This annual report offers you a tour of our successes, the most important research projects and results, and gives you an overview of some special new devices and of the unique services we offer to companies.
Before spring had even started, all forecasts were undermined by a persistent virus that would continue to determine the rest of 2020. As so many other companies, Centexbel-VKC had to adapt quickly from one day to the next.
At the beginning of the corona crisis, Centexbel was one of the only labs in the world able to test medical masks in a reliable way and it took all hands on deck to be able to follow up on the mass of test orders.
Moreover, Centexbel actively participated in the establishment of the Alternative Test Protocol (ATP) for medical masks, the setting up of standards and the elaboration of a quality label for community masks.
The testing and certification departments also went through the BELAC procedure in record time to become accredited for the testing and certification of medical FFP masks.During the second half of 2020, other activities largely recovered. Despite the crisis, the number of Oeko-tex® orders and the certification portfolio grew. In the area of research activities, we achieved good results on which we can build further.
The virus does not give in so easily. Home working, social distancing and hygiene measures will remain fixed topics in 2021 as well. In addition, the Brexit will have a major impact on our certification activities. Despite all agreements, the UK is starting its own certification system, UKCA. It is our task to offer a suitable answer to this, so that we can offer companies both CE marking and UKCA.As in previous years, we continue to invest in our future for which the Standing Committee approved a budget of almost EUR 2 million.