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The Vehicle Certification Agency
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Welcome to the web site of the Vehicle Certification Agency. VCA is the UK approval authority for the type approval of motor vehicles and components as well as a leading certification body offering management system certification to ISO 9000:2000, ISO 14001, ISO/TS 16949, QS-9000, EMAS as well as OHSAS 18001. Supporting the automotive industry from our offices in the UK, North America, Japan, Korea and Taiwan we believe that we can offer a total certification package for vehicle and component manufacturers - with over 20 years experience in the field we understand and support the demands of the industry sector.
For more information on VCA as an organisation click below or follow the links to visit other areas of the site specific to your requirements.
Please note this site is best viewed with the screen resolution set to 800X600 or above. The VCA in seven points: International RecognitionVCA, the Vehicle Certification Agency, is the United Kingdom's national approval authority for new road vehicles, agricultural tractors and off road vehicles. As an executive Agency of the Department for Transport, we are closely linked with the UK Government and European policy formulation and enforcement of vehicle safety and environmental standards. We bring the status and back-up of Government but the freedom to react to your changing needs. With offices in the UK, North America, Japan and Korea, we satisfy the needs of vehicle manufacturers World-wide in selling in Europe.
We provide expert international test and certification services for vehicles and vehicle parts. Our approval certificates are recognised throughout the European Community and the wider group of European countries belonging to the European Economic Area and the Geneva-based United Nations organisation (ECE). Our services are available not only to UK manufacturers but to manufacturers right across the World. In addition to this work, VCA also works with a range sectors to develop and support sector approval schemes.
A leading European approval and quality/environmental management system certification body, we have long experience of dealing with the complexities of vehicle approval and manufacture and our staff are specialists in their fields. We offer a fully integrated and flexible service, ready to meet our customers' needs.
back to top Comprehensive Testing and CertificationVCA's Primary Businesses are dealing with product testing and certification to all European Community standards and with UK and European Community whole vehicle type approval and management system certification to ISO9001:2000, ISO14000, ISO/TS 16949 and QS-9000 and ECE Regulations.
As a result of our established links with other test and approval authorities, we are authorised to perform tests to standards applying in the Far East and Australia. And we provide testing, reports and certification for authorities of other countries.
back to top Vehicle and Component StandardsWe cover the full range of vehicle approval standards; all cars, including low volume production, light and heavy Goods Vehicles, trailers, motorcycles, cranes, agriculture and forestry tractors, special purpose and off-road vehicles.
All vehicle and systems components and accessories come within our scope and experience. And we can provide authoritative advice on technical interpretations of test processes as well as early warning of new standards which you may need to meet.
back to top Ready to ReactVCA understands the complex vehicle design and construction regulations which manufacturers in the automotive industry must cope with. And we understand the increasing pressures you face in meeting deadlines in getting new, perhaps innovative, products to the market. We can help you in a variety of ways; explaining what standards need to be met and how; acting in partnership to meet your goals. Just let us know what you need.
We serve hundreds of manufacturers across the world from the smallest to the largest multinational companies, providing the speed and back-up which helps customers to vary and compress their development programmes and speed up the time to get their products to the market.
Deal with our engineers at the most convenient location in the UK, USA, Japan or Korea. Our experienced professional staff offer a complete international service with testing and system assessment in the UK or at any suitable location World-wide. Where necessary, we can provide test facilities to suit any European standard or we can use your facilities or those of your suppliers.
back to top Quality ApproachVCA is itself committed to Total Quality and actually employs the improvement techniques you employ. With many years experience of quality assessment and as an independently accredited certification body, we can assist our customers to achieve their quality goals by carrying out quality system certification to ISO9000 and QS-9000. In addition, we are also accredited for issuing ISO14001 environmental certificates and as an accredited corporate environmental verifier for EMAS, and recognised by the IATF for ISO/TS 16949 certification activities.
Our accredited scope covers vehicles and component design, production, service and most related activities. Our authoritative and pragmatic approach to system certification is based on our long involvement with the automotive industry and on our understanding of the management and techniques operated by vehicle and vehicle component producers and suppliers. We take a thorough but pragmatic approach towards assessment, recognising that companies may think first of the ISO9000 and ISO14001 standards. Our team leaders all meet the standards required by the Institute of Quality Assurance and Environmental Auditors Registration Association and every member of the assessment team has undergone rigorous training to support their own experience. But even before that, they have been chosen for their ability to exercise good judgement and common sense.
As you would expect, our management system certification procedures are independently monitored by the UK and US accreditation bodies, which are recognised internationally as being thorough and independent. That gives you confidence that we meet stringent standards and that our certificates will be recognised by your customers.
back to top Deadlines MetVCA is geared to helping you meet all necessary standards as quickly and cost effectively as possible. Because we are both a certification authority and a test service, you can count on our interpretations of difficult standards and on the speedy issue of certificates when tests and/or assessments are completed. And the fact that our approval certificates are internationally recognised and respected in itself helps to overcome bureaucratic hurdles to getting your products on the market.
Above all, we understand the importance of deadlines; and we offer a flexible and adaptable service which fits in with your development timetable. Tests, inspections and assessments are carried out to suit your convenience, when and where you want with regular feedback to speed the development process.
back to top Know How Much It Will CostFees for all our tests and certificates are published and we provide you with a firm all-inclusive quotation before any work is started. Contacting VCA as soon as you have a specific project in mind can help save time and costs. Discussions in absolute confidence with our experienced and authoritative engineers and assessors allow problems to be resolved and test and assessment programmes to be set up which meet your timetable in the most economical way.
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