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Dubai - Intertek, a leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide and the operator of over 1000 laboratories around the world, has revealedthat the company has invested over AED200 million over the last two years to expand its laboratories and testing facilities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.The announcement came in parallel with the third GCC Laboratory Proficiency Conference which is sponsored by Intertek and is organised by the GCC StandardisationOrganisation (GSO) in cooperation with Emirates Authority for Standardisation& Metrology (ESMA) and GCC-Accreditation Center. The Conference is held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water in UAE.
Intertek supports the GCC's strong commitment to quality and safety across all industries. In 2014, Intertek issued laboratory resultsand certifications for more than 3,000 government entities and private companies in the region. Intertek works with its partners to ensure testing, inspection, certification and training are compliant with local and international standards while offering end to end support, including consultancy by its global and regional experts and scientists.
Ian Galloway, Executive Vice Presidentat Intertek, who is a keynote speaker at the conference,said that Intertek plans to build additional centres in the region to cater to an increase in demand for quality improvements both by governments and industry sectors.
Hussain Al-Atrakchi, Regional Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan at Intertek, said: "Intertek's plans are fuelled by local government entities and private sector companies embracing quality as a strategy that offers sustainable economic growth,and global business competitiveness."
He added: "Spending on quality improvement is growing steadily. Companies and institutions in the GCC are focusing on quality and service excellence.Taking the UAE as an example,the country is constantly examining and implementing ways to improve the quality of life for its residents. It wants to be counted among the leading countries in the world in terms of excellence and quality of life. This has led to a surge in demand for quality control, testing and certification by both the governments and the private sector. As a result, Intertek has been expanding its laboratories and testing facilities.In the UAE, It has eight labs spread across various business sectors in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Fujairah. "
The quality drive that the UAE has embarked on over the last few years and which propelled it to one of the Top 20 most competitive nations on earth, ranking 12th this year according to the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index 2014-2015 compared to last year's ranking in the 19th position, shows that the country is significantly committed to investing in quality improvements and as a result is witnessing a great impact.
Intertek currently operates 20 laboratories in the region, 30 offices and 2 training centres and offers different analytical services critical to local industries. In the past year, it has grown its employee base of highly qualified technical experts by approximately 70% in the GCC from 989 people to around 1700people today,helping companies achievetheir goals for ultimate integrity, safety, quality and performance in a continuously changing marketplace.
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About Intertek
Intertek is a leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide. From auditing and inspection, to testing, training, advisory, quality assurance and certification, Intertek adds value to customers' products, processes and assets. With a network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 36,000 people in more than 100 countries, Intertek supports companies' success in a global marketplace. Intertek helps its customers to meet end users' expectations for safety, sustainability, performance, integrity and desirability in virtually any market worldwide.
Visit www.intertek.com.
Issued by Borouj Consulting on behalf of Intertek.
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© Press Release 2015
