(CSA Group: Toronto) -- Robert M. Griffin, president and CEO of CSA Group, recently announced that CSA Group has acquired SIRA Test and Certification Limited, a world leader in the conformity assessment solutions field that specializes in the testing of safety equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres, and three affiliated companies.

Four SIRA companies: SIRA Test and Certification Limited (STC); SIRA Certification Service (SCS); SIRA Environmental (SEL); and SIRA Consulting Limited (SCL), formerly owned by Volvere plc of London, were acquired as part of the agreement for an initial cash consideration of £8 million ($13 million). SIRA will operate as a business division of CSA International and the SIRA brand will be retained and used in conjunction with the CSA International brand.

"The decision to acquire four SIRA companies is in alignment with CSA Group's strategic objective to be among the world's largest safety certifiers and is a component of CSA International's business strategy to focus on hazardous Locations testing," says Griffin. "As a combined company we will extend to our clients facilitated access to European, North American, and other markets, in a specific fast-growing and complex testing business. Adding SIRA will serve as an important building block in the global expansion of CSA International's hazardous locations testing business and service offerings."

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