New Testing Option Made Available To Manufacturers of Portable Fire Extinguishers
19 Jan 2011
Intertek and Southwest Research Institute to Provide New North American Safety Certification Option for Manufacturers
San Antonio, TX - Intertek (LSE: ITRK) and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) are excited to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as it relates to the testing and certification of portable fire extinguishers (Classes A, B, C, D, and K) to be sold in the North America market. This cooperative arrangement has been launched by two of the world’s leading testing and certification companies—Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc. and Southwest Research Institute.
Thomas Connaughton, Intertek’s Global Director of Life Safety and Security Services, stated, “This cooperative arrangement, which unites the mechanical and certification expertise of Intertek with the R&D and active performance expertise of Southwest Research Institute, will finally provide manufacturers with a choice in obtaining third party certification. It allows manufactures to weigh all aspects of their needs as related to quality of capabilities, speed of project completion, and competitive costs, and will substantially lower the time and cost of bringing their products to market.”
Dr. Matthew Blais, SwRI’s Director of Fire Technology, stated, “This teaming agreement will allow Intertek and SwRI to provide the highest quality testing and certification services for portable fire extinguishers efficiently and at a competitive price. Our joint commitment to meeting client needs will add a positive choice for manufacturers needing this service.”
Contacts
Roy Strunin
Senior Marketing Manager
Telephone: 978-263-2662
roy.strunin@intertek.com
About Intertek
Intertek is a global third-party testing laboratory and certification organization for residential and commercial Life Safety and Security products. Intertek’s product certifications, namely the ETL and Warnock Hersey Marks, are well recognized by manufacturers, architects, specifiers, and building officials. The Company’s certification programs are accredited in both the United States and Canada by various authorities including OSHA (NRTL Program), International Accreditation Services, the American National Standards Institute, and the Standards Council of Canada.
Intertek is a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world. From auditing and inspection, to testing, quality assurance and certification, Intertek people are dedicated to adding value to customers' products and processes, supporting their success in the global marketplace. Intertek has the expertise, resources and global reach to support its customers through its network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 26,000 people in more than 100 countries around the world.
For further information, visit www.intertek.com/lifesafety
About Southwest Research Institute
Southwest Research Institute, headquartered in San Antonio, TX, is an independent, non-profit applied research and development organization. Its staff of more than 3,200 specializes in the creation and transfer of technology in engineering and the physical sciences. The Institute occupies more than 1,200 acres in San Antonio, Texas, and provides nearly 2 million square feet of laboratories, test facilities, workshops and offices. SwRI's total revenue for fiscal year 2010 was $548 million. It’s testing and certification services are recognized by various accreditation bodies and authorities, including the International Accreditation Services (lAS), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under their Nationally Recognized Testing laboratory (NRTL) Program.
For further information, visit www.swri.org