De’Longhi Kenwood Middle East, India and Africa, has been awarded the Emirates Quality Mark (EQM), for its range of kitchen appliances by the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA).

The presentation capped months of meticulous assessment by the UAE federal body to register Kenwood’s products as a part of the Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme (ECAS).

“The Emirates Quality Mark fills consumers with confidence, secure in the knowledge that the product they are purchasing has been evaluated against the safety requirements defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) while assuring them that the manufacturer has implemented an effective quality management system,” said Mohamed Saleh Badri, acting director general, Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology.

“Kenwood is the first company to be awarded the Emirates Quality Mark for small electromechanical kitchen appliances and thus we warmly congratulate Kenwood for its achievement.”

The assessment which took six months to complete, involved unannounced visits by a team of quality auditors, who inspected, at random, a number of Kenwood’s factories.

The actual procedure involves collecting sample products along with technical documentation and procedures manuals. Products are performance tested in independent laboratories and checked against the product’s specifications. Once approved the products receive an ECAS registration certificate.

ECAS, which adopts the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards recognised by electrical and electronic manufacturers worldwide, covered Kenwood’s range of kitchen machines, blenders and food preparation appliances.

Clearly these standards are vitally important, as according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), it is estimated that there are more than 2788 accidents in the UK every year, caused by electrical faults in the home.

The Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme was implemented by ESMA as mandated by federal law in 2001, to provide health, economic, environment and safety protection by ensuring that products sold, whether imported or manufactured in the UAE conform to the relevant UAE and or international standards.

All consignments being imported into the UAE without ECAS registration certification are held by ports and customs authorities. Products manufactured in the UAE are monitored in the factories, warehouses and retail outlets.

Only products carrying ECAS registration are allowed to be traded in the UAE and registration is only valid for one year, guaranteeing quality procedures are adhered to consistently. – TradeArabia News Service