Kiwa Stories - Articles

Cultural heritage is an important but often overlooked field when it comes to inspection and certification. Kiwa’s Building and Civil Engineering division helps clients maintain monuments by offering restoration services, including certification covering a range of materials.

As of January 1, 2023, the new version of GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody Standard (CoC) v 6.1, will come into force. The GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board opted to strengthen the GLOBALG.A.P. system because food fraud and integrity issues are presenting a growing challenge for the food sector.

Huge numbers of medical devices manufacturers will have to comply to the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR) by May 2024 to be able to market their products in Europe. Kiwa helps clients throughout Europe, and beyond, with this challenge.

Materials used in pipelines, machines and other industrial assets have traditionally been inspected visually or by means of X-ray imaging on film. Our colleagues at Kiwa Finland are among the world’s leading experts in using a new method: digital radiography, or digital X-ray imaging.

We all expect our taps, water meters and other water supply and plumbing products that come into contact with drinking water to perform reliably and safe. A wide range of mechanical and hygiene tests exist to ensure this. The best place to submit products to mechanical testing? Kiwa’s state-of-the-art Water Lab in Rijswijk, the Netherlands.

Working with companies across the value chain to support the energy transition is a strategic focus for Kiwa, and a key driver of growth globally. But as Luca Votta, Global Business Sector Leader Renewable Energy at Kiwa, says: "This is not about following market trends. We believe that our new world will be greener and more sustainable for our future and also for generations to come.

Globally, more than 6000 people die every day as a result of work-related accidents and diseases. The ISO 45001 standard helps companies around the world reduce the burden of work-related accidents and illnesses.

Biodynamic farming stands for consistently organically grown food produced in harmony with nature, following a holistic, ecological and ethical approach to agriculture. We take you to Finca Laguna Salada, one of the first biodynamic Demeter-certified banana plantations in the Dominican Republic.

PVUSA is one of the first solar plants built in North America, and currently serves as the home of grid-connected, research-grade outdoor testbed operated by PV Evolutions Labs (PVEL), a member of the Kiwa Group.

Schellevis, a Dutch manufacturer of concrete products used for various applications, including ornamental paving, is CSC Silver certified by Kiwa. CSC is a worldwide quality mark for concrete which proves that companies are part of a responsible concrete chain.

Organizations that work with chemicals must comply with many laws and regulations. Luleå University of Technology (LTU) in Sweden conducts research and teaches in a wide range of scientific fields. Kiwa helped them developing a standard for chemicals management as part of improving safety in LTU's laboratory environments.

Food fraud is an increasing challenge for the food industry and requirements for the prevention of food fraud are becoming more and more stringent. How can international food safety standards help to combat food fraud?

Kiwa Finland has awarded the ISO 55001 certificate to Alva Water Supply. Kiwa colleagues from Finland and the Netherlands worked closely together, helping Alva to become the first water utility in the Nordic region to be certified according to ISO 55001. An effective international cooperation, with a satisfied customer as a result.

Lead Auditor Jürgen Harbaum has increasingly implemented remote auditing into his modus operandi: “Over the past two years, it has become increasingly clear that certain processes and activities can be audited remotely without restrictions. This saves both parties costs and time and provides greater flexibility."

When digging tunnels or excavating mines, soil and rock mechanics suddenly become a key consideration. Trilab in Brisbane, Australia, part of Kiwa Group’s Intega family, leads the way with state-of-the-art triaxial testing equipment.

As of 1 August 2024, all smart devices have to meet minimum cyber security requirements. That means manufacturers have less than two years to get their products tested and certified. “But don't wait too long,” warns Sabyne van Mourik from Kiwa. “We are talking about a huge number of IoT products.”