June 1, 2007 — CALABASAS, CA — National Technical Systems, Inc. (NTS), a leading provider of engineering services, announced today the acquisition of TRA Certification, located in Elkhart, IN, by its joint venture company, National Quality Assurance, USA (NQA). Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
NQA is one of the world’s largest ISO certification bodies, providing services for thousands of industry leaders. This is NQA’s second acquisition in just over 12 months. Combined with the acquisition of California-based AIR in 2006, NQA has added more than 400 new customers in just over a year. NQA has also benefited from an increase of new business from organic growth, outside of these acquisitions, further adding to the significant boost in the total number of new customers added over the past year. This expansion of the NQA customer base creates new opportunities for additional growth for NQA, as many of these organizations are in need of the complementary services offered by NQA.
TRA is an established player in the registration industry, in business for over 15 years; it is one of the longest running ISO certification bodies in North America. The TRA location allows NQA to establish a strategic presence for the support of its current and new customers in the region.
“I am delighted to be joining NQA. I have confidence that this established and respected organization will continue to service our customers at the highest level,” comments Tom Arnold, president of TRA Certification.
Kevin Beard, president of NQA, states, “We at NQA are thrilled to have TRA join us. Our two organizations have worked closely together in the past, and I am confident that our history of cooperation will enable us to make this a smooth and seamless transition, for both our organizations and our customers.”
“Adding 400 new customers is significant for both NQA and NTS; allowing us to offer the full breadth of services provided by both to a broader audience, increasing opportunities for revenue growth all around,” states Bill McGinnis, CEO and president of NTS. McGinnis says, “NQA has been steadily growing its base business over the past year and continues to show strong growth for the future.”
About NQA, USA
NQA, USA, headquartered in Acton, MA, was established in 1992 as a joint venture between National Quality Assurance, Limited (headquartered in London, England) and National Technical Systems, Inc. (located in Calabasas, CA). NQA, USA is a world-renowned ISO 9001, ISO 14001, TS 16949, and AS9100 registrar. NQA, USA’s single point of contact saves clients time, while its well-trained, efficient staff located nationwide, provides local attention. NQA’s worldwide operations are accredited to perform management systems registrations by ANSI – ANAB (American National Standards Institute/Registrar Accreditation Board) and UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service). NQA, USA has expertise in many diverse industries including aerospace, transportation and distribution, printing, professional services, automotive, foods, electronics, computers, and software.
About NTS
National Technical Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of engineering services to the defense, aerospace, telecommunications, automotive, and high technology markets. Through a world-wide network of resources, NTS provides full product life-cycle support, offering world class design engineering, compliance, testing, certification, quality registration, and program management. For additional information about NTS, visit www.ntscorp.com or call 800-270-2516.