Testing, inspection and certification (TIC) market

The global testing, inspection, and certification market can be segmented into seven sectors:

oil & gas (onshore facilities and offshore facilities),
aerospace (avionics, interior and exterior lighting systems, air frames, Passenger Service Units, rotor systems and others),
food and beverages (processed meat and poultry products, dairy products, infant food products, organic food, beverages and others),
automotive (environmental exposure, durability/life cycle, fuel systems, engine systems and batteries and others),
automation (energy, security and safety and other industrial equipment),
textile (fibre identification, chemical testing, feather & down testing, thermal & water vapour resistance testing and others) and
others.

The market for testing, inspection, and certification is primarily driven by factors such as stricter regulations and globalisation. In recent years, regulations relating to health, quality, and environment safety have become strict.

Food safety in particular needs certification as it is concerned directly with an individual’s health. Adherence to international testing, inspection, and certification becomes critical as it increases the acceptability of the product. Processed food contains various preservatives and the manufacturers have to limit their use as per set standards.

Globalisation on the other hand has led to increasing trade between emerging economies. Imports from developing countries are required to pass stringent tests in order to comply with international standards. This results in an increased demand for TIC services on the part of the manufacturers. Increases in the volume of traded goods has a direct implications on the number of inspecting and certification services. Moreover, there has been an increasing focus on the part of companies to outsource their testing, inspection, and certification, as strict regulatory requirements have resulted in increased costs to running in-house laboratories.

However, a lack of internationally accepted standards is a major restraint on growth. Different countries have their own standards. This influences the decision making of a manufacturer about whether to export or not to a given country. Standards and regulations also vary between different types of products or services. Meeting the international standards often results in increased costs as it might lead to changing in the design of a particular product or service.

Some of the major players in the market are: Bureau Veritas SA, Intertek Group PLC, SGS Group, ALS Ltd., ASTM International, AsureQuality Ltd., Dekra SE, Underwriters Laboratories Inc, Lloyd's Register Group Limited, DNV GL, TUV SUD AG and TÜV Rheinland Group.

The market is broadly segmented on the basis of geography into: