Business Sectors
- Agriculture
- Minerals & Biomass & Dry Chemicals
- Oils & Liquefied Gases & Liquefied Chemicals
- Consumer Products
- Industrial Equipment
Agriculture
We perform full supply chain management activities with regard to agricultural commodities and their derivatives, such as grains, oilseeds and feed products. We have a very extensive experience in inspections of agricultural commodities and their derivatives.
Agricultural commodities and their derivatives do hardly ever have a fully homogeneous quality and composition all along a shipment. The quality of a shipment of an agricultural commodity or its derivative can vary quite strongly. Problems may occur with regard to alive insects or damaged cargo. Quality assessments with help of complex analysis devices may be difficult at remote places. We deliver the knowledge and discipline to carry out the necessary quality inspections, inspections of weight and much more, for clients like milling factories, malting houses, breweries, agricultural cooperatives, feed industries, trade houses, ship agents and ship brokers, charterers, insurance companies, governmental and non-governmental bodies, food industries, and all related industries. Inspection of agricultural commodities and their derivatives is our core business. Internationally, we are considered to be a top quality service provider.
Minerals & Biomass & Dry Chemicals
We perform full supply chain management activities with regard to minerals, biomass and dry chemicals, such as artificial fertilizers, wood pellets and (industrial) salts. We are specialized in the on-the-spot analyses of artificial fertilizers for example. These analyses include hardness measurements, fraction distribution measurements and bulk density assessments.
Besides this, we also make use of a network of selected professional laboratories. We take utmost care of representative sampling of cargoes like minerals, biomass and dry chemicals. Among our clients, we may count chemical industries, agricultural cooperatives, artificial fertilizer distribution centers and traders of the above mentioned commodities. Inspection of minerals, biomass and dry chemical commodities is a specialized work, performed by our own and selected expert inspectors.
Oils & Liquefied Gases & Liquefied Chemicals
We are a provider of full integrated services in the field of inspections, samplings and logistics of oils (both edible and fuel oils), liquefied gases and liquefied chemicals, such as (bio)methanol and (bio)ethanol.
In the field of inspection services for the above mentioned commodities, not only sampling for quality reasons is very crucial, but equally the determination of quantity and weight. The latter is all dependent on density, volume correction factors, temperature, specific commodity characteristics, calculation tables (like the ASTM tables) and quality determination instruments used. We perform many inspections of quality and quantity and cooperate with high-tech laboratories with regard to commodities such as biodiesel, soy bean oil, rapeseed oil, diesel, glycerin, methanol and many more. We make use of the appropriate ASTM calculation methods while calculating, after measuring of dips and ullages of barges and vessels respectively. Inspections of oils, liquefied gases and liquefied chemicals are performed by our highly skilled and experienced personnel.
Consumer Products
We perform inspection services with regard to consumer products, whether they are for example electrical or mechanical, liquid or not. We act as independent testers, inspectors and witnesses, and offer the most reliable consumer product inspection services.
Most of these inspections are performed as pre-shipment inspections or commercial inspections upon shipment into containers, before goods are being sent around the globe. We document, check, evaluate, count and photograph in order to be able to make up the right conformity assessments. Among our customers, we may count agencies working for countries’ governmental institutions, agencies working for the United Nations, commercial parties and many more. We are well known for our accurateness, sincerity and professionalism with regard to consumer product inspection services.
Industrial Equipment
We perform technical inspections with regard to industrial equipment, such as machinery, tools and high tech devices. In order to be able to inspect industrial equipment, one needs skilled inspectors and engineers with much experience.
Our network provides for these inspectors. They have been carefully selected, have a technical background and, next to performing technical inspections, they may also check for patents applicable or perform legal and jurisdictional research. We have, for example, experience with the inspection of diesel generators, to be transshipped from The Netherlands to outside the European Union. Our experienced and skilled engineers and inspectors in the field of industrial equipment inspection are of great help to our customers.
