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UL Launches Collaborative Standards Development System (CSDS)

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 9, 2004 - Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) today announced the launch of its Collaborative Standards Development System (CSDS), an Internet-based system designed to facilitate all future UL Standards development and collaboration. UL CSDS streamlines the UL Standards development and revision process for its approximately 30,000 global participants, including customers and manufacturers, other purchasers of UL Standards, consumers and other participants on Standards Technical Panels (STPs), regulators, competitors, and UL employees.

"UL CSDS cuts the process time for UL Standards development and revisions from 18 months to approximately 38 weeks. This new program will enable participants to move forward in a much more timely and cost-effective way," said Dennis Duda, manager, UL global standards.

Benefits of UL CSDS include:

  • Increased collaboration through online sharing
  • All Standards activities organized in one, easy-to-use online location
  • 24x7 access to the tools needed to participate in Standards development
  • Capability to make requests for Standards revisions on your schedule, at your convenience
  • Immediate access to comments as they are posted by other participants
  • An expedited process without reliance on postal service
  • Ability to stay up to date on activities, meetings and messages.

UL Standards projects already under way will continue using the current system for the Standards development and revision process. However, all UL Standards projects launching after Oct. 29 will use UL CSDS. To ease participants through the transition from paper and e-mail-based processes to the new system, UL CSDS offers several support features.

Within the system, the "Help" link provides a context-sensitive help function with a detailed index describing the various UL CSDS functions as well as FAQs. In addition, the "Training Material" link offers audio/video tutorials and Quick Reference Guides providing a high level overview of some of the key features and operations of UL CSDS. Finally, users can also contact one of several full-time UL staff members devoted to UL CSDS support.

For more information about UL CSDS, visit the UL Standards Web site or call UL Customer Service at (877) 854-3577.

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit product safety certification organization that has been testing products for more than 110 years. UL tests more than 18,850 types of products annually, and more than 19 billion UL Marks appear on products each year. Worldwide, UL's family of companies and its network of service providers include 60 laboratories, and testing and certification facilities.

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