Mocon, of Minneapolis in the US, is to set up a certified testing laboratory in India with Hemetek Techno Instruments in a bid to establish a consistent, global testing footprint. The firm already has laboratories in the US, Germany and China.
Hemetek, a Mumbai, India-based package testing and instrumentation company, will officially open the first independent Mocon-certified lab in the country in January 2010. It will offer barrier and headspace analysis, leak detection and burst testing services for food, beverage and pharmaceutical/medical packaging. The water vapour, oxygen and carbon dioxide permeation testing services are also suitable for manufacturers and converters of rigid and flexible packaging containers and films.
Additionally, the lab will offer a two-day, hands-on permeation/packaging training programme for those wishing to gain supervised experience on Mocon testing equipment.
"Our partnership with Hemetek will bring a high-level of certified testing to one of the fastest-growing marketplaces," said Alan Shema, product manager for consulting and test services at Mocon. "Hemetek will also be able to provide results faster than currently available in India."
Indian companies traditionally have relied on universities and other institutions for their package testing needs. Turnaround times typically range from a couple of weeks to more than a month. The Mocon-certified lab will be able to provide results in less time, helping companies decrease development time and improve speed-to-market.
"The Hemetek staff are looking forward to bringing a new level of package testing services to India," said Viraj Devasthale, director of Hemetek.
Hemetek's staff have been trained by Mocon technicians to follow appropriate testing protocols.