Service takes the strain out of global compliance

A new service offers comprehensive information on the standards and certification requirements for specific products in worldwide markets.

Globalisation and access to new markets offer opportunities for manufacturers, but can also pose major challenges for product design.

Companies who successfully develop strategies to deal with varying design and certification requirements will undoubtedly enjoy both cost and time advantages over competitors.

With the increase of compulsory product certification, for example in countries such as Argentina, China and Mexico, it is important that the following guidelines are adhered to.

First of all, before a product specification is finalised, ensure that a list of the target markets is compiled.

Secondly, ensure that the legal requirements of the target market are identified.

Many countries outside the EU have some type of compulsory product testing and certification scheme.

Next, a list of the compulsory certification requirements, and the standards involved should be compiled.

It should be noted that although product certification is not mandatory in many markets, market forces might require products to be certified, eg TUV-GS certification in Germany.

Whenever possible, components that already have approvals for the markets to be entered, should be selected.

For example, some types of machines can be exported to China without certification, but spare parts such as relays or isolator/disconnect switches, must be approved.

Retain control of your product certification, and do not depend on agents/distributors to obtain approvals.

This will avoid potential barriers to changing and expanding distribution networks, and avoid additional retesting and certification charges.

Finally, if production is outsourced, ensure that the subcontractor has an ISO9001:2000 registration with a reputable organisation, and that it undertakes not to make any changes to the your product without prior agreement.

Once product has been approved, the applicant is responsible for notifying all certification bodies of any product and obtaining their approval, before the change is implemented.

Details of market-specific requirements can be found on the TUV website.

However, companies that do not wish to carry out this research themselves can make use of the TUV Rheinland Market Access Service.

On receipt of a product specification, and target markets, the service can identify and prepare reports on each market, outlining the applicable legislation and the applicable product standards for each market, the certification, whether it is mandatory or merely beneficial and the most appropriate route to compliance.

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