Laboratories for testing and quality assessment make one of the strongest backbones for any field in Science and Research, be it Mechanical, Biological, Chemical, Agriculture and Food, Processing or any other branch. Testing for compliance and quality is a norm in all branches of science and is the very fundamental basis for research. In this regard, testing in NABL accredited labs for quality assessment has a larger and deeper impact as it helps ascertain the establishment where the test is taking place and also the credibility of the lab where the testing has been done.
NABL stands for National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories. This is an independent board that functions under the Science and Technology Dept. and is an Indian Government recognized Board for certifying labs and testing centers for their validity, process, testing equipment. Credibility, etc. The Board recognizes the labs and testing centers as NABL Accredited Labs in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011 requirements as required by the Government of India.
Why Should A Lab be Accredited?
Due to the improvement in global trade and the overall globalization, the need to be superior in terms of quality and hygiene is ever so more now than before. With the on-going pandemic era, it has become one of the most important criteria for all industry players, be it in food or other manufacturing industries, to remain undisputed in quality and hygiene factor. Below are some of the most important reasons why a lab must be accredited:
- Conformity Assessment Bodies (CAB)
Conformity Assessment Bodies is an organization that testifies the lab’s authority to carry on testing in labs such as food testing labs, medical and pharma testing labs, mechanical testing labs, chemical testing labs, Calibration labs, etc. An accredited lab through CAB demonstrates its ability to perform assessment tasks in an unbiased and legal manner confirming all guidelines set by the Board for the assessment.
- Global Competency
Due to the liberalization of trade markets, many competitors can offer the same services and products as any company would. What sets your product apart is the quality standard and a recognized Board that certifies the claim of the product for such quality and standards as per the guidelines. This improves the competitive edge of your product in the global market.
- Customer Satisfaction and Brand Trust
When a specific product you choose randomly at a supermarket is backed by scientific research and comes with a trusted seal of the mark such as ISO or BSI, it gives them the confidence to invest in the product. This improves your customer satisfaction and improves the overall brand trust that a customer would have in your product, knowing that the product is certified to be of the highest quality and adheres to the standards set by the government and the Regulation Board.
- Quality Management
When your products are tested for efficiency and quality through a NABL accredited lab, you can be sure that the product conforms to the standards set by the government and the concerned authorities. This improves the quality management system in place at your company and helps you in delivering quality products at an efficient rate. This can also cut down on your resources and the processes that you have in place to ensure quality remotely at your processing or manufacturing center and therefore prove to be more efficient and lower costs.
Typically, testing a sample and then using the sample as a standard for production is a much easier and more robust method of manufacturing. Random sampling post-production gives you better control and confidence over your quality management system.
- Defects and Grievance Control
When you invest in testing your products before using them as raw materials or as reference material in fields such as production, mechanical and chemical backgrounds, you have maximum control over the output and therefore have a much lower defect margin. This helps in controlling the overall product rejects and defects due to quality in the manufacturing stage. In retail and FMCG products, this helps in lowering the rate of customer complaints and grievances due to quality issues and improves customer satisfaction.
Conclusion
These are some of the reasons why labs must go through accreditation with a recognized Board such as NABL and conform to the quality standards set by industry and regulation authorities. For the global acceptance of products manufactured and supplied from India, the NABL also provides renowned global certification process such as ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) and APAC (Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation) for Reference Material Producers, Calibration Labs, Testing labs and Proficiency testing providers.