Leveraging Your NSF Certification: Now that you've received NSF Certification ... why not leverage the Mark to your advantage.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2008
CONTACTS:
Greta Houlahan
NSF International
Phone: 734.913.5723
Email: houlahan@nsf.org
Steven Rogers
KL Texas, L.P.
dba Summit Industrial Products
Phone: 903.579.9245
Email: StevenR@klsummit.com
Summit Industrial Products Becomes the First Company in North America to Earn ISO 21469 Certification
NSF Certification Underscores Summit’s Focus on Food Safety
ANN ARBOR, Mich. and TYLER, Texas – NSF today announced that KL Texas, L.P. (dba Summit Industrial Products), a worldwide leader in synthetic lubricant technology, is the first company in North America to receive Certification to ISO 21469: Safety of machinery - Lubricants with Incidental Product Contact -- Hygiene requirements.
According to a recent article in Machinery Lubrication,* it is estimated that a significant proportion (60 percent or greater) of U.S. food and beverage companies are not using incidental food-contact lubricants. This is important as only lubricants with incidental food contact may be safely used on machinery used for producing, manufacturing, packing, processing, preparing, treating, packaging, transporting, or holding food.
“Obtaining Certification to ISO 21469 is important to Summit because our customers in the food industry want assurance that the products they buy meet strict quality and safety standards,” said Summit President Fred Pate. “We believe by working with NSF to achieve independent certification, we not only improve the quality of our products, we also improve the confidence of our customers.”
ISO 21469 specifies hygiene requirements for the formulation, manufacture, use and handling of lubricants, which may come into contact with products during manufacturing or processing. The international standard applies to lubricants intended for use in food production, as well as cosmetic, pharmaceutical and animal feed industries.
“Certification to ISO 21469 by an independent, third party provides lubricant manufacturers with a means to obtain international acceptance for their products,” said Sarah Krol, NSF Business Unit Manager. “By obtaining certification, Summit is emphasizing their overall commitment to safety.”
To receive ISO 21469 Certification, Summit fulfilled all NSF Certification requirements. These include the following:
Summit’s dedication to quality and to the environment is further demonstrated by its ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management Systems registration, ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems registration, and OHSAS 18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems registration. Summit’s products have been registered by NSF's Nonfood Registration Program since 2004. Summit also has Kosher and Halal certification for many of their food grade products.
Summit’s lubricants will bear the NSF Certification Mark on their labels to demonstrate compliance to ISO 21469. Summit’s certification is also listed on NSF’s Web site.
For more information about NSF's ANSI-accredited ISO 21469 Certification Program, please contact Sarah Krol, Business Unit Manager, NSF's Nonfood Compounds Registration Program, at nonfood@nsf.org or (734) 827-6841. NSF International is currently the only organization offering American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited ISO 21469 Certification.
Reference
* Saurabh Lawate, The Lubrizol Corporation, "What You Need to Know About Food-grade Lubricants." Machinery Lubrication Magazine, July 2007.
About Summit: KL Texas, L.P. (dba Summit Industrial Products) is a manufacturer of specialty lubricants designed primarily for air, gas and refrigeration applications (www.klsummit.com). Founded in Houston in 1982, the company has grown through the creation of an extensive distribution network throughout the United States and the world. It offers a broad range of products for food applications including air compressor, gear and hydraulic oils. The company was acquired by Klüber Lubrication (Munich, Germany) in 1996.
About NSF International: NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, helps protect you by certifying products and writing standards for food, water and consumer goods (www.nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting public health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. Additional services include safety audits for the food and water industries, management systems registrations delivered through NSF International Strategic Registrations, organic certification provided by Quality Assurance International and education through the NSF Center for Public Health Education.
