Product category:
Calibration and Laboratory Instruments
News Release from: LGC
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 September 2005
Joint venture in proficiency testing
worldwide
LGC has successfully concluded negotiations to form a joint venture focusing on proficiency testing (PT) with Quality Management Limited (QM), and Aquacheck.
LGC, Europe's leading independent analytical laboratory, has successfully concluded negotiations to form a joint venture focusing on proficiency testing (PT) with Quality Management Limited (QM), and Aquacheck, both highly respected independent providers of proficiency testing schemes The combined operation will encompass over 4000 participating laboratories from across the world to become a major international provider of PT services
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 10 Mar 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Members of the joint venture will attend Eurachem's international workshop on proficiency testing in Portoro*, Slovenia, 26 -27 September.
QM provides PT schemes in microbiology and chemistry for the meat, dairy, food, and environmental industries, whilst Aquacheck provides the market-leading PT scheme for the water and environmental testing markets.
LGC manages a number of PT schemes, covering a varied industry base including brewing, distilling, food, environment, forensic and consumer safety (eg toys).
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The established PT schemes of the joint venture are recognised as essential tools in demonstrating laboratory competence, and are all accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
PT schemes enable laboratories to monitor and improve analytical measurements by providing an external quality assessment system to complement their own internal quality control processes.
Participation in a PT scheme is integral to laboratory accreditation and often supports regulatory requirements, such as the UK Environment Agency's Monitoring Certification Scheme (MCERTS).
On announcing the joint venture, Dr John Mason, Director of Corporate Development at LGC, said: "This new venture will significantly enhance the range and scope of PT schemes available to our customers across the world".
"QM and Aquacheck are experts in their respective fields and, by combining our operations, we aim to create a centre of excellence in this highly fragmented market, where we will be able to exploit our joint knowledge of analytical operations and PT schemes to provide added value and expert advice to our customers." Antony Meier, Chairman of QM, said: "LGC has a long-established reputation for setting up and running successful PT initiatives and, as the UK's National Measurement Institute for chemical and biochemical analysis, promotes international standards for analytical measurement for use in trade, industry, academia and government".
"We are therefore delighted to be joining forces with LGC in providing PT schemes worldwide." Both John Mason and Antony Meier become directors of the joint venture holding company, which will be based in Bury, Lancashire, at the facilities of QM and Aquacheck.
Customers have been advised that the running of current schemes will remain unchanged and future plans for the joint venture include working closely with PT scheme steering committees.
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