OBAC Research, Certification and Attestation Center

What OBAC Research, Certification and Attestation Center does

OBAC Research, Certification and Attestation Center (Ośrodek Badań, Atestacji i Certyfikacji OBAC Sp. z o.o.) is a privately held Polish conformity assessment body headquartered in Gliwice, Poland, founded in 1997. The company operates three PCA-accredited programs: product certification (AC 099) under PN-EN ISO/IEC 17065, laboratory testing (AB 1340) at its wholly owned LABOREx laboratory under PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025, and management system certification (AC 146) under PN-EN ISO/IEC 17021-1. It is an EU Notified Body (No. 1461) for the ATEX, Machinery, and EMC directives, an IECEx Certification Body (ExCB) and Testing Laboratory (ExTL), a member of IAF and ILAC with bilateral recognition agreements across 9+ countries, and the sole PCA-accredited body in Poland for certification of Ex equipment repair workshops (PN-EN IEC 60079-19). Services span explosion protection testing (Ex d, Ex e, Ex i, Ex n, Ex m, Ex t, Ex p), mechanical, electrical, EMC, corrosion, environmental, functional safety (SIL/PL), and medical device testing, plus ISO 9001/14001/45001/13485 management system certification and ongoing surveillance audits.

The company sells professional services on a project-based, quote-by-engagement model across six primary verticals: mining (its historical core, serving WUG approval workflows), medical devices, automotive components, consumer electronics/household appliances, industrial manufacturing, and playground/sports/fitness equipment. Go-to-market is sales-led: OBAC reaches manufacturers through direct phone and email outreach, a multilingual website across 11 country versions, an explicit "Transfer certificate to OBAC" switcher program targeting incumbent certificate holders, bilateral mutual recognition with foreign bodies, and recommendation from the Polish Electrical Engineers Association. Engineers perform inspections on-site globally. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customers are enterprise manufacturers and importers requiring CE marking, ATEX/IECEx certification, or ISO management system audits.

OBAC is undertaking a multi-year capability expansion ("Rozbudowa kompetencji badawczych jednostki certyfikującej celem dywersyfikacji usług w kierunku sektorów pozagórniczych") co-financed by EU Funds for Silesia 2021–2027, funding successive laboratory equipment acquisitions through 2027. This program is explicitly designed to diversify revenue away from mining into medical devices (ISO 13485 accreditation obtained January 2026), fasteners (AC 099 extension December 2024), battery testing (high-current supplies installed February 2025), and rehabilitation equipment (custom wheelchair fatigue station launched October 2025). The company is privately held with no disclosed investors, share capital of 400,000 PLN, 11–50 employees, and no acquisition, financing, or leadership events disclosed in the input.

Name

OBAC Research, Certification and Attestation Center

Legal name

Ośrodek Badań Atestacji i Certyfikacji "OBAC" Spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością

Website

https://obac.com.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OBAC (Ośrodek Badań, Atestacji i Certyfikacji) is a Gliwice, Poland-based accredited private certification body and ISO/IEC 17025 testing laboratory (LABOREx) serving industrial manufacturers with CE, ATEX, IECEx, and management system certifications since 1997.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Product Testing and Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO) (EUAEAHAN)

Keywords

• Product certification services
• Laboratory testing services
• Explosion protection testing
• CE marking compliance
• Management system certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Gliwice

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Certification Services: Third-party conformity assessment and certification of products against EU directives (CE marking), Polish, European, and international standards. Includes ATEX, IECEx, medical device, and management system certifications. Revenue is generated through testing fees, certification fees, and inspection charges on a per-project basis.
2. Laboratory Testing Services: Accredited laboratory testing (LABOREx) across mechanical, electrical, environmental, EMC, corrosion, explosion protection, and functional safety domains. Tests are billed per test type/specimen, generating one-time revenue per engagement.
3. Mining Equipment Certification and Assessment: Specialized certification and assessment services for mining industry equipment required for approval by the Higher Mining Office (WUG). Includes conformity assessments, repair capability evaluations, and machine assessments for underground mining operations.
4. Training Services: Professional training programs covering EU directive requirements (e.g., EMC 2014/30/UE, LVD, ATEX), certification procedures, and specialized technical subjects such as playground safety inspections per PN-EN 16630.
5. Product Audits: Independent product audits verifying conformity with specified requirements, conducted at production changeovers, supplier changes, after complaints, or technology changes. Generates fee-based revenue per audit engagement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

