SCALE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
6724 Lone Oak Blvd., Naples, FL 34109
Tel: 239-514-3441 Fax: 239-514-3470
Web Site:http://www.scalemanufacturers.org

May 28, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SMA AWARDS PRODUCTION MEETS TYPE CERTIFICATES

NAPLES, FL --During the Scale Manufacturers Association (SMA) Annual Meeting in April three of its member companies were awarded certificates for successfully completing Conformity Assessment Audits and for meeting the quality requirements of the SMA Conformity Assessment (Production Meets Type) program. The SMA program has been structured to conform to ISO/IEC Guide 65, General Requirements for Bodies Operating Product Certification Systems. The program is open to all manufacturers (member or non-member) who wish to certify that their T.N.8 production meets type.

A&D Weighing, Mettler-Toledo, and Avery Weigh-Tronix are the first group of members to be awarded such certificates, acknowledging this accomplishment. BVQi, SMA's independent auditor, conducted the on site audits which certifies a company's ability to insure production meets type.

SMA developed this production quality assurance program after learning that NCWM, Inc., recognized that the NTEP mechanism for issuing Certificates of Conformance did not, by itself, ensure quality production devices, particularly if they are subject to Handbook 44 Scales Code T.N.8. Influence Factors requirements.

While the NCWM, Inc. has yet to develop the specifics of their program for all of the devices subject to the NTEP certificate system, SMA felt it could no longer sit idly by. Both SMA members and the NCWM, Inc. realize the old system isn't doing what it was intended to do, that is, giving the customer the assurance that they were purchasing a product that maintains the performance quality levels demonstrated when an NTEP laboratory evaluated the device.

SMA's president, Robert J. Schuller, Hobart Corporation ITW Food Equipment Group, says that "when you see the SMA Production Meets Type logo on weighing equipment the scale owner and his customers (the consumer) can rest assured that the production device maintains the same performance quality levels as were demonstrated when the scale was evaluated by NTEP".

For more information on the SMA Conformity Assessment Program (including an interview with SMA's past president David Castle, Avery Weigh-Tronix, that appeared in the August 2001 edition of Weighing & Measurement) and a list of current members, please visit www.scalemanufacturers.org.