New QUALANOD Board of Directors: VOA participates in election
The general meeting of the Association for Quality Control in the Anodizing Industry (QUALANOD) took place in Bergamo on 31 October 2023. There, the Association for Surface Finishing of Aluminium e. V. (VOA) co-elected the new board of the international quality organization.
The previous QUALANOD President Philip Hilven from Belgium did not stand for re-election for this term of office due to the current Articles of Association. For the next two years, the current Vice-President Peter Watts from the UK will take over the presidency. His previous position as Deputy President will be filled by Ernst Weigl from Austria. The globally valid QUALANOD quality mark stands for quality-assured anodized aluminium. The Zurich-based general licensor of the same name has been awarding the quality mark since 1974 and the organization currently has more than 200 licensees in over 40 countries. National associations - in Germany the VOA - act as general licensees and issue QUALANOD licenses and approvals in their respective countries. On October 31, 2023, the general licensees elected the new Executive Board at the General Assembly. On behalf of the VOA, general licensee in Germany, Dr. Alexa A. Becker, Managing Director of the association, cast the vote.
Both Peter Watts and Ernst Weigl bring their professional expertise and leadership experience to the quality organization. The newly elected President Peter Watts is involved with the British general licensor association QUALANOD UK and works as Managing Director at United Anodizers Ltd. Ernst Weigl represents the Austrian Association for Aluminium Finishing, OEVA Austria, and works as an authorized signatory and head of the anodizing and powder coating division at Piesslinger GmbH. Both United Anodizers Ltd. and Piesslinger GmbH hold a QUALANOD license. The international QUALANOD quality mark ensures clearly defined and globally recognized quality and performance criteria for anodized products and continuously develops them further, taking into account the latest results from science and research. Anodizing companies have the opportunity to acquire the license in four different areas - architecture, industry, decorative anodizing and hard anodizing - if they produce in accordance with the international specifications. In addition to the prescribed self-inspection, unannounced external inspections are carried out by independent, approved testing institutes. License holders act as part of an international network with global supply chains and supply the worldwide market with quality-assured, surface-finished aluminium.