GERMANISCHER Lloyd, the international classification society, has set up a subsidiary to provide certification of quality assurance systems for industries, including ship components, design, sea and overland transport.
The new company, 'QS-Zertifizierung GmbH' (GLQZ) has a staff of 63 auditors and experts with special training and experience in a wide variety of technologies and industries.
Many of them are based in different countries throughout the world.
Audits will be carried out in the local language of each country.
Dr Heinrich Weber, chief executive of the new company, said: ''The demand for accreditation by an impartial body has been growing rapidly as quality assurance systems emerge as a vital factor in the competitiveness of companies''.
Germanischer Lloyd received over 500 such enquiries in 1992.
Dr Weber said that the Single European Market had heightened the importance of quality assurance systems as an element in competition, and GLQZ was certifying systems in accordance with the European standard ISO 9000.