MET Laboratories can provide nearly every form of testing and certification necessary for the global marketplace. Our accreditations, partnerships, affiliations, and experience in global regulatory matters position us perfectly to take you through the regulatory maze for EMC, Safety, Telecom, Wireless, and more. Our Global Regulatory Compliance Seminars are held several times a year in both our East Coast and West Coast labs. MET is your best source for global compliance solutions.

CE Marking

Most products can be labeled with the CE marking based upon a manufacturer's Declaration of Conformity. This declaration must be backed up with test data and a CE test report. MET can perform all of the necessary testing and provide the required CE reports for the Low Voltage, Machinery and EMC Directive.

Conformity Assessment Body (CAB)

In some cases a Notified or Competent Body may be required. MET has been designated a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) in accordance with the US-EU mutual recognition agreement. MET performs all EMC, R&TTE, and Safety testing and acts as a Notified Body to generate Tests Suites and issue Notified Body opinions as required. MET is authorized to evaluate and endorse a Technical Construction File (TCF), regardless of who developed it, and issue a certificate or technical report that will be included in the TCF.

As a CAB, MET provides the functions previously reserved for European Notified and Competent Bodies. For the EMC and R&TTE Directives, MET can prepare Technical Construction Files and perform other Competent Body functions. For the Medical Directive, MET can perform the testing and provide the report and then interface with a Notified Body for the Quality Registration.

U.S. designated CABs operating under the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC Article 10.2 are considered equivalent to an EU competent body. U.S. designated CABs operating under the R&TTE Directive (1999/5/EC) are considered equivalent to a European Notified Body (NB).
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The CB Scheme

MET has been accredited by the IECEE Certification Body Scheme (CB Scheme). As a member of the CB Scheme, MET can perform the testing and provide an international test certificate which can be used for product safety certification in approximately 30 countries. The product categories covered by the CB Scheme are Information Technology, based on IEC 950 and Medical Equipment, based on IEC 601. For a list of participating countries, click here.
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Canada

For product safety certification, MET has been accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) as a Certification Body (CB). As a CB, MET provides all the required testing, follow-up inspections and labeling required to sell electrical products in Canada.

For telecommunication terminal equipment registration, MET has been licensed by Industry Canada. MET can provide all the required equipment testing and application submittal required by Industry Canada.

MET is recognized by Industry Canada to act as a CB for Category 1 radio equipment.

MET has official notice from NIST of its recognition by Industry Canada to act as a certification body (CB) to approve equipment under Appendix C, Phase II of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Tel MRA.

This designation covers equipment subject to conditions specified for telecommunication equipment in the Canadian document CB-02. Manufacturers of Category 1 radio equipment can rely on MET for Canadian certification requirements. Canada considers all receivers that tune between 30MHz and 960MHz as Category I radio equipment and thus requires Certification of more receivers than does the FCC.

MET is the first organization to receive recognition from Measurement Canada to test previously approved electricity meters which have been modified and require re-certification. The scope of this recognition consists of electricity meters for Measurement Canada's approval process, as required by LMB-EG-07, Specifications for Approval of Type of Electricity Meters, Instrument Transformers and Auxiliary Devices" This recognition became effective September 12, 2007.

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Hong Kong & China

MET’s Asia office provides product safety testing and certification services for manufacturers in China and in the Far East. Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, MET’s product safety engineers evaluate manufacturing facilities and in-house capabilities and team with local partner test labs for product safety certification testing. This certification is required to access the North American marketplace, and is a legal alternative to UL.

The MET Shenzhen China office can be reached by phone - +0086 755 82911867or by Email: metasia@metlabs.com.

Presently MET's partner labs in China are:
- Nemko Taiwan
- Nemko Shanghai
- Nemko Shenzhen
- Hong Kong Standards and Testing Center - STC*
- DGSTC -STC Dongguan (a subsidiary of HKSTC)
- Shenzhen Academy of Metrology and Quality Inspection - SMQ
- Astec Intl. Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Electronic Product Quality Testing Center - SET
- ECMG

* MET has established close contacts in Hong Kong and China for product certification. MET has signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the Hong Kong Safety Institute (HKSI). The HKSI is a division of the Hong Kong Standards and Testing Center (HKSTC). Through the MRA, MET and HKSI will accept each others test data in certain categories, for the issuance of the MET NRTL mark and the Hong Kong Safety Mark.

