April 7, 2015
Furniture Manufacturers Gain Access to UL Safety Certification Services in the U.S.’s Office Furniture Capital.
HOLLAND, Mich. April 7, 2015 – UL (Underwriters Laboratories), a global safety science leader, announced that Advanced Furniture Testing, a UL Company, is approved to provide UL Safety Certification services in its Holland, Mich. facility. The furniture testing laboratory, acquired by UL last year, will become UL’s North American Furniture Center of Excellence and provides comprehensive performance and mechanical testing services, in addition to UL Safety Certification, for manufacturers and suppliers that want to demonstrate the safety of their furniture products and comply with local requirements.
Holland, Mich., is the “capital” of office furniture manufacturing in the United States. UL’s laboratory in Holland is well-situated to offer certification services for these manufacturers, in addition to providing testing for the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA), Government Services Administration (GSA) and other industry standards and test methods. The close proximity of the lab to customers enables quick testing and report turnaround times.
“Timing is critical to furniture manufacturers, who are quickly innovating and launching new products to meet market demands,” said Alberto Uggetti, vice president and general manager of UL’s Furniture Division. “More styles of furniture are becoming power-enabled, so the UL Safety Certification is in more demand than ever before. Having a facility in the heart of the U.S.’s furniture industry is critical to meeting our customers’ needs and timing.”
The Holland, Mich. lab is approved to certify products to the following standards: UL 65 for Wired Cabinets, UL 962 for Household and Commercial Furnishings, UL 1286 for Office Furnishings and UL 2040 for Folding Rollaway Tables. The lab also is approved to certify to CSA C22.2 No. 12 for Portable Luminaries, CSA C22.2 No. 68 for Motor Operated Appliances and CSA C22.2 No. 203 for Manufactured Wiring Systems.
More than 380 manufacturers and suppliers are currently certified to UL Safety Standards for furniture, commercial displays and decorative lighting, and now they can have their UL Safety Certification services, along with performance and durability testing, performed in a single nearby location.
According to Doug Woodard, founder of Advanced Furniture Testing, and now UL’s North American Furniture Division leader, “The addition of UL Safety Certification to this location is an example of UL’s investment in the Holland, Mich. location. We will continue to grow the services we provide, and develop UL’s first Furniture Center of Excellence in this important furniture production region.”
UL serves the furniture industry with laboratories around the globe, including a furniture testing and certification laboratory in both China and Italy, in addition to four locations in the United States. UL’s laboratory in Cabiate, Italy, also recently received accreditation to certify furniture products to UL Safety Standards. The Italy lab features a full range of performance and flammability testing, as well as chemical content and emissions testing. UL’s other furniture locations in the United States include Northbrook, Ill., where flammability testing is performed, a Jasper, Ind., facility for performance and durability testing, and a Marietta, Ga., location where chemical emissions testing and GREENGUARD Certification are performed.
About UL
UL is a premier global independent safety science company that has championed progress for more than 120 years. Its nearly 11,000 professionals are guided by the UL mission to promote safe working and living environments for all people. UL uses research and standards to continually advance and meet ever-evolving safety needs. We partner with businesses, manufacturers, trade associations and international regulatory authorities to bring solutions to a more complex global supply chain. For more information about our certification, testing, inspection, advisory and education services, visit www.UL.com.