Why Use European Instruments?

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Service Provision in the UK

There are a number of service providers in the UK, who fall within 2 categories : Calibration Service Providers and Authorised Calibration, Repair & Service Agents.

Calibration Service Providers (CSP)

These service providers undertake, in accordance with their procedures, to test equipment and produce calibration certification.

Authorised Calibration, Repair & Service Agents (ACRSA)

These service providers also offer calibration services usually in accordance with strict quality standards such as BS EN ISO 9001:2000 and UKAS (ISO 17025). However in addition to this they are able to offer a complete package of technical care to support the product when it is no longer working to specification :

Manufacturer trained for the service and repair of their respective equipment. Therefore have the technical expertise to support the product when it goes wrong.
Supply of and use of manufacturer authorised spare parts.
Ownership of Manufacturer Servicing Equipment required for the repair / adjustment of equipment

European Instruments are "Authorised Calibration, Repair and Service Agents" for :

Weighing Equipment :

Sartorius, Mettler Toledo (balances), Ohaus, Denver, Oxford, A&D.

Pipettes :

Eppendorf, CLP, Brand, Volac

We supply manufacture authorised parts for :
Gilson, Socorex, Finnpipette, Bibby, Genex, Nichyro, Biohit, Sealpettes

Safety Cabinets :

Erlab

We supply and fit carbon filters for most other types of cabinets

When are the services of an Authorised Calibration, Repair & Service Agent required?

Any time when a balance is no longer working to specification. This can be due to any number reasons and can be resolved in some cases by a basic adjustment of the instrument or where necessary a board level repair.

Can all service providers provide this level of technical service? No, not on all models, to carry out the type of work described above in many cases requires :

Specialist Manufacturer Servicing Equipment / Software – not widely available and often restricted to certain agents like European Instruments
Manufacturer Training
Support of a fully fitted workshop facilities

In particular Mettler Toledo and Sartorius, as World leaders, demand a very high standard of technical expertise and investment from the limited number of service distributors they appoint and require the authorised ownership of manufacturers service equipment and software. For example Mettler Toledo require the LARS software to carry out fundamental adjustments, repairs and Min Weigh setting. Other manufactures have similar requirements including Sartorius balances which require the Trade-Cas software.

European Instruments meets these standards

In many situations where an instrument is no longer working to specification a Calibration Service Provider would have no choice but employ the services of an Authorised Calibration, Repair & Service Agent. Or in a worst case scenario classify the instrument as un-serviceable.

The "REAL" cost of a service contract

As you would expect the contract service costs of an Authorised Calibration, Repair & Service Agent may be higher than that of a Calibration Service Provider, but when service provision is looked at as a whole the "real" cost in many cases can be much lower using a Authorised Agent. This is realised by :

Minimising downtime – quickly get equipment out of specification up and running again.
Extending life span of instruments in operation.

Example – Real Cost of a service contract

Scenario : Customer has 10 balances with standard certification and one visit per annum. Costs detailed below are for the provision of service over a 2 year period. During this period a balance was found to be out of specification the Calibration Service Provider was unable to repair the balance. The Authorised Calibration, Repair & Service Agent was able to repair the balance.

	Calibration Service Provider	Authorised Calibration, Repair & Service Agent
Contract Service Costs (over 2 year period)	£300	£426
Cost to replace balance out of specification	£1500*	£0
Cost of repair to balance out of specification	£0	£300**
Total Cost of contract over the 2 years	£1800	£726

* Cost to supply 200 x 0.1mg balance
** Typical Repair cost for a balance with a major problem.