Intertek, a leading provider of quality solutions to industries worldwide, with the launch of its Garment Inspection services has expanded its Southeast Asia presence into Myanmar. Intertek’s expansion into Myanmar supplements its textile and apparel testing and inspection services throughout Southeast Asia, in countries including Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Calvin Yam, Senior Vice President for Global Softlines at Intertek said that there is a critical need for inspection services to support the Myanmar apparel industry, as it saw substantial growth in its apparel industry since 2014, with a new factory opening every week. Moreover, with more North American and European retailers and brands commit to sourcing from Myanmar, the country’s apparel industry is primed to continue its rapid growth, making it a key area for Intertek expansion as well.

Panyos Tohtong, Intertek Country Managing Director for Thailand added that Myanmar is truly a new frontier for industrial growth in Asia and the world. Intertek offers perfect combination of geographical location and expertise to support this rapidly growing client base from Thailand.

With around 1,200 highly specialized inspectors around the globe, Intertek offers a full range of garment inspection services across the supply chain, from pre-inspection of raw materials and fabrics at the factories, to during production inspections of finished and semi-finished goods to identify faults and defects and finally a pre-shipment final random inspection to ensure the required product specifications are met.

Additionally, Intertek works with fabric and apparel retailers, brands and manufacturers to help ensure their products comply with the relevant standards and regulations throughout the production process.

According to the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association, the country’s garment industry exports doubled in only three years, touching $1.5 billion USD in 2014. Today, the country’s industry employs 200,000 workers across 275 apparel factories, making it the largest industrial sector in Myanmar.