When Magnitude Lighting’s E-Series, Magnetic, AFLEX, SoliDrive and CCT LED drivers received NOM certification for export to Mexico, we were pleased, of course, because of its importance in the Mexican LED driver market. However, we wanted to know the impact on the American market as well and turned to an expert on the subject, Ariel Enrique Gutierrez, President at Polaris Light.
Q. What is NOM and why is important in the Mexican LED driver market?
A. NOM stands for Norma Oficial Mexicana and is our equivalent of Underwriters Laboratory and ETL testing standards. Before NOM was established in 1992, there were very few standards for products and little participation from privately-owned industries. Back then, entities like UL that have been around in the U.S. for years, just didn’t exist, and the Mexican market was flooded with cheap and sometimes dangerous products. Fortunately, the Mexican government at the time took actions to adopt standards for certifying products.
Q. What kind of standards does NOM set for electrical products?
A. NOM sets standards for safety, performance, energy consumption, efficiency, material contents, marketing, maintenance and documentation regarding the manufacturer and the importer.
Q. Okay, so it’s good for the Mexican LED driver market, but how does this help agencies in the US?
A. NOM is important for US agencies who export to Mexico because it ensures that those products follow quality and safety standards. This requirement helps the local consumer by not allowing substandard products into the market. It also helps US agencies by providing them with products that are marketable and saleable into the large, populous Mexican market.
Q. What are the most important facts contractors and distributors should know about NOM certification?
A. Contractors and distributors should know that if a product has the NOM approval, it is a product that can lawfully be sold in Mexico. This ensures that there will be no issues upon the sale, installation and commissioning of a project due to non-performance or safety concerns.
Q. Why is NOM certification important in the SKUs that Polaris reps?
A. Polaris Controls was founded and is still managed by engineers who value high performing products. Every brand we associate ourselves with must be a quality brand that is second to none in performance, safety and longevity. We do not engage with manufacturers that offer substandard products or practices, period. NOM Certification provides Polaris Controls the benefit of bringing a product to a market that values safety and quality.
For learn more about NOM, refer to this website.
