Testing Times!

Dave Fynn takes a look at Intertek Testing Services and uncovers another success story

When one looks for innovation in industry the mind automatically thinks in terms of new products and methods. It was, therefore, both a surprise and most refreshing to look into the evolution of a British owned company that had identified an opportunity for independent testing, immediately post war, and has subsequently developed to become a global leader in the field of test, inspection, and certification.

Such a company is ITS which currently enjoys a turnover of around £400m and employs a total of 10,400 staff.  It has 253 laboratories and 507 field offices in 98 countries. Its services are extended to a diverse range of manufacturers comprising industrial and consumer goods as well as the water, petroleum, gas and chemical industries.

The UK operation, which was founded in 1946, became Aldbury Laboratories, this in 1989 was acquired by AMTAC and then in 1992 by Inchcape, where it became part of the Inchcape Testing Services division. This whole division of Inchcape was later purchased as a capital venture by Charterhouse.  Since when in 1997 it evolved to become Intertek Testing Services (ITS).  Significantly in 1999 ERA Technology, following a perceived need for a strategic restructuring manoeuvre, were seeking a company with the credibility and capability to embrace the demands of an ever expanding international testing and certification service. In response ITS led a joint venture with BEAB to purchase the Electro technical safety and EMC testing business from ERA which was subsequently dovetailed into the existing structure. The EMC and GSM testing facilities were further expanded in December last year with the addition of its new, state-of-the- art, test centre at Imperial Park Leatherhead.

Notified or Competent Body status is held under all of the following European directives: Low Voltage, EMC, Medical Devices, Machinery, Gas Appliance, Outdoor Noise, Toys, ATEX and R&TTE. In addition recognised test laboratory status is held within the International CCA and CB schemes.

ITS enjoys sole ownership of a number of safety approval marks, these include ETL/cETL North American Listed Marks, the German ITS GS Mark and the Scandinavian ITS SEMKO S Mark. To these are added the British BEAB safety approval mark, the European Keymark and ENEC mark. 

At Leatherhead the product certification and safety expertise extends to a vast range of equipment comprising; electrically and gas powered domestic, commercial, industrial, medical, military avionic, marine, vehicular, batteries, water, GSM mobile phones and radio transmitting devices.

EMC testing services are situated at both Blackwood in Gwent and at Leatherhead. The Leatherhead EMC and GSM test facilities, believed to be the largest in the UK, are located under a single roof embracing 1,022 sq. metres.  Within this space may be found a total of thirteen chambers thus providing a comprehensive range of EMC testing and support services with the capacity to handle a wide range of products from small domestic products up to vehicles and larger industrial machines. These facilities include a large hybrid anechoic chamber in which radiated emissions measurements at 3 or 5 metres may be conducted with provision for fields of up to 200v/m from 10kHz to 18GHz. There are also three purpose built environmentally controlled, shielded laboratories within which GSM and similar tests can be conducted. The need for expansion to accommodate the next generation of cellular phones has been anticipated and appropriate provision made. In addition there is a covered open area test site with a 5 metre diameter turntable capable of supporting up to three tonnes.

The EMC and GSM Testing Facility at Leatherhead

Recognising the current swing towards ever shorter product lifetimes and the consequent pressures on new product manufacturers for ever faster time to market, the Group are constantly striving to ensure they are able to provide a speedy turnaround time. Much of the equipment is fully automated and networked thus enabling test results to be directly imported into technical reports.  Jon Bearmark, the EMC Manager views this as a priority, he said   “Our ability to provide a fast response stems first from recognising the need, and not less importantly, from having sufficient capacity and enough up-to-date test equipment to meet these demands.” This sense of urgency and enthusiasm was echoed throughout every department in the organisation and is to be applauded. It reflects a whole company philosophy projected by Clive Patten, the General Manager who stressed. “No customer wants to wait around whilst his product languishes in a test laboratory, a real customer service includes urgency as well as a totally reliable performance. In today’s marketplace, focused as it is upon a multiplicity of standards and requirements for functionality and safety, our customers need to be confident that they will receive such a service. Many of them also rely on us to provide a total certified test solution which is able to cover much of the non European marketplace.” 

DTI Minister opens the UK’s largest independent EMC/GSM Test Centre at ITS, as reported in our last issue.

Foreground from left: Jon Bearpark, EMC Manager, ETL SEMKO-UK; Richard Nelson, Chief Executive, Intertek Testing Service Ltd; Clive Patten, General Manager, ITS ETL SEMKO-UK; Lord Sainsbury, Minister for Science & Innovation.

For further information contact ITS on tel: +44 (0)1372 370900, Email: info@its-etlsemko.co.uk or visit their website: www.etlsemko.com/uk