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History
Origins
As a result of increasing consumption of new, untried electrical hook-ups and
products in the 1890s, a rush of fire plagues emerged in major
American cities. Many of them were due to Electricity. To stop
the rise of tragedy, Mr William H. Merrill formally opened the
Underwriters' Electrical Bureau in 1894.
Later it became the Electrical Bureau of the National Board of
Fire Underwriters. Starting with two employees and US$350 worth
of test-equipment, UL issued its first test report on 24 March
1894 and started to work for a safer world.
Underwriters Laboratories
In 1901, the Bureau was incorporated as Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) and broadened its scope of testing fields outside of the electrical area.
More than one hundred years of experience made UL the world's leader in testing and certification. Today, with affiliates throughout Europe, North and South America and Asia Pacific, UL provides access into all major world markets.
UL in Europe
In 1956 UL began to test European-made products according to US regulations,
initiating major new international activity. It started factory
follow-up service in Europe with inspection carried out by European-based
testing authorities.
In 1996 UL bought the Danish government-owned testing and certification
laboratory DEMKO A/S (est. 1928) and formed it into a wholly
owned affiliate of Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Since then UL is represented in Europe
via its own facilities.
In the subsequent years the following affiliates opened for
UL customers:
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1997 UL International (UK) Ltd, Guildford, Surrey |
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1998 UL International Italia S.r.l. (after buying the
Italian testing organisation ESI), Agrate Brianza, Sassari
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1998 UL International Sweden AB, Spånga |
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1999 UL International (Netherlands) B.V, Veenendaal |
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1999 UL International Germany GmbH, Neu-Isenburg, Munich |
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1999 UL International France SA, Saclay |
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2002 Underwriters Laboratories Ibérica, Barcelona
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2003 UL (International) Switzerland Ltd., Schwarzenbach |
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2003 UL International Italia S.r.l. acquires SICURCONTROL
S.r.l., Carugate |
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2004 UL International Polska Sp. z o.o., Warsaw |
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2004 UL International Czech s.r.o., Prague |
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2005 UL International Finland OY, Helsinki |
Today UL has affiliates in twelve countries throughout Europe.
To assure local presence near customers, the number of European
affiliates continues to grow year after year. |
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