1. Safety sells
The S-Mark adds brand value and ensures
product safety
CE Marking is mandatory for products sold in the EU. However,
CE Marking is Self-declarative, which means that it does not require
third-party testing,with the exception of certain product categories, and CE
marking is affixed to a product by the supplier. Discerning buyers, retailers
and consumers who want to buy safe products therefore look for another
mark – the S Mark.
S stands for Safety
Throughout Europe, in all the major languages, the word safety starts with
an s: Sicherheit (German), seguridad (Spanish), sécurité (French), sicurezza
(Italian), segurança (Portuguese). The customer-friendly S Mark therefore
carries a message of safety for the 450 million people who live in the EU.
The S Mark tells customers that Intertek, as an independent testing
laboratory, has established that the products conform to current European
product-safety requirements.
The S Mark is a voluntary certification system, which means that the
manufacturer has actively chosen to have a third party test its products.
The mark can be used in all EU member states.
What can the S Mark do for you?
By getting independent certification, you ensure that your products fulfil
technical product safety requirements within the EU. In the event of a
liability issue, the S Mark certification is good evidence that you have taken
your responsibility to produce safe products seriously, which may result in
lower damages should the case go to court. Furthermore, the S Mark
provides you with testing documentation required for CE Marking.
The S Mark strengthens your brand by signalling that safety is an important
issue to your company and that you care about the safety of your clients.
Moreover, it reduces the risk of a safety defect, which could lead to a
product recall and the associated damage to your brand through adverse
publicity.
Inspection
For manufacturers who have relocated their production, the S Mark
provides increased protection through an annual inspection of the
manufacturing site to verify compliance and a well functioning
production control system. This helps to ensure that the products always
fulfil the requirements.

2. The S Mark a tool in Marketing and Sales
By making use of the S Mark in your marketing, you are making expressing
that your company is committed to quality and safety. Positioning yourself as
a company which is dedicated to safety enables you to increase your sales –
because safety sells.The S Mark also simplifies market access within the EU,
since authorities and port authorites, importers and retailers trust Intertek as
an independent testing laboratory.
The certification includes several tests
The S Mark has been an icon for product safety since 1926. You can find the S
Mark, which is only issued by Intertek, on consumer products such as lighting,
household appliances and home electronics, and also on industrial appliances,
medical devices, components etc. When the safety of electrical and electronic
products is certified, the products are tested for the following risks, as
specified in the European safety standards:
Fire, electric shock, mechanical injuries, radiation injuries and burns and certain
types of environmental damage.
European safety standards cover: Intended or expected time of use and
manner of use, expected fault conditions and expected, reasonable misuse.
Customer CASE: Sharp
“The S Mark strengthens our brand”
At Sharp several benefits can be seen from having the S Mark on the
company’s products. “The S Mark ensures that our products conform to legal
product-safety requirements in the EU and we also acquire a good basis for
our CE marking”, says Thomas Lejergård, Manager, Safety, Environment &
Quality at Sharp Electronics (Nordic) AB. “If a question of liability should arise,
the certification is good evidence of how seriously we have taken our
responsibility.”
Investing in the S Mark is also in line with other undertakings which are
important to Sharp, such as assuming responsibility for the environment. “For
Sharp, which is an old and stable brand, the S Mark strengthens the brand
from the standpoint of quality and safety. The S Mark can also be used as a
sales argument when Sharp is competing with non-certified alternatives, often
low-price products”, says Thomas Lejergård at Sharp.
Intertek Semko AB
Torshamnsgatan 43 For more information please visit www.intertek.se or contact us at
Box 1103 info-sweden@intertek.com.
164 22 Kista
To find an office or laboratory in a particular country, please visit
T: +46 8 750 00 00 www.intertek.com/contact.
F: +46 8 750 60 30