SOCOTEC Geotechnics officially ISO/IEC 17025 accredited

The importance of this accreditation to our services 

ISO/IEC 17025 is an international standard for testing and calibration laboratories. The standard sets strict requirements for quality assurance, traceability of results, careful organization of processes and structural recording of working methods. The accreditation means that our measurement results are not only reliable and reproducible, but also recognized worldwide. 

For our customers, both at home and abroad, this is confirmation that they can count on our reliability and quality. The accreditation underlines that we have our basic administration in order, that we take our work seriously and that we put quality first. It also enables us to work with clients internationally. We are proud to say that we are the second accredited geotechnical laboratory in the Netherlands. 

An intensive journey with a dedicated team 

The accreditation is the result of a long and intensive journey that we undertook with the entire team over the past three years. First, we collected and structured all the necessary documentation. This was followed by an extensive on-site audit, which included the assessment of three important tests that have now been accredited: 

• Determination of the water content of granular matrices (ISO 17892-1) 

• Determination of the density of fine-grained soil (ISO 17892-2) 

• Determination of the density of soil particles (ISO 17892-3) 

Achieving this accreditation required not only thorough substantive preparation, but also a culture change. Quality awareness had to be anchored in daily thinking and actions. The SOCOTEC Geotechnics team made a tremendous development in this, which is an achievement in itself. 

Support that made a difference 

An accreditation process of this magnitude requires dedication, cooperation and perseverance. Stephan Huijzer played an important role in this, especially during the busiest months. His knowledge, support and commitment were indispensable to successfully complete this project. 

Our IT department, also deserves a big compliment. Thanks to commitment from the IT department, we have developed a completely in-house Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) which is fully in line with our working methods and requirements of the standard, called SLIM (SOCOTEC Laboratory Information Manager). Without this digital infrastructure, accreditation in this form would not have been possible. 

Quality as a foundation for the future 

Accreditation is not an end point, but rather a new beginning. The accreditation by the RvA confirms our quality, but it is up to us to maintain and further expand this level. We continue to invest in processes, training and technology so that we can always offer our clients the highest standard. 

View our official scope on the RvA website: Scope L709 - SOCOTEC Geotechnics B.V.: https://www.rva.nl/alle-geaccrediteerden/l709/