3RD-PARTY INSPECTION AGENCY RESPONSE TO CHANGING NEEDS

The third-party inspection process is part of the commercial mechanism and as commerce changes so must independent inspection. Additionally, technological development also plays a major role. A third element is the impact of regulatory compliance; both its direct impact on commer ce and its indirect impact on operations. In recent years both commerc e and technology have brought about change and response. To be commerc ially viable, the third party inspector must be able to demonstrate st rict conformance to recognized standards. How to assure this conforman ce has been a predominant issue with inspectors and their clients for many years. Accreditation of one kind or another, whether global in na ture such as ISO 9000 or local, such as a single facility audit or a c ombination of both, has been the most recent vehicle for trying to rea ch this god. The result of this is a tapestry of commerce and technolo gy, interwoven with threads of compliance and conformance, both mandat ory and voluntary.