Manufacturers
Manufacturers, importers and retailers are responsible for the products they sell. How have you made sure as a manufacturer that your product is safe and in conformity with relevant European requirements.
Why is CE mark not sufficient?
CE marking is mandatory for most products sold within the European Union. In electrical equipment CE marking is the manufacturer’s or the EU importer’s verification that the product fulfills the relevant European requirements. Nobody grants the CE marking for electrical equipment.
FI mark reliable and increases your sale
Contrary to CE marking, FI marking requires always testing in a competent testing laboratory. FI mark is only granted to products that have passed thorough tests and inspections. FI mark complies always with safety requirements of the low-voltage directive. FI marked products are monitored on manufacturing sites and in shops.
FI mark is renown in Finland and most consumers pay attention to it when buying an electrical device.
By obtaining the right to use FI mark on your product, you make sure that your product is safe and you can at the same time use it as a marketing tool.
In which countries is the FI mark recognized?
FI safety mark is recognized in all European Union countries. It verifies that the product is in conformity with the safety standards. Furthermore it can be the basis for the certification of several other countries. Thus FI mark has become a strong selling point in an increasingly tough competition in Finland as well as in the rest of Europe.
For which products can FI safety mark be granted?
The basis for FI mark is usually a Finnish SFS standard, European EN standard or global IEC or ISO standard. FI safety mark applies thus to major part of electrical equipment, machinery and gas appliances.
Conditions for granting FI mark
- Application in writing
- Type testing in a competent testing laboratory. If the manufacturer has e.g. an international CB certification for the product, the FI mark can usually be granted on the basis of the CB Test Report if European and Finnish special conditions have been taken into account
- Certification validation and decision is made by either SGS Fimko or Kiwa Inspecta.
FI certification is valid under the conditions that:
- Annual factory inspections is carried out
- The manufactured product is similar to the type tested
- Annual product type specific FI maintenance fee. With the income of the maintenance fee we supervise the use of the FI mark, maintain product register and product register service
- In addition to quality control of the production use of the FI mark is supervised with random checks from the market.
Application for FI certification
Electrical equipment and components, toys, gas appliances: SGS Fimko
Building material: Kiwa Inspecta
FI mark is a registered trade mark and it is recognized and valued impartial certification mark verifying safe quality and compliance with requirements for products as well as installations. FI mark can be used on products with a valid FI certificate granted by SGS Fimko or Kiwa Inspecta and in installations (e.g. elevators) inspected By Kiwa Inspecta.
Do you manufacture building material?
CE marking on building material guarantees that the product fulfills the informed characteristics and safety requirements. However it does not guarantee that all essential quality requirements for building have been fulfilled, e.g. exterior features of the surface. Of this reason CE marking should be supplemented with a voluntary product certification, FI mark.
CE marking does not necessary guarantee the conformity with all quality requirements we are accustomed to in Finland. For example, frost resistance guaranteed by CE marking can correspond to Central European requirements and only an expert is able to assess whether the feature is sufficient for Finnish climate conditions. FI mark guarantees that the building material withstands Finnish climate conditions.
For building material FI mark guarantees that the product complies with requirements for exterior features, quality and Finnish dimensional tolerance, which is not usually guaranteed by CE marking.
In concrete paving blocks FI mark guarantees, that the exterior features and measurements of the stones correspond with quality level normally used in Finland and that the climate resistance of the stones corresponds with frost endurance required by the Finnish climate conditions.
More information how you can benefit FI mark in your advertising.