Intertek Expands Its North American Photovoltaic (PV) / Solar Module Testing Capabilities into Northern California

Intertek (LSE: ITRK), a leading provider of quality and safety services to a wide range of industries around the world, announced today that it has expanded its Photovoltaic (PV)/Solar testing and certification capabilities, adding a PV lab in Northern California, located at the existing Intertek lab in Menlo Park, CA. The Menlo Park PV/Solar testing laboratory, which will be equipped with solar simulators, environmental chambers, a rain room, and an impact and mechanical loading apparatus, joins existing Intertek PV/Solar labs in Lake Forest, CA and Shanghai, China. Intertek also provides PV/solar testing and certification services via partners in Europe.

"We are seeing a ton of PV and solar innovation from existing Northern California manufacturers, as well as new start-up companies in the region entering the solar market,” said Sunny Rai, Program Director and Business Line Leader for Photovoltaic at Intertek. "Our expansion seemed only natural, as we support this industry growth, while also wanting to be close in proximity to our existing and potential customers. In addition, with this new lab in Menlo Park, we continue our dedication to providing the industry’s fastest project turnaround.”

In the less than three years since Intertek unveiled its first PV/Solar lab in Southern California, the company has tripled its North American PV/Solar capacity. With this additional capacity in Silicon Valley, Intertek will provide, among many services, PV module certification as well as performance and reliability test programs. Intertek’s Menlo Park, California lab was started in 1980 and has been a leading provider of EMC, Safety, and Semiconductor testing and certification services in the area.

Intertek provides testing and certification services to meet various market entry requirements, such as the ETL Mark for compliance to safety standards in North America, CE Marking for Europe, the PV GAP Mark, CGC-SOLAR certification, and CB test reports. The lab’s IECEE CB Scheme accreditation allows Intertek to conduct one set of tests that will provide manufacturers with market access to more than 40 countries that participate in the CB Scheme, saving manufacturers money and reducing their overall time-to-market. Intertek is an OSHA-recognized NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory) in the United States, and is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) as a Testing Organization (TO) and Certification Organization (CO).

To learn more about Intertek’s PV/Solar testing capabilities and services please visit www.intertek.com/solar.

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world. From auditing and inspection, to testing, quality assurance and certification, Intertek people are dedicated to adding value to customers' products and processes, supporting their success in the global marketplace. Intertek has the expertise, resources and global reach to support its customers through its network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 26,000 people in over 100 countries around the world. Intertek Group plc (ITRK) is listed on the London Stock Exchange in the FTSE 100 index.