F E A T U R E

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Intertek

IntertekAs a leading inspection and testing services provider, Intertek has been establishing its presence in South Africa for more than forty years. We spoke to Sales and Marketing Manager Thomas Andrews to find out more about their operations.

With a global network of 1,000

laboratories and offices, and over

36,000 people in more than 120

countries, Intertek is the leading quality

solutions provider to a huge range of

industries worldwide. The company is

present in 24 African countries, and is

considered the market leader within South

Africa, in particular for petrochemical

testing and inspection solutions.

“We're a global company with global

structures in place,” explains Andrews.

“What we like to highlight is that Intertek

sells value quality delivered. It doesn't

matter if you're in South Africa, the UK, or

Australia – the level of service you get is

the same.”

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discharge facilities, to carrying out

environmental testing, to monitoring the

quality and volume of cargo.

Intertek is an ISO 9001:2008 certified

company with eight laboratories and ten

offices in South Africa, their flagship

laboratories having received accreditation

to ISO 17025. Accreditation for

laboratories, in addition to being an

industry requirement, serves as a means

for the company to measure its own

performance, and allow them to remain

experts in conformity assessment solutions

and provide clients with the confidence to

conduct their business in a global

marketplace.

“You don't just have a buyer and a seller

and a transaction. You have suppliers, you

have transporters, you have warehousers,

Currently, in Africa, the focus is particu-

larly strong on development of new energy

sources, from the development of liquefied

natural gas (LNG) to the up-and-coming

industries of innovative biofuels. Intertek is

assisting companies with working in these

challenging environments each step of the

way.

Speeding up

“What's important to remember is that the

energy industry is based around time”, says

Andrews. “Invariably we work with clients

who are operating on a just-in-time model

and we therefore assisting them with speed

to market.”

Intertek steps in to provide qualitative and

quantitative assessment whenever goods

change hands. These assessments take

many forms, from inspecting loading and

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you have freight forwarders, you have

clearing agents. All of these are involved in

the transaction,” Andrews continues. “At

various points, the custody of the cargo is

transferred over to them. And whenever it

is transferred from one party to another,

there is always a risk. So we act as the

impartial third party to evaluate the form,

the condition, and the integrity of the

consignment. In essence, we try to assist

with reducing the risk.”

This need for regulation and risk

management is present in any industry in

which commodities are traded. When it

comes to agriculture in South Africa,

biofuels are currently the source of a lot of

interest, in particular the vegetable and

palm oil being used as feedstock. Intertek

works throughout the value chain, from

early development and identifying which

feedstock to use, through to production,

Intertek is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company with eight laboratories and ten offices in South Africa, their flagship laboratories having received accreditation to ISO 17025

“

When it comes to agriculture in South Africa, biofuels are currently the source of a lot of interest, in particular the vegetable and palm oil being used as feedstock. Intertek works throughout the value chain, from early development and identifying which feedstock to use, through to production, batch testing and distribution.

“

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As a growing business globally, biofuels

are used alongside tradition fuels as

feedstock for a variety of processes for

both heavy industries and the generation

of electricity. As the world becomes more

environmentally sensitive, governments are

becoming increasingly aggressive with

their legislations in respect to

environmental issues.

“From developing biofuels to evaluating

your environmental impact, Intertek is at

the forefront assisting client with

evaluating both products and systems

compliance,” explains Andrews.

“One of the challenges with biofuel is that

it's a new product and in some part it

metamorphoses constantly. It's constantly

evolving. People are learning more about

what feedstock to use, and the advantages

and disadvantages of each — so it's

coming out, and we have to be there at the

forefront. It's a constant learning exercise

because new feedstocks are being used —

in aviation fuel, in other types of fuels —

and you see positive impacts from that,

and then in other areas you see

challenges,” he continues.

“Again, what we have to do is stay current,

look at what's happening globally and what

the trends are, and try to replicate where

there are success stories in respect of

testing, and try and introduce those

solutions here locally.”

Over the next year, Intertek is looking not

only to continue with its existing services,

but also to improve systems to ensure their

services remain at the forefront of quality

solutions. Intertek's newly established

Pressures

laboratory in Johannesburg will allow their

agricultural clients to enjoy the same

professional quality experience as is

currently enjoyed by the company's

petrochemical and petroleum customers.

This comes as part of the Intertek Group's

recent pushtowards a “One Intertek”

strategy, providing a much broader range

of services to clients worldwide. With the

scope on offer, the potential here is huge.

One of the challenges with biofuel is that it's a new product and in some part it metamorphoses constantly. It's constantly evolving. People are learning more about what feedstock to use, and the advantages and disadvantages of each — so it's coming out, and we have to be there at the forefront.

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