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A year-long
negotiations between the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) and Bureau
Veritas (BIVAC)/ Jordan culminated in the signing of an agreement on
July 27, 2005. The signing ceremony was attended by French Ambassador to
Jordan His Excellency Mr. Jean-Michel Casa, Director General of Jordan
Institution for Standards and Meteorology (JISM) Dr.Yaseen Khayyat as
well as RSS and Bureau Veritas officials.
The agreement, announced at a press conference held at RSS offices and
attended by various members from both signatory organizations as well as
officials from the JISM, provides for the establishment of a limited
liability company--named the Middle East Testing Services LLC--with a
capital of JD 450,000 under which a testing laboratory will be developed
and operated. Initially, the laboratory will test electronics and
electrical devices and will be developed to include a wider range of
goods at a later stage.
The Middle East Testing Services LLC brings together the expertise of
the RSS and the well-known reputation of Bureau Veritas, the world’s
leading testing, inspection and certification company. The company will
incorporate and upgrade RSS’ current electrical laboratory services
which will continue to serve local industry and trade. The combination
of RSS expertise and Bureau Veritas’ global experience will allow the
company to become the centre of excellence in the region and to be
recognized worldwide.
The Middle East Testing Service LLC will play a significant role in the
development of the local commercial and industrial sectors locally and
regionally. It will operate a world- class recognized laboratory
internationally certified to perform any required testing in the Middle
East region. Initially, the company will employ ten people who through
Bureau Veritas will benefit from specialist training and guiding in
implementing the international standards under which the laboratory will
operate and test products.
The laboratory will be based in RSS’ campus in Amman in a purpose-built
laboratory building.
Bureau Veritas is implementing a verification of product conformity
programme on behalf of the JISM and under its supervision. Under the
terms of the agreement, Bureau Veritas is committed to establish four
specialized testing centres in Jordan over a four-year duration and this
joint venture will bring forward the second Daman testing centre in
Jordan. During the first year, a vehicles inspection centre was
established in the Zarqa Free Zone, and the plan is to establish later a
toy-testing centre to be followed by a personal safety equipment-testing
centre in the third and fourth year of the contract.
Andrew Yell, Vice President of Contracts from Bureau Veritas head office
in Paris, who signed the agreement on behalf of Bureau Veritas commented
saying, “This agreement is a major achievement in further establishing
the benefits of the Daman Programme. We are pleased to have another
local partner with similar vision.”
President of RSS Dr.Sa’ad Hijazi, who signed the agreement on behalf of
RSS, said: “The newly established company will provide a focused,
affordable, and time efficient service for local industries, importers
and traders. This is an excellent step forward in setting the scientific
standards for the benefit of the Jordanian customer. One of the major
benefits of this joint venture, to the Jordanian consumer in particular,
will be personal safety and protection against potential hazards, since
it will control the release of any unsafe products into the market.
Another important benefit of this venture is provision of world class
recognized testing services with international accreditation that will
support local industry to compete in export for regional and
international markets.”
Dr. Hijazi added, "We welcome Bureau Veritas’ positive attitude in
working with us to drive this project forward and we look forward to
reaping the benefits of the joint venture with the consumer always at
the front of our minds."
JISM Director Dr. Yaseen Khayyat welcomed the joint venture as a
significant milestone in the implementation of the Daman Programme. He
said, “The determination of JISM to ensure the safety and well-being of
the Jordanian public by the implementation of the Daman Programme has
been considerably strengthened by this new joint venture.”
Dr. Khayyat also paid tribute to the high reputation and scientific
standard of RSS which he regarded as the strategic partner of JISM.
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