Saibal Mukhopadhaya, Country Manager, CSA Group, India Region, elaborates on the company’s services and activities in the Indian market.

Congratulations on the second anniversary of the CSA Group in India. Right time to be here, would you say?

We are thrilled to be celebrating our 2nd year of laboratory operations here in India. The country is experiencing rapid economic transformation that has resulted in a rise in new middle class consumers. Indian manufacturers have a great opportunity to take advantage of a growing market at home by providing superior products to the local market, offering a competitive advantage over foreign manufacturers importing products into the market. Companies are increasingly looking to improve supply chain management, safety and performance and to demonstrate sustainable products and practices. Given the emerging drivers of safety and sustainability in an increasingly global economy like India, CSA Group is well-positioned to bring value added solutions to the pressing needs of people and business in India.

The CSA Group has a very large number of services in its portfolio. Do you offer all of these in the Indian market? Or are there any specific product groups you concentrate on?

CSA Group is a global company offering testing and certification services for markets around the world. As the global market developed, CSA Group expanded its footprint to serve clients in expanding markets.

CSA Group’s global market access (GMA) team can help clients navigate the international requirements to obtain the certification marks required for electrical products, electronic household appliances, medical appliances, gas-fired products, industrial products and more. Our international network of offices and testing facilities provide a single contact to obtain certifications for markets worldwide. Our knowledgeable technical advisors can assist with identifying the specific product requirements for target markets quickly and confidently.

CSA Group’s GMA team offers technical information services to address applicable certification, EMC, telecom or energy efficiency requirements for countries around the world. We are accredited as a Certification Body (CB) under IECEE CB scheme for testing to IEC standards for the international market. We can help manufacturers obtain the CE mark for the European market as well as marks required by individual European countries. Our expertise and knowledge of international standard requirements has allowed us to establish Mutual Recognition Agreements with various national certification bodies, enabling us to help clients reach international markets.

In India, CSA Group has grown substantially in capabilities over the past few years, offering testing and certification services in the areas of industrial and hazardous location products, IT/AV products, medical electrical equipment, lab, test & measurement equipment, process control and automation products, components and self-ballasted LED products. We also offer testing services for ingress protection and under BIS CRS scheme. The laboratory in Bangalore has received accreditations from SCC, OSHA, NABL and BIS to support Indian and global manufacturers with North America and global certification requirements including testing for BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme.

Last year a major electrical and automation group with global operations qualified for IECEE CB WMT program through CSA Group. What exactly is this program?

CSA Group announced that one of our clients qualified for IECEE Witness Manufacturer Testing Program (WMT) by CSA and approved them to operate under the CB Scheme. The IECEE system for conformity assessment schemes for electro-technical equipment and components is a multilateral certification system based on IEC international standards. The scheme uses the principal of mutual recognition of test results to obtain certification or approval at national levels around the world. IECEE qualifies National Certification Bodies (NCBs), such as CSA Group, that are responsible for recognizing and issuing CB Test Reports and Certificates. For more information on the subject, the link www.cbscheme.org may help.

What are the testing facilities established in India? Do you also send products for testing/evaluation abroad?

The current state-of-the-art test facilities of CSA Group, India offers testing for information technology and audio-video equipment, test, measurement, control and laboratory use electrical equipment, medical electrical equipment, process control and automation products, ingress protection code, and self-ballasted LED lamps for general lighting services (Safety Requirements).

The Indian lab is accredited by SCC, OSHA, NABL and BIS. Our highly trained technical experts help ensure that products are tested and have complied with the relevant requirements of BIS standards for the local market and international standards for global markets and the products are safe for use in the relevant Indian and global markets.

The CSA Group is a global organisation with offices and laboratories in 16 countries worldwide that offer testing and certification services to help manufacturers reach global markets. Local manufacturers can use any laboratory in our competent laboratory network to have their product tested and certified to meet the requirements of multiple markets. To help manufacturers bring the products to market in the shortest possible time at an affordable cost, CSA Group uses our global technical resources to provide customers with a fast and efficient access to markets all over the world.

How does the customer benefit? What has been the experience so far?

CSA Group has been operating in India for over 16 years, building relationships with leading firms across numerous industries. We opened our first testing laboratory in Bangalore July of 2014.

CSA Group has a wealth of experience and knowledge of both standards development and testing and certification to offer Indian manufacturers, government and retailers. To help navigate the global market and help ensure compliance, CSA Group offers training and awareness programs for students, government officials and manufacturers on global standards and regulatory requirements for safety, the environment and sustainability. Through education, we are encouraging an understanding of the importance of standards, testing and certification in a global market.

CSA Group’s GMA team offers technical information services to address applicable certification, EMC, telecom or energy efficiency requirements for countries around the world. We are accredited as a Certification Body (CB) under IECEE CB scheme for testing to IEC standards for the international market. We can help manufacturers obtain the CE mark for the European market as well as marks required by individual European countries. Our expertise and knowledge of international standard requirements has allowed us to establish Mutual Recognition Agreements with various national certification bodies, enabling us to help clients reach international markets.

There are other agencies operating in this field. What is the CSA USP?

As a leading edge global service provider, CSA Group provides standards development, training and advisory services; testing and certification services for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas and a variety of other products; We are also involved in consumer product evaluation, inspection and advisory services for retailers and manufacturers. We have labs and offices in 16 countries around the world. Our over 1,300 Technical Committees have helped develop over 3,000 standards, codes and related products in 54 technologies.

CSA Group focuses consistently on the advancement of new technologies to offer timely and relevant standards development and innovative tests, inspection and certification services to our customers.

As the global market developed, CSA Group expanded its footprint to serve clients in expanding markets. We work with standards development organisations in North America and around the world to harmonise standards that address the global market, while taking into account specific local requirements. The consistently simple, user friendly, transparent and value added approach towards our customers has sustained CSA group globally over the last century.

Indian SMEs have great potential but face many constraints in terms of precisely the services you provide. But can they afford these?

Standards, testing, inspection and certification play a vital role in the market. When implemented by industries or regulators, standards help contribute to a wide range of safety and sustainability goals. Standards also facilitate international trade by encouraging commonalities between products and parts and can aid in enhancing the adoption of new and emerging technologies, providing consistent quality in health care, improving safety in the workplace and promoting public safety.

For businesses, meeting the requirements set out in standards help reduce uncertainty; they help contribute to managing risk, enhancing global trade and reducing R&D costs.

For small and mid-sized enterprises, helping to show their products meet safety and performance requirements play an important role in staying competitive in local and global market.

How is present business environment?

Today, with the Governmental mission of ‘Make in India’ devised to transform India into a global R&D and manufacturing hub, India’s credibility is stronger than ever. There is visible momentum, energy and optimism among the Indian industries. Make in India is opening investment doors. Multiple enterprises are adopting its mantra. The world’s largest democracy is well on its way to becoming the world’s most powerful economy.

CSA Group is committed to helping Indian companies and Government in their “Make in India” mission to develop a better, safer and more sustainable products for consumers locally and globally.

What are the future plans?

Our lab has expanded significantly in the past two years to offer more services to our local clients. CSA Group will continue to support Indian manufacturers with innovative delivery of global market access services with an expanded scope of domestic compliance and will expand our presence in other regions of India with multiple services including training and seminars on advanced technologies. We will be working diligently to continue our growth and sustainability mission in India.