Coventry-based Oleo International (www.oleo.co.uk), which specialises in energy absorption technology, has become the first firm in the UK to gain UKAS accreditation for its energy absorption testing laboratory. To achieve this, the company had to demonstrate that its lab has a level of quality control beyond that of ISO 9001, plus highly trained staff using approved and validated technical methods.

Oleo has been involved in the testing of buffers for over 40 years, and its laboratory has an environmental chamber that allows buffers to be tested at temperatures down to -60°C; they can also be exposed to harsh chemicals or other extremely corrosive conditions. Impact test rigs designed and built on site by Oleo are used to validate new product designs by measuring impact velocity, impact force and other parameters.

Marketing manager Sandy Andringa says: “As a business that prides itself on its international presence, UKAS accreditation enables us to demonstrate the high quality of testing that we operate in the UK on every product that we design, manufacture and supply. It is a sign of the high standards and technical competence that exist not only within Oleo but within the UK engineering sector as a whole.”