OBAC is a private Polish certification body operating since 1997, providing accredited product conformity assessment (CE marking, ATEX, IECEx), management system certification (ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 13485), and laboratory testing through its in-house LABOREx facility (PCA AB 1340). Services span explosion-protected equipment, mining machinery, medical devices, automotive components, household appliances, playground equipment, and industrial machinery, delivered under PCA accreditations AC 099, AB 1340, and AC 146, plus EU Notified Body No. 1461 status.

Product overview

OBAC Research, Certification and Attestation Center is a private certification body with accredited laboratory LABOREx offering comprehensive testing and certification services. The core portfolio consists of three main pillars: (1) Product Certification (Certyfikacja zgodności wyrobów) covering CE marking, ATEX, IECEx, and EU directive compliance; (2) LABOREx accredited testing laboratory (AB 1340) providing mechanical, electrical, environmental, EMC, corrosion, explosion protection (Ex), and safety testing; and (3) Management System Certification (AC 146) for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and related standards. Additional specialized services include mining machinery assessment, medical device testing, Eco Design certification, playground equipment certification, functional safety SIL/PL assessment, and Ex repair capability certification. The laboratory also provides industry-specific testing for automotive, mining, energy, household appliances, electronics, and industrial machinery sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LABOREx: Accredited testing laboratory (AB 1340) conducting product testing, technical inspections, and industrial acceptance testing for various industrial sectors including mining, automotive, medical devices, and consumer electronics.
• OBAC IECExCB

Quantifiable outcome

• Export facilitation to global markets including USA, Canada, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, India, Korea, China, and Turkey through bilateral recognition agreements

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature12 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: World's largest TIC company offering product testing, certification, and inspection across virtually every vertical OBAC serves (industrial, automotive, medical, consumer, energy) — a broad incumbent that competes for the same enterprise accounts.
• DNV: Norway-based global TIC provider with strong energy, maritime, and industrial certification — overlaps OBAC's industrial/energy/Ex segments as a broad incumbent rather than a head-to-head competitor.
• Intertek: UK-based global TIC provider covering product safety, EMC, Ex, automotive, and management system certification — a broad incumbent with comparable service breadth and global lab network.
• Bureau Veritas: France-based global TIC major with overlapping product conformity, CE/ATEX, marine/industrial, and management system certification services — a broad incumbent that overlaps most of OBAC's service lines.

Direct peers

• TÜV Rheinland: Global TIC group offering product certification, EMC, Ex, medical device, and management system services under one roof — directly comparable to OBAC's integrated testing + certification model, with substantially broader geographic reach.
• Kiwa: Netherlands-based European TIC group focused on certification, testing, and inspection — directly comparable to OBAC's certification + testing mix, with deeper management system certification penetration across Europe.
• VDE Prüf- und Zertifizierungsinstitut: German testing and certification institute specializing in electrical safety, EMC, and explosion protection (Ex) — directly comparable to OBAC's Ex and electrical product testing core, and a long-standing IECEx participant.
• TÜV SÜD: Global TIC group headquartered in Germany with deep product testing, CE marking, ATEX/IECEx, EMC, and management system certification capabilities — directly comparable to OBAC's full-stack TIC offering but at far greater geographic and capacity scale.
• Applus+: Spain-headquartered European TIC group with strong product testing, certification, and industrial inspection services — a more regionally concentrated peer with a service mix that directly mirrors OBAC's testing + certification focus.
• DEKRA: German-headquartered global TIC organization with strong Ex testing, automotive, and product safety certification — closely comparable to OBAC's Ex + automotive + product safety mix, including IECEx scheme participation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutu.be/ES7RHE9Z27M
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-for-research-and-certification-obac-ltd-

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OBAC Research, Certification and Attestation Center