Link Engineering Company’s laboratory in Limburg, Germany, has been authorized by the United Kingdom’s Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) to conduct witnessed brake emissions testing for vehicle type-approval programs. The authorization allows the company to support manufacturers pursuing compliance with Euro 7, which introduces brake particle emissions limits for the first time. According to the company, the approval builds on its existing ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation and its earlier status as one of the first organizations accredited by Germany’s DAkkS (Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle) for brake emissions testing, part of a testing program the company has built out across its European and North American laboratories.
Highlights
- Link Engineering’s Limburg, Germany, laboratory is now authorized by the UK’s Vehicle Certification Agency to conduct witnessed brake emissions testing for vehicle type-approval programs.
- The approval builds on the company’s ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation and its status as one of the first organizations accredited by DAkkS for brake emissions testing.
- Euro 7 introduces brake particulate emissions limits for the first time, requiring manufacturers to work with accredited testing facilities to reach certification.
- The company says the addition of witnessed type-approval testing gives it an end-to-end offering spanning development testing through regulatory certification.
What the VCA Authorization Covers
The VCA authorization specifically covers witnessed testing — meaning a VCA representative can observe test procedures at LINK’s Limburg facility as part of the formal type-approval process, rather than requiring the work to be performed at a VCA-operated site. The company says only a limited number of organizations worldwide currently hold the equipment, technical expertise, and accreditations needed to support these programs.
Meeting New Euro 7 Brake Particle Emissions Requirements
As Euro 7 regulations introduce brake particle emissions limits for the first time, vehicle and brake manufacturers need specialized facilities, technical expertise, and accredited testing capabilities to achieve certification, according to the company. LINK positions the new witnessed-testing capability as extending its role from development-stage testing into regulatory certification itself, giving customers a single point of contact through the certification process.
Executive Comment
Marco Zessinger, Managing Director of Link Engineering Company GmbH, said the approval reflects the company’s position in the field: “Achieving VCA approval is a major milestone that underscores LINK’s leadership in brake emissions testing. Manufacturers are facing new regulatory demands under Euro 7, and they need testing partners with both technical expertise and recognized accreditation. Our Limburg laboratory can now support witnessed type-approval testing, providing customers with a streamlined path to certification while further strengthening LINK’s position as a trusted industry partner.”
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