UL originated in the United States. There, UL certification is one of the most important seals of approval. However, German companies do not have to go to the United States to obtain the coveted UL label. Thanks to UL International, certification is also possible in Germany.
Relation to UL
To certify a control cabinet, it is not mandatory to have it tested by UL
. This can also be done by a certified control cabinet manufacturer, who is authorized to certify the control cabinet independently
.
The International Significance of UL
UL (short for Underwriters Laboratories) is a U.S.-based, internationally active testing laboratory. It tests components and products to ensure they comply with UL standards. If these standards are met, a certification mark is awarded. Products without a UL certification markoften face significant challenges when entering the U.S. market , as many commercial customers are reluctant to deal with the considerably greater effort involved in obtaining regulatory approval for a machine without UL certification, and many wholesalers simply do not include products without a UL label in their product lines in the first place.
Exporting to the U.S. with UL International
An internationally active company that wishes to export its products to the U.S. will therefore have no choice but to consider obtaining UL certification for its products, since a simple declaration of conformity is not sufficient in the U.S. The good news is that the manufacturer doesn’t have to travel to the U.S. to do this. UL International offers services related to UL certification and has representatives in 104 countries.
Questions about UL?
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Who is the right person to contact at UL International?
UL operates in all of these countries under three brands: the UL Research Institute, UL Standards & Engagement, and UL Solutions. While the first two divisions focus on safety research and the development of standards, respectively, UL Solutions is UL’s global provider of testing and certification services.
The point of contact for all German manufacturers is UL Solutions Germany, formerly UL International Germany. UL has ten locations in Germany, including Frankfurt am Main, Krefeld, Neu-Ulm, Stuttgart, and Munich.
How does the UL International certification process work?
Since UL International operates laboratories in Germany, testing can also be conducted on-site. To this end, representative samples of the product are tested in accordance with the applicable UL standards. UL then conducts unannounced inspections to ensure that the applicable standards are being met in ongoing production. If this is the case, the product is permitted to bear the UL label. But which products can be certified?
UL offers certifications for almost all products
UL has its roots in the field of electrical safety. In this field, UL is so influential that even U.S. occupational safety laws are based on UL standards. Today, however, its scope of services is much broader and includes the automotive and chemical industries, as well as medical devices, the food industry, and much more. UL International’s services related to UL certifications are available not only for finished products but also for components and materials.
Zusammenfassung
In line with its status as a state-recognized testing laboratory, UL International maintains offices in 104 countries. This allows companies seeking UL certification for their products to access these services right in their home country. German companies can contact UL Solutions Germany for this purpose.
