DEKRA is expanding its Business Assurance service unit in North America with the purchase of AQS Management Systems Inc. AQS is a leading provider of management system training courses in the United States and will be a valued addition to DEKRA’s services for safeguarding and improving business processes.
Founded by Mark Ames more than 27 years ago, AQS offers training services focusing on organizational improvement and implementation of international management system standards including the ISO family of standards for quality management, environmental management, occupational health and safety, energy management, and food safety.
Auditors, implementers, and other stakeholders benefit from AQS’s technical and industry expertise to understand and successfully apply the requirements of each management system standard. With about 4,200 training participants in 2015, AQS is the leading provider in the United States for public and onsite training. AQS also offers computer-assisted learning options for auditors and management teams.
AQS customers are from aviation, automotive, and medical industries as well as the public sector. Their portfolio comprises 27 certified training courses for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 13485, AS9100, ISO/TS 16949, and integrated management systems, as well as 40 noncertified courses for organizational improvement guided by ISO standards.
Head of DEKRA’s Global Business Assurance Business Unit Lothar Weihofen said, “With this addition, we are significantly expanding our range of training courses and certifications in North America and thus complementing our activities in the areas of occupational safety and process safety.
“We expect to see growing demand for training courses in the years ahead, particularly due to a large number of revisions to management systems standards.”
AQS President Mark Ames commented, “By joining the global team of experts at DEKRA, we now have the opportunity to expand and enhance the services our highly qualified trainers offer to our customers while forging new paths internationally.”
DEKRA is one of the world’s leading expert organizations with more than 36,000 employees in more than 50 countries committed to ensuring safety at work, at home, and on the road. The DEKRA automotive, industrial, and personnel business units provide professional and innovative services in the fields of vehicle inspection, expertise, claims services, system certification, product testing and certification, industrial and construction inspection, consulting, qualification, and temporary work.