From their earliest days both Fulmer and Yarsley Testing Laboratories had carried out a wide variety of tests for clients and had designed and constructed specialized test equipment. In 1982 both Fulmer Technical Services and Yarsley Technical Centre were awarded accreditation from the National Testing Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (NATLAS).
By the late 1970s American and European governments and business leaders had become increasingly concerned about competition from Japan.  Many decided to adopt some Japanese industrial practices, including quality management, which was thought to have played a large part in the Japanese economic miracle. Beginning in the early 1980s, the quality standard BS 5750 (1979) became widely adopted by British companies. In 1985, Yarsley Technical Centre, which already had a strong background in standards and accreditation, established Yarsley Quality Assured Firms (YQAF) as an independent certification body, supported by the UK Department of Trade and Industry. YQAF assessed conformity to BS 5750 and certified conforming companies. Its certification service was overseen by an independent Certification Board under an independent chairman, thus ensuring that there was no conflict of interest with YQAF's consultancy services.
YQAF was successful and grew rapidly by establishing a network of regional offices throughout the UK. It was incorporated in 1987 and gained accreditation from the National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies (NACCB).