UL Acquires New Zealand Laboratory
Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) announced that it will acquire the assets of Wakefield Laboratories, an electrical testing laboratory located in Auckland, New Zealand. Financial terms have not been disclosed.
"The Wakefield acquisition will help strengthen our presence in the Australasia Region and support our customers in gaining global market access," said Keith Williams, UL's president and CEO. "In addition to its extensive accreditation capabilities, Wakefield has an experienced staff including skilled engineers who share our commitment to public safety. We look forward to welcoming them to the UL family."
Wakefield is well known in the Australasian marketplace and holds accreditation from International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ), Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ) and is a recognized CB Testing Laboratory within the IECEE CB Scheme. Wakefield also has the necessary accreditation to conduct electrical safety testing for Singapore, Hong Kong and the European Union. The company has 20 employees, all of whom will be invited to remain with the company.
"We are excited about the opportunity to be part of a large global organization like Underwriters Laboratories," added Ken Wilson, managing director, Wakefield. "With the strength of the UL brand and its depth of expertise, we feel there are more opportunities for growth as a company and service to our customers on a global level."