Global compliance lucrative for SGS

WITH GROWING awareness of the need to meet stringent international safety, quality and environmental standards, manufacturers are increasingly relying on specialist independent verification, testing and certification services to help them comply with complex regulations. Safety, quality and environmental testing certification is not only seen as a way of protecting the consumer, the process also provides manufacturers with evidence of compliance with regulations.

SGS Hong Kong, a leading provider of verification, testing and certification services and part of the worldwide SGS network, is seeing an increasing demand across its range of services particularly in the areas of electronics, environmental and food testing.

Candy Lau, SGS consumer testing - electrical and electronics senior manager, said the complexity, new testing and certification regulations being introduced by different governments, required staff to undergo regular training programmes. A designated research and development team monitored international regulations and developed suitable programme updates.

'With different individual markets and trading blocs adopting different standards, achieving global compliance for household appliances, electronics, IT and telecommunications products can be complex and time consuming,' Ms Lau said.

By utilising state-of-the-art electrical and chemical testing systems, SGS is able to provide clients with a fast and efficient service that allows them to meet production deadlines. A growing concern for manufacturers is new European Union regulations requiring small electrical appliances, such as hair dryers, to be more energy efficient.

'Our testing and certification services for electrical equipment help clients to incorporate critical construction criteria and compliance requirements from the design stage to the end of life cycle,' Ms Lau said.