Related Services
- Quality Control & Sampling Services
- Quantity Control Services
- Stock Control Services
- Stock Measurement Services
- Free In & Out Services (FIO)
- Full Outturn Quality Services (FOQ)
- Full Outturn Guarantee Services (FOG)
- Fumigation Services
- Collateral Management Services
- Pre-shipment (PSI) & Commercial Inspection Services
- Landing Inspection Services
- Gauging Services
- Draft Survey Services
- Customized Inspection Services
- Quality Control & Sampling Services
- Quantity Control Services
- Stock Control Services
- Stock Measurement Services
- Free In & Out Services (FIO)
- Collateral Management Services
- Pre-shipment (PSI) & Commercial Inspection Services
- Landing Inspection Services
- Gauging Services
- Draft Survey Services
- Customized Inspection Services
- Quality Control & Sampling Services
- Quantity Control Services
- Stock Control Services
- Stock Measurement Services
- Free In & Out Services (FIO)
- Collateral Management Services
- Pre-shipment (PSI) & Commercial Inspection Services
- Landing Inspection Services
- Gauging Services
- Draft Survey Services
- Customized Inspection Services
- Pre-shipment (PSI) & Commercial Inspection Services
- Technical Inspection Services
- Customized Inspection Services
- Pre-shipment (PSI) & Commercial Inspection Services
- Technical Inspection Services
- Customized Inspection Services
Quality Control & Sampling Services
Quality control and sampling of bulk commodities are considered to be most important and crucial services for any party in the trade of bulk commodities. We are registered as a surveying member of main commodity trade associations such as GAFTA and FOSFA, among others, and for certain types of bulk commodity inspections we have acquired ISO 17020 accreditation from the Dutch Accreditation Council (Raad voor Accreditatie – RvA), registered under registration number I236.
Sampling is one of the most difficult tasks related to inspection services. It requires a lot of expertise and the right apparatus. But most of all, theories of sampling and practical possibilities for sampling should come together in such a way that a sampling is representative of a lot at all times and at all places. This is particularly important for non-homogeneous commodities, such as cereals and oilseeds. And, of course, these samplings should be in conformity with international commodity trade contracts such as GAFTA, FOSFA, Incograin, DNV, Copenhagen, GZP, AGER, and Incoterms. On-the-spot analysis and quality control is all the more difficult, as silos, stevedores and receivers may not have analysis devices, and for practical reasons one may not always be able to carry devices along to a place of inspection. We cover that lack to a large degree and have developed methods and devices for on-the-spot analyses, such as viability and germinative capacity analysis of malting barley, hectoliter weight analysis of feed wheat, ergot analysis of milling rye, hardness and fraction distribution analysis of artificial fertilizer and moisture analysis for many types of cereals, oilseeds, pulses and their derivatives. The inspections are carried out upon loading and/or discharging of barges and vessels and are performed for FOB and/or CIF shipments. We are equally experienced samplers of liquefied chemicals, (edible and fuel) oils, like methanol, rapeseed and soy bean oil. Although such liquefied commodities may in theory have a more homogeneous quality than dry bulk commodities, a sample from a shore tank or shore line, on the one hand, and a so-called first foot sample from a barge or vessel tank, on the other hand, may be quite distinct. We have the capacity to deduce the reason for such a distinction. We also analyze liquefied chemicals in a laboratory upon loading or discharging of barges and vessels.
Our inspection company is considered to be a top class service provider in the field of commodity sampling and on-the-spot analysis. In the interest of our clients, our operations are being summarized by inspection reports, quality & condition reports, analysis certificates, load compartment inspection (LCI) reports, hold inspection reports and more.
Quantity Control Services
Quantity control is important in order to determine weights, quantities, numbers and more. Our inspectors have profound knowledge of and experience with discontinuous weighing scales, belt weighing installations, weighing bridges and electronical and mechanical bulk goods weighing devices. Calibration rules may vary from contract to contract and from country to country.
