ITI rubber/footwear lab internationally accredited

The ITI rubber/footwear testing laboratory was recently assessed and recommended for accreditation as per ISO 17025 Quality Management System by the globally recognized Swedish accreditation body – SWEDAC. The laboratory upgrading – equipment, expertise, training and preparation for accreditation, was provided by UNIDO under a Norwegian donor trust fund.

An ITI press release said this is the first time in Sri Lanka that a rubber/footwear testing laboratory has obtained international accreditation. The recognition bestowed would enable Sri Lankan exporters to access global markets, armed with credible test certificates. Further, the well recognized laboratory facilities combined with the extensive research and technology capability available at ITI would enable the rubber/footwear sector industries to improve processing capacity and facilitate technology upgrading.

The equipment covers a wide range of applications such as leak proof-ness of leather shoes, electrical property of rubber sheets and products, abrasion property of rubber products such as footwear, tyre, rubber tiles, rubber rings, adhesion of sole to upper and heel to upper of shoes, state of cure of rubber shoe soles, flexing of sole of leather shoes, plasticity retention index (PRI) of rubber compounds and natural raw rubber, total sulphur cotent in rubber and ageing properties of rubber rings. Many footwear exporters, rubber component uses and rubber engineering component manufacturers are currently making use of these facilities.