Shield Group International continues without the Kiwa Group

Shield Group International (SGI) has found a partner in LDC who fully supports the management team’s global growth strategy. Shield Group International (currently known as Kiwa Compliance International) thus continuous without the Kiwa Group. Both Kiwa and Shield Group International can now focus on their separate core activities and growth strategies.

“In our five years business plan we will broaden and deepen our service portfolio and grow our market share in countries and regions we operate in.”, Frank-Maarten Gribnau, CEO of Shield Group International says. “With this step we have regained full control over our international operations, which gives us the right focus and energy.”

Trusted partner

In recent years SGI became a renowned and trusted partner in Europe for services regarding asbestos, water safety and hazardous materials. The management buyout supported by LDC enables SGI to expand, professionalise and extend the range of services for organic growth, as well as providing further backing for strategic acquisitions. “It is our goal to develop in time bundled services when it comes to environmental testing, inspection and consultancy”, Gribnau explains. “Not just in the fields we are reputed for now, but also in indoor climate for example. Developments in regulations create new opportunities for us as well. Opening new hubs globally will allow us to serve our clients efficiently and closer than they have been used to.”

Business as usual

“Long story short, it will be business as usual in the coming years”, states Gribnau. “You can rely on the same quality and brands (Kiwa, Fibrecount, NorKjemi, HSL, Alchem and Oesterbaai) we are known for. It is simply our ambition to grow our business in a controlled and smart way in the next five years.”

New marketing initiatives will be prepared over the course of 2019 as part of a larger ‘Keeping the future in shape’ program, which aims to harmonize all businesses and the SGI culture.

Strategic business partners

SGI was part of the Kiwa Group for more than 5 years as a separate service line (Kiwa Compliance International). The Kiwa group (with its core business in certification) and Shield Group International (whose main focus is environmental testing, inspection and consultancy) are now formally independent from each other, but remain strategic business partners. “This new initiative makes everyone happy, both companies can focus on what they are good at”, Frank-Maarten Gribnau says.

Shield Group

Shield Group has its beginnings in 1985 and now operates in six countries with more than 600 colleagues. It is an internationally operating e-TIC group of companies, working in the field of testing, inspection, consultancy combined with education and data services working in the risk & compliance management market.