Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas S. A. (formerly BVQI, Bureau Veritas Quality International) is an international certification agency. In addition to certifications, they are a worldwide leading firm in providing HSE expertise (Health, Safety and Environmental). Today the headquarters are in Paris. The company went public on the Paris Bourse in October 2007. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/09/news/bxveritas.php French goods-inspection firm plans IPO] ]

History

It started in 1828 in Antwerp as "Bureau de Renseignements pour les Assurances Maritimes" (Information Office for Maritime Insurance), a classification society. In 1829, the company was renamed Bureau Veritas. By this time it already had 10000 ships in its register.

Today Bureau Veritas is one of the worlds largest global Conformity Assessment and Certification organisations.

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What They Do

Marine: Bureau Veritas assess ships for conformity with specific sets of rules, mainly to determine structural soundness of vessels and reliability of machinery onboard. BV also provide ship and marine equipment certification on behalf of flag administrations. The Marine business has been at the core of this organisation since its conception in 1828.

Industry: Assess industrial equipment and processes from design stage to installation, commissioning and operation. Services include conformity assessment, production monitoring, asset integrity management and certification. BV also check the integrity of equipment and products through specific services such as non-destructive testing and materials testing.

In-Service Inspection & Verification: Assess conformity of equipment in operation with health and safety regulations or client-specific requirements. Services cover equipment ranging from electrical installations and machinery to lifting equipment, and include inspection during installation, periodic inspection in service, and inspection after maintenance or repair.

Health, Safety & Environment: helping organizations to monitor and control the impact of their facilities, processes and activities on the health and safety of staff, customers and the general public. BV do this by assessing soil, water and air quality, and measuring emissions and energy efficiency of buildings and facilities.

Government Services & International Trade: BV assist government authorities implementing programs to collect revenue from import duties and taxes and check compliance of imports. They also help traders and international organizations to verify the quality and integrity of the goods they ship or receive. Services include pre-shipment or destination inspection, verification of conformity and risk management analysis.

Certification: Bureau Veritas Certification offers a range of certification and auditing services. BV validate the conformity of management systems and processes of all kinds of organizations. Conducting audits against recognized standards, which may include customer specific requirements. Continuous improvement is promoted through follow-up audits.

Consumer Product Compliance: Bureau Veritas assesses consumer products and manufacturing processes for compliance with regulatory, quality and performance requirements. We test products, inspect goods, assess factories and conduct social audits. Our solutions throughout the supply chain help retailers and manufacturers better manage risk and protect their brands.

Construction Industry Services: Bureau Veritas can manage all quality, health and safety and environmental aspects of a construction project. We assess conformity with regulations, provide technical support at design stage, soils and construction material testing, and structural engineering diagnosis. We also help in project management and offer asset management solutions.

[Bureau Veritas Activity Report 2007]

External links

* [http://www.bureauveritas.com.au Bureau Veritas (Australia & New Zealand)] .

* [http://www.bureauveritas.com/wps/wcm/connect/bv_com/Group/Home/About-Us/Our-History/ Company History from Bureau Veritas Group website] .

References