Firms urged to hire local certification agencies

Firms urged to hire local certification agencies

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Industry and Trade Rahardi Ramelan
urged local companies yesterday to hire local quality management
certification agencies in assessing the quality of their
management.

"Local quality management certification agencies are also
using international quality standardization in their assessment
and they are accredited by the government," Rahardi said at a
accreditation award ceremony.

Thirty-five test laboratories, seven calibration laboratories
and two local quality certification agencies were given
accreditation awards by the National Standardization Agency (BSN)
yesterday. The institutions are allowed to issue national
standard certification SNI 19-9000, the equivalent of the
internationally recognized ISO 9000 certification.

The laboratories and agencies work in various fields, such as
textiles, oil and gas, steel, agriculture and leather.

He said at least 650 companies had received quality
certification awards since 1992, but more than 70 percent of the
total was issued by foreign certification agencies.

Rahardi said many importer countries required a quality
certification document on all goods imported from Indonesia.

"It is good because our trading partner countries have
recognized our national standard, SNI 19-9000. This should
encourage local exporters to obtain the SNI certification,"
Rahardi said.

He added that several Middle Eastern countries, such as
Kuwait, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, required all
exporters of automotive wheels from Indonesia to pass the SNI
certification.

Minister of Agriculture Soleh Solahuddin said local
agricultural companies should also obtain such certificates to
ensure the quality of their products to customers.

Soleh said he hoped more certification agencies, especially
those in the agriculture sector, would be accredited by BSN.
(gis)