EDAG and TÜV Rheinland start Cooperation in China

At the end of the year, TÜV Rheinland, in cooperation with globally active engineering company EDAG, is to open its first test centre for automobile components in Shanghai. In future, the laboratory will be available for testing assemblies and components from the local market, which will help to meet the requirements of manufacturers and suppliers in China, who need to adhere to European quality standards and guarantee the processes of Chinese suppliers' products.

The EDAG Group and TÜV Rheinland both expect a sharp rise in the Chinese mar-ket volume for test and validation services in the near future, as more and more wholly Chinese manufacturers are bringing good quality products onto the market at attractive prices. "Working with TÜV Rheinland, we can help local suppliers to keep quality levels steady and implement a reliable quality management system," explains Michael Hog, EDAG's Head of Vehicle Integration.

The laboratory, the first test centre of a western provider of testing services in China's growth market, is to be run by TÜV Rheinland under the name ACT (Automotive Component Testing). The EDAG Group will be advising and supporting TÜV Rheinland on the construction, acquisition, operation and marketing of the future test centre. As well as the years of experience of the Chinese market gained through having offices in Shanghai and Peking, the EDAG Group will also be able to contribute automobile component testing experience. The Fulda-based company has been operating its own accredited test laboratory since 1991, focusing mainly on environmental/climate, mechanical and electrical testing and analysis. Particular areas of expertise are testing polymeric materials and electric/electronic components, and determining material properties for calculation purposes.