TEXTILES.ORG
Houston-based Brawler Industries announced in a press release last week that the company is in the process of being certified by the Geosynthetic Accreditation Institute’s (GAI) Laboratory Accreditation Program (LAP) for 18 product tests regularly performed in Brawler’s Houston-area labs.
The certifications will allow Brawler, a manufacturer and fabricator of industrial liners, to meet the industry standards of GM13/17/22/25. The press release said that, according to the Geosynthetic Institute, the Geosynthetic Accreditation Institute–Laboratory Accreditation Program (GAI–LAP) was initiated following requests to accredit the operations of testing laboratories within the geosynthetics community.
The release noted that the program is intended to insure that the specific laboratory is capable of properly rendering the tests that they contract to perform.
“Our primary goal at Brawler is to provide all of our customers with the highest quality
of product every time,” said Noel Aulds, Quality Control Assurance (QCA) manager at Brawler Industries. “That is why these accreditations are so vital. They are set up for manufacturers to provide a consistent quality product that the industry can design around.”
The press release said that the process of being accredited with GAI can be lengthy, taking more than nine months on average.
“This process is a huge stepping stone for Brawler as we transition from primarily oil
and gas to more regulated industries,” said Aulds.
The release also noted that Brawler is in the process of meeting the industry requirements with a new innovation center being set up under the control of the lab. “Brawler has put a lot of effort into the GAI–LAP certification process,” said Aulds. “We are already taking the necessary steps to receive an additional five test certifications next year.”
Brawler has delivered containment membranes for a variety of industries since 1978. In addition to its Houston manufacturing location, Brawler has converting and distribution facilities in Midland and Pleasanton, Texas, and in Miles City, Montana.