*********************************************************

Leading testing and certification company, KEMA Quality B.V. (KEMA), has chosen Hong Kong as its Greater China headquarters and as the base for its regional growth.

The acting Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mr Simon Galpin, was invited as the guest of honour at the official opening of KEMA's regional headquarters (RHQ) and laboratory facilities in Fanling today (January 20).

Based in the Netherlands, the 75-year-old Dutch company offers worldwide quality management support with consultancy, testing and certification services.

The Chief Executive Officer of KEMA, Mr Pier Nabuurs said: "We chose Hong Kong as our Greater China HQ mainly because of the availability of a highly educated workforce and management skills, the legal framework of Hong Kong, the excellent geographical location and the highly developed infrastructure.

"The new Hong Kong premises, together with significant investments in people and new testing equipment, represent KEMA's ambitious expansion plans for the years to come. We believe this new development will provide an excellent basis for future growth."

Mr Nabuurs added: "KEMA has set an ambitious growth target, which will see its workforce in Greater China expand considerably between 2003 and 2007.

"The expansion, in spite of challenging economic times, demonstrates KEMA's commitment to Hong Kong as a centre of its Greater China operations."

Mr Galpin welcomed the firm's establishment of a RHQ and expansion of laboratory facilities in Hong Kong to cope with the growing number of new clients here and in the Mainland.

Mr Galpin said: "Hong Kong is an ideal place to manage a company's Asia-Pacific operations. Apart from our strategic location, we have a world-class infrastructure, skilled workforce and a transparent government and regulatory framework, which help companies like KEMA to prosper and take advantage of the opportunities around them.

"Hong Kong clearly is a regional centre for technical service providers and consultancies. We are pleased to welcome KEMA as another addition to this pool of expertise. This will further strengthen Hong Kong as an advanced and sophisticated services hub in the region."

Invest Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government department charged with attracting and assisting big and small overseas and Mainland companies to set up here.

End/Monday, January 20, 2003

NNNN