The implementation of the Mexican Technical Standard within the security industry has generated different reactions; on this process we learned the opinion of important distributors and the certifier in charge in Mexico.
Security Sales
High costs and delayed delivery times are some of the main effects that distributors of safety equipment are suffering to comply with the requirement of the Mexican Technical Standard (NOM) regarding the certification of all electrical equipment and other communication devices, as well as labeling and weight, that enter the Mexican nation to be marketed, which had a major renovation in mid to mid-2020.
Although distributors understand the benefits that the implementation of this system can bring to the entire chain – from the manufacturer, distributor, integrator and end user– they do not hide their dissatisfaction with the increase in logistics processes that these changes mean.
Even sources who asked for their names to be withheld told us that some improper acts are being presented in which companies have been obliged to pay additional values so that their products are certified promptly.
Context
The Mexican Technical Standard is a scheme for evaluating products entering Mexico and monitors that all of them meet the requirements to be marketed in the country. In the Mexican scheme for conformity assessment there are various standards applicable to the security industry. Usually apply those standards focused on electrical safety (NOM-003-SCFI) and electronics (NOM-001-SCFI), however it must be considered that the regulatory application includes the issue of commercial information.
That is why it would also apply standards such as NOM-024-SCFI which has a focus on giving clarity in the instructions, packaging and more that are part of the product that would be distributed for marketing in Mexico. On the other hand, depending on the nature of the particular system, there may be other standards that apply to it, which could be focused on wireless communication, if the system has such a characteristic, or energy efficiency.
To talk about this topic of the process of adaptation to NOMs, we invited two representatives of important companies specialized in the distribution of security equipment: Erwin Villa, Business Development Manager Mexico of Anixter, and Eng. Fernando Loret de Mola, Commercial Director of SIASA.
Additionally, we have the participation of Eduardo Del Muro - Business Development Manager - Technology in Buildings of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), company in charge of the process and certification of NOMs in Mexico.
Process delays
Our two guests agree that this new certification system has significantly impacted their import processes for equipment that must comply with these standards. For example, Eng. Fernando Loret de Mola, of SIASA, commented that the management of imports has changed "a lot; have caused delays, high costs of procedures, and above all, confusion among customs agents who to avoid sanctions to them ask for all noMs without analyzing that not always all are required. "
That is to say, it seems that there are still doubts about the certification processes, not only on the part of importers, but also on the part of customs agents, which can make this whole system even more difficult.
On this same concern, Erwin Villa said: "Now you have to make prior reviews of the products to avoid delays in their commercialization. Consider costs that were not previously had. The processes are now more delayed and the investment of this is greater for the tests, since before they requested a sample and now they are two to three samples. These equipment become losses, because they no longer return or return very damaged. Sometimes these standards are not well specified, causing a difference in the application criteria of the equipment."
The UL Process
For his part, Eduardo Del Muro, from UL, explained, in defense of the certification process, that "UL has different mechanisms, depending on the origin of the product and other parameters. Thus, for example, we have scenarios in which the product to be certified is in Mexican territory, hence the process is carried out directly in national accredited laboratories, and is certified by the UL office in Mexico which is also accredited to the Mexican authority. In some scenarios the product could be manufactured in countries where there is a certification scheme based on the so-called Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs). Under the ARMs it is possible to evaluate the origin of the product, outside of Mexico, to later execute, through the UL office of Mexico, the full certification of the product".
That is, this scheme of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) allows many products that have already gone through a certification process to pass directly through the NOMs.
About the time of the certification process
Regarding this matter, Eduardo commented that "time is variable and depends on parameters such as those already mentioned above. For example, it affects in the time necessary for certification that the product is physically in Mexico, or that it will be imported in the future, among other parameters. Likewise, we can confirm that once you have the test report made by an accredited laboratory, the average certification process takes 5 business days, or even less. Of course it must be seen on a case-by-case basis to have a more specific processing time."
However, on the subject of times and procedures, the Commercial Director of SIASA said that for these processes they are relying on their customs agents, managers and certifying companies of NOMs and thus comply with everything, but that "the procedures are not agile, they have taken up to 3 months and delivery times have been affected".
Additionally, Eng. Fernando Loret, commented that even if the manufacturer processes the NOMs directly, there are additional procedures that hinder the processes. "We try to get manufacturers to process the NOM's of their products. Some do, most don't. But part of the problem is that the NOM, even if it is taken out by the manufacturer, it is the obligation of the importer to process an extension to be able to use the product. That is, it is not enough to have the NOM, because if it is not processed by the importer, in any case an extension procedure has to be done. "
Erwin Villa, from Anixter, agrees with the previous comment and tells the company's experience on the subject of times and delays: "After this new regulation, the processes are now slower, in addition to the new workload that laboratories have. We work closely with our manufacturers to be able to comply with the required processes in a timely manner."
On these discomforts expressed by our guests, Eduardo, from UL, said: "There are various mechanisms that allow shortening times, which results in such positive aspects as quick access to the market of the product to be certified. As an example, the MRAs already mentioned facilitate and accelerate the process, allowing the tests to be carried out in other countries while being certified by UL of Mexico as an accredited Certifying Body".
Adaptation
In the end, companies will have to adapt to these changes to continue actively in the business, certifying their products and guaranteeing availability and delivery times. As the Representative of Anixter puts it: "Obviously every time there is a change in the rules it will always have a negative impact at the beginning. However, Anixter always adapts to the regulations imposed in each country. We consider that this affected the industry in general, however, we have been forced to act quickly according to the processes of each country so that our customers are not affected by these processes, "concluded Erwin Villa.
Finally, Eduardo assures that the companies, for the most part, have been very responsible with this process. "This was appreciable throughout 2020, because in addition to the challenges that the pandemic represented, in that year there were a series of changes in the scheme for conformity assessment that required greater involvement of the parties. The changes include not only updated regulations, such as NOM-001-SCFI, but even the Law itself was completely renewed, having published in July the new Law for Quality Infrastructure, which directly impacts on NOM certification. Precisely on these issues manufacturers, distributors, importers and others have shown genuine interest not only in understanding such changes but in fully complying with them. All relevant actors have shown a high degree of responsibility in this regard."
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