We know how to deal with the inspection of these devices and the various regulations that occur in the complex bulk commodity trade. Doubts may arise with regard to a calibrated weighing scale, in the case of which we can perform checks with our own test weights for weighing scales. Our clients base invoices (received or sent) on the outcome of the inspection of quantity and weight as performed by our staff. The same applies for liquid commodities, where temperature, density and product related characteristics, the ways of measuring dips and/or ullages, as well as calculation schemes for barges and vessels, all have their influence on the determination of weight.
The determination of weight requires an independent inspector who knows what he has to take into account. Based on the outcome of weight determination inspections, we deliver quantity and weight certificates, loading and discharging reports, dips and ullages reports and more.
Stock Control Services
Stock control services include the inspection of a commodity or cargo stored in a silo or hall for example, and these services are important for the continuous supervision of quality and quantity. These services can also help avoid unnecessary deterioration of cargoes. Some cargoes are susceptible to self-heating, others need sufficient aeration and still others should be stored completely out of daylight and/or air.
We are specialists in stock control, regular sampling and periodic spot inspections, at locations like halls and silos of agricultural cooperatives, warehousing facilities of stevedoring companies, third party storage locations and more.
Stock Measurement Services
Stock measurement services include the measurement and the calculation of a weight of a commodity or cargo stored in a silo or hall, for example. These services can be necessary for reasons of accountancy or they may be required by a bank or insurance company.
We have the right knowledge to perform measurements of distances, angles, volumes and fill levels of silos and halls, which, combined with the bulk density of a commodity or cargo, yield total weights. In some cases, weighing by means of weighing scales is possible, but in most cases stock measurement services are performed by bringing together volumetric measurement and bulk density of a commodity or cargo. Here, we have proven to be a reliable partner for banks, insurance companies and other clients.
Free In & Out Services (FIO)
Free in & out services, the so-called FIO inspection services, are meant to take care of a smooth delivery or transshipment of goods in main ports and/or inland ports. FIO inspection is mainly performed on behalf of charterers or consignees of a cargo and aims particularly at a smooth process of loading, discharging and/or transshipment.
The FIO inspector takes care of the coordination of loading, discharging and/or transshipment at the right time and the right place, and as such he stays in close contact with stevedores, vessels’ and barges’ captains, agents, customs and other parties involved. He witnesses the operations of delivery or transshipment, ascertains weights and registers times. We act as such supervisory agents on behalf of charterers, consignees and/or ship owners, and are their accurate surveying partner.
Full Outturn Quality Services (FOQ)
Full outturn quality services, FOQ services in short, focus on the maintaining of the quality of a cargo from the place of loading to the place of unloading. A risk of deterioration of a cargo is always present, due to storage conditions, temperature variations and other factors that all may influence a cargo’s quality.
Under predetermined terms and conditions, we can protect and guarantee the quality level and the satisfaction of certain quality parameters of a cargo between its place of loading and its place of unloading. Here, we deliver adapted risk management services. We can also extend these services to include marine insurance.
Full Outturn Guarantee Services (FOG)
Full outturn guarantee services, FOG services in short, focus on the maintaining of the quantity of a cargo from the place of loading to the place of unloading. A risk of shortage of a cargo weight is always present, due to differences in weighing devices and weight determination operations and other factors that all may influence a cargo’s quantity.
Under predetermined terms and conditions, we can protect and guarantee the quantity level of a cargo between its place of loading and its place of unloading. Here, we deliver customized risk management services. We can also join marine insurance to these services.
Fumigation Services
Fumigation services are meant to minimize trade risks and to protect or to treat a cargo against alive insects and/or pests. In particular, grains and oilseeds are sensitive to contain infestations of alive insects like the grain weevil, the flour beetle, the sawtoothed grain beetle and the lesser grain borer. More particular, organic grains are still more sensitive.
We perform inspections in order to determine whether a cargo has been treated or not. We are proud that our inspectors may just smell if a cargo may have undergone a treatment with insecticides based on deltamethrin or pirimiphos-methyl. They have an experienced eye and use special sieves in order to detect eventual infestations. We also organize fumigation services and pest control services whenever an infestation has been ascertained. These fumigation services may include treatment with deltamethrin or pirimiphos-methyl based solutions, phosphine (PH3) or carbon dioxide (CO2), for example.
