CorDEX Instruments Welcomes International Safety Certification Which Will Boost Global Sales

MIDDLESBROUGH, England, October 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

CorDEX Instruments is gearing up for significant sales of its intrinsically safe thickness monitoring device after receiving international certification from a global regulator on explosive environments and safety equipment.

The UT5000 Intrinsically Safe Thickness Gauge has been assessed and approved by IECEx, the globally recognised IEC System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmospheres.

The hand-held device, which is designed to measure the thickness of pipelines and materials in hazardous areas using non-destructive techniques, has already achieved ATEX certification and is approved for use in the European market.

Tony Holliday, CEO of CorDEX Instruments, the leading manufacturer of intrinsically safe and non-destructive testing products for the oil and gas industry, welcomed the IECEx certification and aims to market the device to an international industry audience.

He said: "Receiving IECEx certification for the UT5000 is an important step in delivering the device to the global marketplace. We are pleased the thickness gauge has come through the thorough examination process the certification assessment requires.

"We now have ATEX and IECEx certification for the UT5000 which will make it possible to market it to companies around the world. Asset integrity and corrosion testing is of the utmost importance for the oil and gas industry and this tool has the potential to transform the way operators work.

"Our equipment fits with what the energy sector seeks to do in relation to ageing assets and without the need to wait for a shutdown to conduct testing provides the opportunity for more comprehensive and regular inspections to be carried out."

The UT5000 is currently being used by researchers at the University of Aberdeen to provide a new model for corrosion assessment to enhance oil and gas safety.

The aim of the ground-breaking research is to shed light on how corrosion develops spatially on steel pipelines and vessels to improve replacement decisions and integrity management and the UT5000 will give companies the ability to establish a predictive maintenance program to further improve safety.

Dr Neill Renton, head of chemical engineering within the School of Engineering at the University of Aberdeen, said: "The deterioration of assets through corrosion damage is a critical problem for the energy industry.

"This intrinsically safe device allows for testing during normal operations without the need for any hot-working and could allow testing on a much more regular basis giving us a greater ability to track corrosion over time.

"If a number of oil and gas companies use the technology then there would be a dramatic improvement in our understanding of deterioration with associated safety benefits."

CorDEX has already established a reputation since it was launched in 2009 in the mining and chemicals sectors and is now positioning itself to become the United Kingdom's premier manufacturer of handheld intrinsically safe tools for the oil and gas industry.

The Teesside-headquartered company has a network of distributers across the United States of America, South America Europe and the Middle East.

CorDEX is a leading manufacturer of intrinsically safe and non destructive testing products for the oil and gas industry. For further information please visit http://www.cordexinstruments.com

News release issued on behalf of CorDEX Instruments by the BIG Partnership.

Notes to editors

CorDEX Instruments is headquartered in Teesside, UK and delivers intrinsically safe inspection and NDT equipment to the global oil and gas industry.

CorDEX equipment improves efficiency, accuracy and safety in challenging environments in energy and related industries. Its high-quality equipment is specifically certified for use in hazardous/explosive areas. CorDEX is ISO 9001:2008 certified, and all CorDEX products are designed and manufactured for maximum reliability in the company's BS EN13980 registered manufacturing system.

An IECEx Certificate of Conformity attests that the product has been independently tested and found to comply with international standards. It also attests that the manufacturing site has been audited to verify that the manufacturer's quality system meets IECEx requirements,

ATEX product certification is the check on the design specification of a product in relation to a series of strict industry standards. It involves a detailed process of examination, testing and assessment of equipment intended for use in potentially hazardous areas.

When the process is successfully completed an ATEX certificate and report are issued confirming and demonstrating that the product is safe to use, within certain parameters, within potentially explosive atmospheres.