Testex accredited by Swiss Accreditation Service

09 Jan '12

3 min read

Testex, a long-established provider of proficiency tests for textiles and textile-related products, is the first such provider worldwide to be accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS) under the new ISO/IEC 17043 standard (Conformity assessment - General requirements for proficiency testing).

The audit was conducted in April 2011 and accreditation was awarded on 25 November 2011 with accreditation No. SPTS 002. Its scope is defined in the official directory of accredited providers of round robin tests, in which the individual tests performed in the four round robin tests are listed.

The consistently high level of interest and the growing numbers of participants during recent years show that participation in Testex round robin tests is an important quality assurance tool. Laboratories accredited under ISO 17025 in particular benefit from this certification, since it confirms that they participate regularly in comparative tests.

A further advantage is that it enables quality managers to place their results in a broad context. Round robin tests with international participation are also becoming increasingly important with the advance of globalisation.

This accreditation is an important step for Testex with a view to maintaining confidence in the organisation of round robin tests in future.

Arguments in favour of round robin tests:
Textile laboratories at finishing and making-up plants, institutes, universities, dyestuff and auxiliaries manufacturers, machinery and apparatus manufacturers or department store chains test textile products with the instruments and equipment at their disposal.

Whether these tests are carried out on intermediate or finished products is of secondary importance. Through its work, each testing laboratory can therefore have a direct or indirect influence on textile quality, especially to prevent damage claims and complaints. It is therefore important to ensure that the test results obtained are accurate and informative, in order to prevent incorrect conclusions.

Further arguments in favour of participation in round robin tests are:
• Support for the in-house quality assurance system
• Confidence-building measures for in-house results
• External information for determining measurement uncertainty
• Preventing damage claims and complaints
• Creating a basis for correctly establishing where one stands internally and externally
• Confidence-building measures in contacts with third parties (customers, suppliers)
• Systematic production control
• Cost savings (no repeat tests)
• Reproducibility and comparability of the results

About Testex AG:
Zurich-based Testex AG is a private-sector, independent Swiss enterprise established in 1846, providing testing and certification services focusing on the textile sector. Testex has subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Beijing and Jakarta, as well as representative offices in Shanghai, Seoul, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne and Dublin.

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