And a special thanks to everyone that has played their part.
On this day in 2011, at a special meeting in Bremen, Germany, the International Cotton Association (ICA) and the Bremer Baumwollboerse (BBB) signed a contract to officially launch the ‘ICA Bremen International Quality Testing and Research Centre’.
Now, five years on, ICA Bremen has grown into the world’s foremost cotton quality testing and research centre. It has raised global cotton testing standards and, alongside USDA, is one of two classing authorities on the new World Cotton Contract.
“Cotton history was made back in 2011, when we embarked on this venture,” says Kai Hughes, ICA Bremen Managing Director. “We have come a long way and achieved so much since then. We are all very proud. This type of collaborative working is the way forward. Working together to develop new ideas, to tackle problems and to raise the bar throughout the supply chain will help safeguard cotton’s future. Our thanks go to everyone that has supported and is working with us to achieve this.”
Operating from its state of the art laboratory facilities in Bremen, ICA Bremen combines the global reach of the ICA with the quality expertise of BBB and the Bremen Fibre Institute (FIBRE) to position itself as a ‘centre of excellence’.
The centre provides a range of specialist services that include international laboratory certification, laboratory testing, quality arbitration, round trials, cotton grade standards, research and development, cotton classing and testing training and consultancy.