In addition to the MRA, MET has formed a joint venture with HKSTC for further cooperation in China. The joint venture, HKSTC MET (Hong Kong) Ltd., will coordinate with a network of labs in China for the certification of electrical products to be exported to the United States and Canada.
Through this network, MET will also be able to certify products to be imported into China.

MET's joint venture also covers the new China Compulsory Certification Mark, or CCC Mark. On May 1, 2003, the CCC Mark will be required on many electrical products imported into China. The new mark replaces CCIB approval and CCEE approval systems for the different product groups.

MET Laboratories, in conjunction with HKSTC, can help manufacturers obtain this mark and get their products into China quickly and easily. All necessary testing, reports, documentation and product samples will be prepared by MET and submitted to HKSTC, who will then obtain the required certification. Products that must be certified with the new CCC Mark include ITE (IEC 60950) and Audio/Video (IEC 60065) products, household and similar equipment, power tools, medical equipment, test & measurement equipment, and laboratory equipment. For more information on HKSTC, visit www.hkstc.com.
To contact HKSTC via email click here.

MET has Recognized Testing Agency (RTA) status with Hong Kong's OFTA (Office of Telecommunications Authority). MET's three locations in Maryland and California are approved to conduct evaluation tests of analog and digital wire-line equipment against HKTA specifications under the Hong Kong Telecommunications Equipment Evaluation and Certification (HKTEC) Scheme.

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Japan

MET has an agreement with COSMOS located in Japan. COSMOS laboratory is a Japanese accredited Authorized Assessment Body. Through this agreement, COSMOS has been approved by MET to perform certain testing which can lead to MET certification for the US and Canadian market. COSMOS will also perform the required factory follow-up inspections in Japan. MET has performed extensive training and witness testing at the COSMOS facility in Japan. For more information in Japan contact Mr. AKIRA SAKAI , Managing Director.

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Korea

Under phase I of the APEC TEL MRA, MET is now a recognized CAB; a designated foreign lab performing EMC testing for the Korean marketplace.
RRL (Korea) will accept MET testing and reports and will issue certificates to customers that submit MET test reports.

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Israel

MET has working relationships with a number of Israeli testing laboratories and certification bodies. MET has performed extensive training and witness testing of facilities in Israel, and has several full listing contracts with manufacturers located in Israel.
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Europe

MET has important cooperative agreement with two labs based in England: TRL Compliance Services, and BSI Management Systems.

Under our Agreement with TRL, located in Manchester, England, TRL is approved by MET to perform certain testing which can lead to MET certification for the US and Canadian market. TRL will also perform the required factory follow-up inspections in Britain and Europe. The agreement also includes testing, certification and product inspection services under the ATEX Directive that becomes mandatory in July 2003. The ATEX Directive covers electrical and mechanical equipment, which may be used in potentially explosive atmospheres.

MET is one of only a few Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTLs) and CBs accredited to certify products intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres in both the US and Canada. MET can conduct an investigation in accordance with the applicable EN standards simultaneously with a US and Canadian certification project. For more information on TRL and ATEX, visit www.trllvd.co.uk, or email TRL's Richard Mead.

Under the agreement with BSI Management Systems, MET customers will gain access to such BSI services as its exclusive Kitemark for the British consumer and business market, CE marking for European certification, auditing, and certification to management systems standards, including ISO 9000. BSI customers in Europe will gain access to MET’s services for U.S. and Canadian product certification. BSI’s North American customers will gain access to MET’s laboratories for product safety testing, and EMC testing services for medical, Information Technology (IT), and telecommunications equipment. For more information on BSI, visit www.bsiamericas.com.
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GS Mark
MET Labs' agreement with NEMKO provides our clients with access to the German GS mark for safety.
 
MET prepares a CB style report that includes German differences and submits the report to Nemko to review for approval.  Either MET or Nemko must conduct annual factory inspections to maintain the GS mark.  Both MET and Nemko must have national or international accreditation in the particular product category in order to offer this service.

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Nemko

MET and Nemko have a joint cooperation agreement. Nemko is based in Norway and has testing facilities throughout the world. MET’s customers can gain access to certification in many countries throughout the world via Nemko Direct. This is a system of agreements that Nemko has established over many years with countries in Eastern Europe Asia and South America. Much of the testing can be performed at MET's test facilities in the United States. For more information on Nemko, visit www.nemko.com.
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