies

Improving Global Quality of Life