Two European companies in the global marine compliance industry, HPi Verification Services (HPiVS) and CEproof Group, have merged to create HPI-CEproof. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The companies said in a statement that HPiVS completed accreditation with INAB in 2018 for HPi Verification Services (Ireland) Ltd to ISO 17065, so that it can continue to certify products to the EU Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) and the EU Pressure Equipment Directive.
“This has enabled HPiVS to provide continuity of service, irrespective of Britain’s future status in the EU,” said the statement.
Recreational Craft Directive specialist CEproof has a core UK operation and 10 global offices.
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Alasdair Reay, CEO of HPiVS, spoke of the merger’s benefits. “CEproof has quietly built a substantial array of software tools for the boat industry with new products launching in the immediate future,” he said in the statement. “By merging the businesses, we can add these valuable resources to HPiVS’s outstanding services. Working together will make compliance easier and more watertight than ever.”
“HPi and CEproof have worked as two links of the same compliance chain for many years,” added CEproof CEO Craig Morris in the statement. “The future is so exciting now that we are able to combine our worldwide customer base with the abilities and tools of both companies.”
HPi CEproof will be headquartered at its existing base at Howbery Business Park in Wallingford, U.K. CEproof’s Wroxham base in Norfolk, UK, will become a regional office. HPi Verification Services (Ireland) continues to run from Dunshaughlin. CEproof’s consultancy activities will be handled by CEproof’s existing operations in Europe, Western Asia, Australasia and the USA. The statement noted these businesses remain independent and unaffected by the merger.
