In the nineties, the IECEx, which is IEC’s conformity assessment system for HazLoc/Explosive (Ex) equipment, was established and likewise the European ATEX Directive with regulations for such equipment. Nemko was one of the founding members of the IECEx and was one of the first Notified Bodies (NBs) under the ATEX Directive too, largely driven by the extensive offshore oil and gas industry in Norway.
As a result of increasing requests by customers in other countries, one saw a need to become more international in this area. But since being an area demanding very special competency, it was a matter of capacity.
Another ATEX NB with HQ in Norway and international operations was DNV, who had experienced the same trend. Therefore, for getting capacity of competency to handle international Ex-business opportunities, one decided to join forces and in 2011 made the joint venture DNV-Nemko Presafe, (which also included certification of medical <devices as NB under the European MD Directive).
Due to other priorities, however, Nemko did in 2018 withdraw from this joint venture.
THEN in 2022, Nemko acquired the company PTI in Austin Texas, USA, which had, amongst other, capability as an Ex-equipment testing lab. With this in place and with the necessary special competency being available, one went through the process to become again a global HazLoc/Ex certification body.
This process is now complete and Nemko is again a certification body within the international IECEx system and has extended its scopes under its existing NRTL recognition and Canadian accreditation to cover Ex equipment. All this in addition to the existing ATEX Notified Body services.
Thus, one is now in position to offer global market access services within this requiring and important business
sector. The services which are offered jointly between Nemko USA and Nemko HQ in Norway comprise:
For further information and/or application for such services, please contact:
- For ATEX & IECEx CB (ExCB): Asgeir.Holt@nemko.com
- For OSHA/NRTL & SCC/CB: Stuart.Beck@nemko.com
- For IECEx TL (ExTL): Jose.Elias@nemko.com
- For all the services: Jeff.Lenk@nemko.com
(The article is based on information provided by Nemko Austin and edited by T.Sollie)