Intertek Announces Trim Qualification Program to Help Retailers Comply with U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Testing and Certification Rule

07 Oct 2014

Boxborough, MA - Intertek, a leading provider of quality and safety services to a wide range of industries around the world, announces the release of the Trim Qualification Program. The Trim Qualification Program provides children's apparel and footwear retailers, vendors and trim suppliers, a holistic improvement initiative focusing on production capability and quality control systems. The program also helps facilitate the transparency and traceability necessary to rely on component testing under the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Testing and Certification Rule.

Intertek's Trim Qualification Program focuses on production capability and quality control systems necessary to ensure product safety and quality expectations are built into the manufacturing process, therefore minimizing risks from product recalls and test failures. The program provides trim suppliers around the world with a unique approach to educate and improve performance, by offering training to build awareness of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act's (CPSIA) regulations and CPSC Testing and Certification Rule. Onsite visits by trained Intertek auditors will assess measures and controls in place to support manufacturing of safe and high-quality products on a consistent basis, focusing on risk management, process control and product testing.

By creating a community of trim suppliers evaluated under a single standard adopted by many customers, Intertek's Trim Qualification Program facilitates benchmarking of supplier performance against country, industry or global results; moreover suppliers can easily share audit reports among common customers, therefore reducing audit fatigue and costs, because suppliers only have to complete a single audit for a number of buyers. In addition, the Trim Qualification Program leverages Intertek's iComply™ software tool designed to provide suppliers with a mechanism to maintain product technical files, testing plans and other documentation to meet traceability regulatory requirements.

"We are excited to add the Trim Qualification Program to our service portfolio of supplier evaluation and qualification initiatives. The Trim Qualification Program benefits our clients sourcing material around the world by providing tools and a consistent framework to ensure traceability and "due care" has occurred. For trim suppliers, their qualification status under the program will recognize them better prepared, and reliable business partners for producing safe, high quality products, which will further translate in increased business and cost benefits from working with global retailers supporting this program" said Simona Romanoschi, Senior Director for Intertek's Business Assurance Group.

In addition to auditing and certification services, Intertek offers a range of product testing services for the textile and apparel industry. Our experienced engineers use state of the art equipment to test for textile safety to evaluate a wide variety of risks including chemicals, flammability, labeling, mechanical hazards and compliance to various international standards.

Contacts

For further information, please contact

Mallory McConnell
Business Development Associate
Direct: + 212-803-5318
Email: Mallory.mcconnell@intertek.com

For Market Inquiries:

Lauren Reidy
Global Marketing Manager, Business Assurance
Direct +1 978.929.2111
Email: lauren.reidy@intertek.com

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide. From auditing and inspection, to testing, training, advisory, quality assurance and certification, Intertek adds value for its customers by helping improve the quality and safety of their products, assets and processes. With a network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 36,000 people in more than 100 countries, Intertek supports companies' success in the global marketplace, by helping customers to meet end users' expectations for safety, sustainability, performance, integrity and desirability in virtually any market worldwide. Visit www.intertek.com.