GEOS Laboratories becomes the first AASHTO accredited bitumen laboratory in Europe.
Wellen, Belgium – GEOS Laboratories announced today that as of November 1, 2016, it is officially AASHTO (American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials) accredited. GEOS becomes the first, and only, European laboratory to deliver the necessary certificates for bitumen delivery under American standards.
This means that bitumen products, tested in the facilities of GEOS in Belgium, are delivered with a certificate for the North-American market and all major markets where American standards apply. GEOS Laboratories was already testing according to European (EN), Russian (GOST) and Saudi specs.
In the fast-paced and ever-changing market of bitumen trading, the testing facility of GEOS holds an important logistic advantage for companies that manufacture and supply bitumen. One sample can now be tested and accepted for all major international markets at the same time.
Bitumen is used principally in road manufacturing. In 2014, 75 percent of the global consumption of bitumen was used for road construction. Several authoritative reports forecast growth in the global bitumen market at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of four percent between 2015 to 2020.
As local bitumen markets became global and because of the shift in the source of production of bitumen, the use of oceangoing tankers became the dominant form of transportation. While it is important to be able to deliver to far-off markets, most of the trading is taking place with the bitumen cargo still at sea. With the GEOS Laboratories’ certificates in hand, their course just got a whole lot wider.
About AASHTO
(American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials)
The primary vision of AASHTO resource is to be the center for promoting quality and achievement of excellence in construction materials testing (CMT). They provide services and tools through three major programs: the Laboratory Assessment Program (LAP), the Proficiency Sample Program (PSP), and the AASHTO Accreditation Program (AAP). Through these activities, they evaluate testing competency, promote continual improvement, and instill confidence in the laboratories and specifiers that use those programs.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.aashtoresource.org/
About Geos Laboratories
Since its foundation in 1975, Geos Laboratories has become one of the largest independent laboratories in the testing of construction materials in Europe. It holds offices in Belgium and France and next to a major activity in bitumen, its engineers perform more than 400 tests under accreditation in dedicated laboratories on asphalt, concrete, hydraulic binders, solid construction materials, and soil.
Geos Laboratories is a CE notified body. The quality and independence are covered by the ISO 17025 quality label for excellent laboratories.
Warranties are provided by BELAC, a member of EA. Reports are valid throughout the European Union and selected surrounding countries.
