SGS, the world’s leading inspection, testing and certification company, has introduced a dedicated service to help furniture manufacturers demonstrate the quality and durability of their products through the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers’ Association (BIFMA’s) new Conformance Program.
Launched in March, the BIFMA Compliant program enables manufacturers to list those products that conform to the trade association’s safety and durability standards within BIFMA Compliant – a new online product register – and display the BIFMA Conformance Mark on products, packaging and marketing materials.
BIFMA, a not-for-profit trade association for business and institutional furniture manufacturers in the US, developed its Conformance Program and Mark to enable manufacturers to showcase products that meet its safety and durability standards. The program is voluntary and open to BIFMA members and non-members alike.
The new Register and Mark are also designed to support architects, designers, B2B buyers, and consumers in the easy identification of products that have met the standards and can be trusted. Indeed, customers buying furniture can also access the registry to verify its status.
Since 1973, BIFMA has sponsored the development and refinement of standards, taught their importance and application, and translated their complexity into formats that are easily understood and implemented.
Kevin Smith, senior international sales executive at SGS
Kevin Smith, senior international sales executive at SGS, says: “We welcome BIFMA’s new compliance program which will help lift standards across the industry and make it easier for architects, designers, B2B buyers and consumers to identify furniture products that are safe and reliable.
“As a BIFMA member and an active participant in its technical committees, we are properly positioned to guide manufacturers through BIFMA’s testing and compliance process. In the end, we believe it’s only trusted because it’s tested.”
Through its network of ISO/IEC 17025 accredited testing laboratories, SGS can test performance of furniture products and demonstrate compliance against the following physical and mechanical standards that focus on safety and durability:
- Office seating
- Lounge and public seating
- Desk products
- Panel products
- Storage
- Educational seating
- Occasional use seating
- Large occupancy seating
- Small office/home office
