Vietnam has participated in negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement. It opens up opportunities for export - import activities where the TPP participants will enter tax-free policy when trading with each other. However, enterprises in Vietnam will encounter many difficulties when domestic market will be under high competition pressure by products of TPP participants with higher technique – technology, quality and lower price. With For foreign market, goods of Vietnam enterprises have to face trade defense measures (TBT), hygiene inspection and quarantine of animals and plants measures (SPS) imposed by import markets. Foreseeing this trend, besides registering for testing competence accreditation to international accreditation bodies (A2LA - USA), VinaCert invested in upgrading the laboratory with modern facilities to serve goods quality testing activities and to support enterprises to overcome technical and trade barriers.
VinaCert Certification and Inspection JSC laboratory has officially operated since July 2009 with the initial task is to analyze results to support standard and regulation conformity certification activities and samples were provided by auditors. The major function then was the internal company service to meet the demands of providing testing services. In 2012, recognizing the demand for goods quality testing, VinaCert expanded the scope of activities provided quality testing services and invested in the laboratory with many modern equipments in Can Tho.
Two laboratories in Hanoi and Can Tho have been strategically planned to assist businesses that export fisheries, agricultural and other types of post-harvest products, and timely and effectively assist State management agencies in the field of testing imported goods. Continuing the international integration process and following the orientation of Board of Directors of the company, in 2014, VinaCert continuously upgrades VinaCert - Hanoi laboratory by investing in expanding the area and buying new facilities for microbiological room for international testing and standardization activities.
The laboratory is internationally standardized in a closed procedure from receiving sample to returning result to customers.
Certification registration and testing samples receiving room.
Staff transfers samples into the testing area through Pass Box
In the first stage, sample will be received from Reception room. The sample receiving staffs will record information about testing requirements to online software where tester receives directly and then the sample will be transferred into the testing area through Pass Box.
Microbiological analysis area.
Microbiological analysis area of VinaCert- Hanoi was separately located and installed glass panes to let people outside observe testers’ testing performance and facilities operation. This layout creates favorable conditions for clients or visitors to monitor and observe the operation of testers.
Sample dividing room.
The samples after being transferred through Pass Box will go to the sample dividing room for tester to divide for different rooms: microbiological room, biochemical room and sample storage room.
Sample preparation room.
Microbiological sample will be transferred into the sample preparation room through Pass Box. Samples are processed there and then transferred to Microbiological Culture room.
Media preparation room
Culture environment is prepared in Media preparation room before transferring to culture room through Pass Box.
Microbiological Culture room.
After samples are transferred to Culture room, tester inoculate the.
Tester operates/performed manipulation in Microbiological Culture room
Incubation room.
After inoculation, sample will be transferred through Pass Box to Incubation for bacteria to develop in favorable environment, then reading and calculate final results.
Tester reads result in Petri dish.
In Incubation room, tester will read and enter results into the software. This result will be returned to the reception room to send back to customer directly.
Sterilizing, and washing room.
After testing, testing facilities will be sterilized and washed at Sterilizing, and washing room. This is the end of the microbiological testing process.
Automatic temperature control system.
Moreover, to ensure the monitoring, controlling and maintaining temperature in the laboratory to meet international requirements and standards, VinaCert invested in automatic temperature control system for the laboratory.
The above is a closed process of VinaCert-Hanoi microbiological testing area. This process ensures various factors such as: microbiological sterilization, dust, electromagnetic pollution, radiation, humidity, power supply, temperature, noise, and vibration level appropriate to related technical activities. Transferring sample into the room through Pass box will reduce cross-contamination by reducing the flow of people in and out of the room. The equipment has two doors at its extreme ends that operate to Inter-lock type (only one door can be open at a time.). Each room has a tester who is responsible for each testing stage, and ensures returning correct and reliable results to customers.
Along with the expansion of VinaCert-Hanoi laboratory is the goal to reach out internationally. A question, that the leadership of the company always wondered for a long time, is how to make the results of certification, inspection and testing services of VinaCert accepted worldwide. To answer the question, VinaCert registered in turn for accreditation to international accreditation organizations such as JAS-ANZ, ASI, etc. For the laboratory during the current time VinaCert is registering for accreditation of ISO 17025:2005 to A2LA (American Association for Laboratory Accreditation). When VinaCert is accredited competent by international accreditation bodies, the results will be recognized internationally and this will facilitate export activities.
Within 5 years of development of testing services, VinaCert had three times of laboratory expansion to meet the demands of the market as well as long-term development orientation of the company. VinaCert will continuously improve and expand creatively, enhance the quality of services to meet customer demands. The support and believe trust of customers is the motivation for VinaCert to continuously develop on the way of international integration.
Hoai Anh IRC