Collateral Management Services
Collateral management services aim to reduce operational risks and to deliver solutions for the safe storage, delivery and reception of commodities. It focuses equally on solutions in order to meet contractual requirements and to have the availability of commodities for delivery or reception at the desired time and place.
We address and manage such risks by means of collateral management services, so that threat of financial loss is minimized. We take goods under safe custody under our control, take care of customs clearances, temporary storage and issue documents of title, depending on our local legal position and law.
Pre-shipment (PSI) & Commercial Inspection Services
Pre-shipment inspection (PSI) services are performed in the interest of governments and international bodies, like the United Nations (UN) and/or the World Food Program (WFP). These services help to protect import revenues of states and to minimize risks of illegal imports. As such, these services provide for import eligibility documentation, valuation of goods for customs purposes and tariff classification.
Summarized and in practice, these are so-called trade facilitation services, for which our inspectors perform conformity assessments, verifications of packing, marking and labeling, prior to shipment of manufactured goods of any kind. Certification schemes of various countries and international organizations require inspection prior to shipment, in which field of work we have been a reliable partner for several agencies. Commercial inspection services are mainly carried out the same way, but these are meant to help commercial parties, like importers in third countries, to evaluate and check the quality, the quantity and the value of manufactured goods of any kind. We have a many years’ extensive experience in the field of pre-shipment inspection (PSI) and commercial inspection services.
Landing Inspection Services
Landing inspection services aim to inspect goods of any kind, in order to value and classify these goods for customs purposes, upon arrival of these goods. It is the inspector’s task to identify the goods, to verify their qualities and their quantities and to certify them as eligible for importation.
Our inspectors identify goods and bulk commodities upon arrival in main ports like Rotterdam and have good knowledge of applicable EU regulations with regard to quality and quantity of bulk commodities. We also have our agents to organize for import licenses and payment of taxes and customs duties, in order to smoothly import the goods or bulk commodities bought by our clients.
Technical Inspection Services
Technical inspection services focus on the assessment of the correct and safe functioning of industrial equipment, such as machinery, tools, and high tech devices. We have skilled inspectors, mostly engineers, who are able to perform such inspections. They do not only know about the industrial equipment itself that they inspect, they also know about the safe stowage, loading, unloading, and transport of industrial equipment.
As such, our inspectors have all round knowledge of industrial equipment and their handling in general. We also have capacity for destructive and non-destructive material testing, so that compliance with international standards can be verified and confirmed.
Gauging Services
Gauging services consist of measurements and calculations in order to determine weight of any material or cargo loaded into or discharged from barges or river/canal-going cargo carriers. The determination of weight depends on many factors, such as water density, (changing) ballast quantities on board, (changing) consumables on board and more.
We perform independent and ISO 17020 accredited gauging services for a large variety of customers, in order to determine weight, for contractual and/or payment purposes for example.
Draft Survey Services
Draft survey services consist of measurements and calculations of water displacement of sea-going vessels and coasters, in order to determine weight of any material or cargo to be loaded or discharged.
We use skilled draft survey inspectors, in order to determine weight. They know well what has to be taken into account upon performing a draft survey, such as (changing) ballast quantities on board, (changing) consumables on board, water density, trim and deformation corrections and more. The international trade using sea transport recognizes draft survey services by independent inspectors as a generally accepted means for the determination of weight.
Customized Inspection Services
Customized inspection services may be inspection services of any kind, on any product, commodity, cargo, item or material. We deliver customized inspection services, and as such we have been performing, for example, samplings of caraway seed at farms for national assessment programs of The Netherlands and inspections and samplings of grapes in different supermarkets for quality programs of internationally operating purchasing organizations.
We also have a lot of experience in quantity determination by means of stock taking, tallying, and other methods, such as tallying of frozen fish in boxes, bags and other packing means, at arrival out of vessels and at departure into reefer containers. We issue inspection and sampling certificates, of any kind, and make use of our skills and expertise, as well as of standardized sampling techniques.