Testing and Certification in Hong Kong

24 October 20121

Chapter 1 Industry ProfileChapter 2 Hong Kong Council for Testing and

Certification (HKCTC) and Industry Development Plan

Chapter 3 Enhancing CompetitivenessChapter 4 Exploring Opportunities in Specific

TradesChapter 5 Seeking Wider Recognition and

Promotion

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Content

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Chapter 1 Industry Profile

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Hong Kong’s Testing and Certification Industry

Identified by the Task Force on Economic Challenges in 2009 as one of the six economic areas where Hong Kong has good potential for further development

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Plays an important role locally, e.g.medical testing for diagnosis of illnessinspection of welding joint for construction projects

Supports external tradetesting and inspection for products manufactured in Pearl River Delta Regioncertification of factories

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Figures as of 2010 –610 independent private establishments12 390 persons engagedHKD 8.9 billion businessreceipt

Testing - Hong Kong is strong atTesting of textiles, clothing, footwearTesting of toysTesting of electrical productsMedical testing

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Wide Range of Services

Other Testing Identification and analysis of genetically modified (GM) foodChinese herbal medicinesGemstones (e.g. jadeite jade, diamond)LED lamp safety and performance

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CertificationManagement system certification, e.g.

ISO 9001 (quality)ISO 14001 (environment)OHSAS 18001 (occupational safety)Wine storage

Product certification

InspectionFactory and pre-shipment inspection

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Hong Kong’s Strengths

A trading hub between the Mainland and the WorldA robust accreditation systemHigh international reputationHigh professional integrityHigh technical competence Flexibility

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Chapter 2 HKCTC and Industry Development Plan

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Hong Kong Council for Testingand Certification (HKCTC)

An advisory body established in September 2009

Terms of Reference – to advise the Chief Executive of the HK Special Administrative Region on :

the overall development strategy of the industry new business opportunities worth exploring for the industry, having regard to latest developments in the Mainland and overseas marketsmeasures needed to raise the professional standing and community awareness of the industry

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Chairman – Prof. P.C. Ching, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Members come from :testing and certification industrybusiness sectorprofessional bodiespublic bodiesGovernment departments

Secretariat support – provided by the Innovation and Technology Commission

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HKCTC’s Report

A 3-year industry development plan proposed in Mar 2010:

To make general improvements to accreditation service and factors of production (i.e. manpower, technology, capital and land)

To assist the industry to explore further business opportunities in selected trades

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Chapter 3 Enhancing Competitiveness

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Improvements to Accreditation Service

Enhanced support to Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS) since Apr 2010

10 additional professional staff had been recruited since March 2010 to handle accreditation requests from the industry31% increase in number of appointed assessors since March 2010

Accredited organizations increased to 231 (13% increase from 2009/10 to Sep 2012)

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Manpower

Industry employs graduates from science, applied scienceengineeringtextile & fashion

(>9000 graduates each year in HK)Hong Kong Baptist University and the Open University of Hong Kong have programmes focusing on testing and certificationVocational Training Council offers related Higher Diploma programmes

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For students – increase awareness to attract talents

Arranged speakers for career talks and joined career fairs in universities and Vocational Training Council

Co-ordinated internship opportunities

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For practitioners – enhance skills and professionalism

over 160 technical seminars/ workshops/short courses organised voluntary professional recognition scheme launched by the HK Association for Testing, Inspection and Certification in Sep 2011Corruption Prevention Guide for the industry published by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in Nov 2011

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Technology

Encourage wider use of the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF)

through seminars/HKAS Newsletterfive R&D projects approved since revision of ITF application form with testing and certification featured prominently in 2011

Encourage participation in technical committees of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) – 114 Hong Kong experts nominated

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Capital

Promote shared facilities in Hong Kong Productivity Council and Science Park

testing labs would not need to make huge investment if business volume is small seminars and lab tours arranged

Government provided $9.9M to set up new chamber for electromagnetic compatibility testing in Aug 2011

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Vacancy of industrial and commercial accommodation as at end 2011 – 6.7% or 2.64M m2

HKCTC provided views to Government on new development areasHKCTC will keep on monitoring the situation

Land

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Chapter 4 Exploring Opportunities in Specific Trades

Four Selected Trades

Chinese medicinebuilding up capability in authentication coordinated proficiency testing programme for assay testingdeveloping product certification scheme

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Construction MaterialsPromote Product Certification

improve product quality through upstream control include surveillance of production processgreater confidence to usersreduce the risk of failure in on-site compliance testing, hence risk of project delaysupported by Housing Authority and Architectural Services Department

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Repair mortars

Concrete

Product Number

Concrete 3

Heat-soaked tempered glass 1

Fire doors & partition walls 2

Standard sand 1

Replacement sand 1

Cement products 2

Tile adhesives 3

Ceramic tiles 1

Repair mortars 1

Accredited certification bodies for construction materials

Building diagnostic tests on concrete Number(Sept 12)

Carbonation test 11

Covermeter survey 13

Half-cell potential measurement 10

Infrared thermography (new test) 0 (5)

Resistivity measurement 6

Surface hardness measurement 17

Surface penetration radar survey (new test) 0 (4)

Ultrasonic pulse velocity measurement 7

Accredited labs for building diagnostic tests on concrete

Foodnew accreditation service (e.g. ISO 22000 certification, testing of phthalates)DNA authentication technology being developeda new food hygiene management system certification will be introduced in early 2013

Jewellery to introduce new Fei Cui standard testing methods in early 2013

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Two Emerging Trades

Panels set up in 2012 to explore new business opportunities in 2 sectors

Environmental protectionInformation and communications technologies

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Chapter 5 Seeking Wider Recognition and Promotion

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HKAS accreditation is recognized by about 85 accreditation bodies in over 65 economiesHKAS extended its multilateral mutual recognition arrangements to cover new areas

Environmental management system certification Product certification

HKAS hosted the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation

Seeking Wider Recognition

Mainland-HK Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)

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Signed in 2003, it aims to promote joint economic prosperity and development of the Mainland and Hong Kong

Staring from 2011, CEPA Supplement VII allows qualified Hong Kong laboratories to undertake testing for the China Compulsory Certification (CCC) System on a pilot basis for 4 types of products processed in Hong Kong

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Through CEPA Supplement VIII, the arrangement expands to all 22 types covered by CCC and processed in Hong Kong in Apr 2012

CEPA Supplement IX will w.e.f. 2013 expand, on a pilot basis in Guangdong Province, the scope of certification services that can be undertaken by Hong Kong testing organizations to cover food

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Through platforms of Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)

Promoted “Tested in HK, Certified in HK” in 30 local and overseas trade fairs in FY 2011-12Advertisements in HKTDC publicationsSeminars and meetings with overseas journalists during trade fairs

Trade Promotion

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Government Overseas Offices help to promote

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Raising Public Awareness

Participate in InnoCarnival Arrange for advertorialsMedia Interviews

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www.hkctc.gov.hk

www.hkas.gov.hk

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