Full-Service Inspection and NDE Capabilities Increased

Pasadena, Texas. April 14, 2010 - PetroChem Inspection Services, part of the global TÜV SÜD inspection, testing, and certification organization, announces the acquisition of "Specialists in NDE," Mechanical Integrity.

Headquartered in Humble, Texas, Mechanical Integrity Inc. are technical specialists at the forefront of Advanced Non-Destructive Examination (NDE) technology, leading the development and deployment of advanced field inspection services. Mechanical Integrity's skilled field services team has considerable experience in the practical application of Advanced NDE technologies to solve real inspection challenges. Mechanical Integrity's track record for safety excellence and highly skilled, Advanced NDE technicians combines powerfully with PetroChem's 30+ years of experience as a one-stop service provider for On-stream, Turnaround, Quality Assurance, and Capital projects to deliver an increased and compelling range of inspection solutions.

"PetroChem's expertise and industry reputation have been synonymous with quality, safety, and efficiency," states Gerhard Abel, President PetroChem Inspection Services. "PetroChem is already a full-service provider of inspection services for On-stream, Turnaround management, conventional NDE, and Storage Tank Inspections, so combining the two organizations strengthens our Advanced Inspection capabilities significantly and enhances our ability to provide our customers with complete, integrated NDE solutions under one roof to reduce cost and ensure safety excellence."

"This acquisition is a major step forward in TÜV SÜD's strategy to expand its global Oil & Gas and Chemical services portfolio," adds Mr. Karsten Xander, CEO and President, TÜV SÜD America Inc. "Mechanical Integrity's reputation for solving complex problems with smart, often ground-breaking solutions in NDE, fused with PetroChem's customer base and size offers a complete solutions provider," continued Mr. Michael Sens, Operations Manager, Mechanical Integrity.

In addition to Advanced NDE field inspection, Mechanical Integrity's state-of-the-art, turnkey product solutions and Advanced NDE training in areas such as Phased Array and Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD) deliver increased service offerings to PetroChem's customer base.

"We are excited at the prospect of providing a broader range of NDE solutions to our valued existing customers, and look forward to offering our cutting-edge Advanced NDE services to a wider customer base," concluded Mr. Justin Lecourias, Business Development Manager.

For more information about Mechanical Integrity, visit www.mi-nde.com. For more information about PetroChem Inspection Services, visit www.petrochemintl.com. For more information on TÜV SÜD, visit www.TUVamerica.com.

Media Relations:

For more information, contact:
Gerhard Abel
President, PetroChem Inspection Services, Inc.
858.678.1466
gabel@tuvam.com

For Mechanical Integrity, contact:
Michael Sens
Operations Manager
Mechanical Integrity
1.281.540.0314
msense@mi-nde.com

For editorial information, contact:
Carmen Hopwood
Marketing Director
TÜV SÜD America Inc.
978.573.2577
chopwood@tuvam.com

For more information, contact:
Justin Lecourias
Business Development Manager
Mechanical Integrity
832.731.8458
jlecourias@mi-nde.com

About Mechanical Integrity
Mechanical Integrity, headquartered in Humble, Texas, are "Specialists in NDE," and offer Advanced Non-destructive Examination (NDE) Field Services, Product Solutions, and Training. Mechanical Integrity's highly trained, flexible, and responsive field services team provides a wide range of NDE services, specializing in Guided Wave; EMAT; Automated Ultrasonics, including high-temperature; Phased Array; Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD); rope-access Positive Material Identification (PMI); Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) focused Digital Radiography and Imaging; ACFM; Microwave for non-metallic applications; Eddy Current. Also offered are on-site preliminary reporting and data output optimized for Field for Service (FFS) and Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) calculations. Mechanical Integrity has developed a range of flexible, rugged, easy-to-use, and reliable NDT Product Solutions which are specifically designed to meet the operational needs of field inspection and undergo rigorous testing with Mechanical Integrity field operations. For more information, please visit www.mi-nde.com.

About TÜV SÜD America Inc.
TÜV SÜD America, a subsidiary of TÜV SÜD AG, Munich, Germany, is a leading globally recognized testing and certification organization that provides electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), environmental testing and product safety services, CE Marking assistance, NRTL and SCC certification, and performs European Union Notified Body services for a variety of EU directives. Additionally, TÜV SÜD offers a full suite of globally recognized Management System certification services including ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. For more information, please visit www.TUVamerica.com.

About PetroChem Inspection Services, Inc.
PetroChem Inspection Services., a subsidiary of TÜV SÜD America, has been synonymous with quality inspection services for over 30 years, offering Non-Destructive Examination and Testing services (NDE/NDT) to refining, petrochemical, and other process-related industries. As a provider of visual inspection, both On-stream and Turnaround, PetroChem is one of the largest employers of API Inspectors in the United States. In addition, PetroChem provides a full range of tank inspection services, mechanical integrity programs, turnaround management, and comprehensive non-destructive testing such as Ultrasonic, Magnetic Particle, Radiographic, and Eddy Current. PetroChem is headquartered in Pasadena, Texas and has over 400 employees.