Compiled by Natasha Mopalami

In a first for TÜV SÜD South Africa, ISO 19443 certification, a quality management standard specific to the nuclear industry, has been attained by engineering solutions company Allweld Nuclear and Industrial. The ISO 19443 journey is extremely demanding and detailed, making this a significant achievement for Allweld. The standard aims to optimise safety and quality throughout the entire nuclear supply chain. 

About Allweld

Cape Town-based Allweld is one of the longest-running engineering solutions companies in South Africa and is now one of the first to attain ISO 19443 certification, both in South Africa and the broader African continent. It is a proud Level 1 B-BBEE contributor. 

With an employee base of about 250 people, Allweld has been serving the African market since 1962 in the nuclear, power generation, oil and gas, petrochemical, mining, marine, renewable energy and industrial industries. Its teams are involved with project management, shutdown and maintenance, capital expansion projects and turnkey solutions, providing a 24-hour on- and off-site capability with skilled resources.

According to CEO Mervyn Fischer, this certification will allow the company to broaden its nuclear footprint, ensure that it is a credible partner to the biggest nuclear role players in the world, and position itself for any nuclear new build or similar projects. It will also help carry the Allweld vision of serving all of Africa and the world.

He says that the achievement of ISO 19443 certification is attributable to a dedicated focus on nuclear safety, driven from the top, with the commitment of management and all staff of the company.

Meeting Nuclear Industry Demands with ISO 19443

ISO 19443 certification enables companies like Allweld to demonstrate that their quality management system combines best practices against the specific requirements of the nuclear industry and confirms the quality and reliability of their processes. As a result, customer audits for qualification as a supplier can thus be widely reduced. The standard is applicable to any organisation that supplies nuclear products, systems and services and covers the entire supply chain. It includes purchasing and delivery, design and maintenance services, as well as manufacturers of components and systems. It aims to increase the safety culture within the nuclear industry and makes nuclear safety an overriding priority. 

Supply chains are more important than ever before, and this standard builds a bridge between the safety demands of the nuclear industry to ensure consistent high quality and safety. It will also assist Allweld to gain an international competitive advantage having attained the required levels of quality and reliability of processes, forward-thinking preparation, leadership and strategic plan-ning. Industries other than nuclear would also 

benefit from the stringent quality requirements by using suppliers who have attained the ISO 19443 certification.

“Allweld Nuclear & Industrial is the first corporation in the South African nuclear power industry to be certified by TÜV SÜD according to the ISO 19443 standard, demonstrating Allweld’s strong commitment to ensuring safety and quality enhancement”, says  TÜV SÜD South Africa CEO Leon Nel.

Leading Global Nuclear Certification

TÜV SÜD is a globally recognised name in the nuclear field, having provided exceptional quality, in-depth insight and implementation of industry standards for more than 60 years. It became one of the first companies worldwide to become ISO 19443 accredited, making it authorised to certify organisations that can demonstrate compliance with ISO 19443. 

TÜV SÜD fully understands the business and regulatory demands and challenges faced throughout the nuclear supply chain. Being a specialist in quality and nuclear safety makes TÜV SÜD the trusted partner of safety authorities, operators, manufacturers and vendors.

In South Africa, TÜV SÜD offers a wide range of additional services. Its Industry Services Division through TÜV SÜD Pro-Tec offers boiler and pressure vessel inspections, non-destructive testing and replica services. The business assurance division offers traditional management system certification for ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and many other standards, including the validation of safety of machinery. It also offers quality management training. Its mobility division offers remarketing appraisals to original equipment manufacturers, condition appraisals and roadworthy testing.

Other entities include the TÜV SÜD Inspec-tion Authority, an approved inspection authority doing pressure equipment certification and risk-based assessments. TÜV SÜD Real Estate Services offers lift inspection and maintenance management.