TÜV SÜD

TÜV SÜD AG (stylised as TÜV SÜD) is an independent German service company headquartered in Munich, operating as a testing and certification organisation. It provides testing, inspection, certification, auditing, expert assessments and training for technical systems, products, installations and processes to minimise hazards and ensure standards compliance. The company traces its roots to 1866, when the "Dampfkesselrevisionsverein" (steam-boiler inspection society) was founded in Mannheim — the first inspection society on the European mainland. In 1996 TÜV Südwest and TÜV Bayern-Sachsen merged to form TÜV Süddeutschland, and in 1999 TÜV Hessen was integrated; TÜV SÜD AG has since been the group’s parent company. Despite the origin of the abbreviation (Technischer Überwachungsverein, "Technical Inspection Association"), the company is today not an association but a non-listed stock corporation. 74.9% of its shares are held by the registered association TÜV SÜD e.V. (about 13,500 members) and 25.1% by the TÜV SÜD foundation (TÜV SÜD-Stiftung). The company is represented at more than 800 locations across Germany, Europe, the Americas and Asia, with around 43% of revenue generated abroad. Its fields of activity include automotive and e-mobility, energy and renewables, industry, healthcare, rail, aerospace and information security. TÜV SÜD is a member of the TÜV-Verband and competes with other TÜV companies (TÜV Nord, TÜV Rheinland and others).