Two-Inspection Program: Adding values to manufacturers by taking full process audit and reducing inspection frequency
High-Tech customers who have UL certification for their products and other international certifications through UL's Global Market Access services can now streamline their follow-up visits to two per year. The two visits will combine factory product inspections with a CIG-style (Common Interest Group-style) quality process audit. By redesigning the Follow-Up Service (FUS) model to coordinate these two types of visits, UL adds value to customers by taking a longer term view of safety while reducing the number of annual visits.
Each year, for the first audit visit, with an emphasis on the suitability and effectiveness of process controls, UL will evaluate a manufacturer's products, production processes and quality management systems. Where appropriate, UL will also help identify possible improvements. The second visit will be primarily a routine product audit, with some attention to quality management as noted during the full process audit. By integrating the product and process audits into one visit, UL can take a more holistic view of the manufacturer's operation in terms of effectiveness of product safety and quality. The manufacturer will also benefit from fewer interruptions to its production schedules.
This new service will be better aligned with global inspection programs such as CIG Audits for CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization) factories. Customers who are subject to such inspection programs will find the new approach familiar and easy to adjust to. The program will be of particular value to customers seeking to leverage UL Global Market Access / International Approvals services by aligning the type of inspections into a single, common system. DEMKO's recognition of the CIG report can waive you some testing procedures normally required for European marks such as D, ENEC and GS Marks.
The Two-Inspection Program aims to improve quality at the manufacturing level. As such, it will contribute to the strengthening of the safety of the products and components entering the supply chain, enabling a more robust supply chain management system.
The program is currently available exclusively to customers with UL certification for the United States and Canada and who take advantage of UL's Global Market Access services for other certification marks, including D Mark, UL-EU Mark and UL GS Mark for Europe, UL-BR and INMETRO marks for Brazil, UL-AR Mark and S-Mark for Argentina, and ENEC.
The new follow-up approach is optional. Eligible customers may choose to continue with the current four-visit approach, or can opt-in some or all of their manufacturing locations to experience the new approach. For those customers not yet involved with UL's Global Market Access services but would like to be, please contact your local UL account team now.
Eligible customers who are interested in learning more detailed information on the Two-Inspection Follow-Up Service Program please visit here or contact UL's Customer Service team now to sign-up.
