by Kirk Anderson, Industry Director, NEMA

Manufacturers face increasing challenges to ensure their products meet market-specific requirements for distribution. Basic electrical ratings are Standard, but some products must also meet the marking and labeling requirements of installation codes, Federal regulations, and third-party safety Standards.

Marking and labeling become more complicated for manufacturers that ship products into multiple markets. Marking and labeling requirements can change after a product is shipped, and some manufacturers work with multiple certification providers, further complicating the ability to get a product to market.

To address these issues, NEMA is working across several channels to ease the burden and complexity of physical product markings by advocating for the option to provide information electronically, commonly referred to as e-labeling.

If you are interested in learning more or want to know the NEMA position, download a copy of the NEMA Position on e-Labeling.

For those interested in further developing this position and advancing its adoption, Members can participate in the NEMA joint task force for e-labeling by contacting Megan Hayes (Megan.Hayes@nema.org).

Companies more interested in the U.S. position on international Standards can join NEMA on the U.S. National Committee (USNC) Conformity Assessment Policy Coordination Committee (CAPCC) e-labeling task force by contacting Ade Gladstein (agladstein@ansi.org). The USNC task force is separate from the NEMA task force and focuses on influencing the development of ISO/IEC JTC 1 SG 31 WG8.

Finally, NEMA realizes this topic will continue to be of growing importance to Members and is considering a Strategic Initiative to identify long-term solutions. Members can sign up to receive updates on Strategic Initiatives by clicking here.