FIRST LABORATORY IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ACCREDITED TO ISO17025

Solidbase Laboratory, an independent and private laboratory which carries out testing on material used by the construction industry, has been recently accredited by the National Accreditation Board (NAB-MALTA). The accreditation certificate has been presented to the laboratory by the Parliamentary Secretary for Consumers, Fair Competition, Local Councils and Public Consultation, the Hon. Chris Said during his visit to the laboratory which is located in Tal- Ħandaq Industrial Estate.

The Parliamentary Secretary said that accreditation is the highest level of credibility which a laboratory can achieve. The laboratory has been accredited for the testing on tarmac, asphalt, cement and concrete.

Solidbase Laboratory started its operation in 2005 and during the past years has invested about two million Euros in equipment. It currently has a workforce of 31 personnel and it has been involved in a number of major projects including Malta International Airport, Smart City Malta, Malta Industrial Parks and Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools.

Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said said that in Malta there are currently seven accredited laboratories which operate in different sectors. In Europe there are about 12000 accredited laboratories. Dr. Said also said that the Government has made a substantial investment to ensure that this accreditation service can be provided locally and that today the NAB-MALTA was official recognized that its operations where equivalent to other accreditation bodies in Europe and that it meets the international criteria for accreditation bodies as stipulated in ISO17011. Until the NAB-MALTA was set up, laboratories and other conformity assessment bodies interested to achieve accreditation had to resort to foreign accreditation bodies with the result of higher costs.

Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said also said that such achievements by local laboratories fit in exactly with the Governments 2015 Vision wherein one of the objectives is that Malta becomes a centre of excellence in manufacturing and value adding services.

Accreditation is a thorough assessment by a specialized technical assessment teams selected by the NAB-MALTA. The objective of this assessment is to establish the technical competence of the laboratory to ensure that it has the right personnel, management system, facilities, equipment and knowledge to issue reliable test reports and certificates. The assessment was carried out against the requirement established by the International Standard for Laboratory namely ISO17025.

It should also be noted that by virtue of NAB-MALTA’s signing of the Multi Lateral Agreement with the European Co-operation for Accreditation, test certificates issued by Solidbase Laboratory now have international recognition. This opens a number of opportunities not only for the laboratory itself but also for the users of this laboratory and for the construction industry in general.

Official Press Release http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/press_releases/2010/07/pr1250.asp

(http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/press_releases/2010/07/05.asp)