The change of name has not been followed by any changes within the organisation and its relationships with clients, Pascal Milland, chief executive of Bureau Veritas Thailand, said.

The move, effective yesterday in Asia, will consolidate the French company's core quality, health and safety, environment and social accountability, QHSE-SA, management services, which encompass a diverse range of industries from energy to electronics, from food to information technology.

Udomdej Kongtaveelert, Bureau Veritas Thailand general manager of industry and facilities, said the rebranding would remove misunderstandings among some current and prospective clients that BVQI had no association with Bureau Veritas.

Bureau Veritas Certification would allow the company the chance to offer other services to existing clients, which would be the main growth engine for this year, said Udomdej. Bureau Veritas is confident it will be able to maintain a 20-per-cent growth rate from last year through other industrial services.

With a global turnover of ¤1.6 billion (Bt74.4 billion) last fiscal year, Bureau Veritas' scope of business is far and wide.

In a market with about 50 to 60 competitors, Bureau Veritas is currently the market leader in Thailand. With a 21-per-cent slice, it leads competitors like TÜV Rheinland Thailand, whose strength is in automotive and aviation industries, by at least 2 to 3 per cent, said Udomdej. Its strength lies in its comprehensive services and extensive global network of 140 branches in every continent, he added.

Ki Nan Tsui 

The Nation