Good News Stories from UKAS

1) Rolls-Royce, which operates in the global aerospace, marine and energy markets, confirmed the central role accreditation plays a central role to its business success. This success is founded on their ability to cut costs whilst maintaining quality through outsourcing certain key services such as calibration to UKAS accredited laboratories. This has allowed Rolls-Royce to focus on core activities, whilst outsourcing non-core activities to third parties (accredited laboratories), and clearly demonstrating Rolls Royce’s confidence in UKAS accreditation.

2) Two British insurance companies have launched new insurance products designed to benefit UKAS accredited testing laboratories. Such schemes are excellent examples of the benefits that can result from becoming accredited. Howden Insurance Brokers offer a professional indemnity scheme specifically tailored to the needs of UKAS accredited testing laboratories and has recently announced an increase in cover to £5 million pounds. Miles Smith also offers a preferential scheme for UKAS-accredited asbestos testing laboratories—in particular, for smaller firms— and has now produced an agreed format for clearly describing the extent of cover held by accredited companies.

3) In December 2005, the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney achieved a world first by gaining UKAS accreditation for its unique testing facilities, providing detailed and highly accurate data on the performance of devices developed to harness wave energy. This accreditation is significant as it demonstrates that UKAS can meet the challenges posed by the need to accredit bodies that are developing evaluation techniques for new and innovative technologies. Through the accreditation of this activity, UKAS has been able to assist the British Government in its obligations to reduce the production of greenhouse gases and to support the development of green energy sources.