Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

Updated: 11 March 2024

What Does Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. Mean?

The Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) is a non-profit organization that specializes in safety science. The UL tests a whole range of products from companies all over the world to check whether they comply with safety standards, including but not limited to their impact on the environment. They issue certificates to products that meet their standards.

Insuranceopedia Explains Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

The Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. was founded in 1894 by the electrical engineer William Henry Merrill. It is currently headquartered in Northwood, Illinois and has 46 offices worldwide.

The organization often emphasizes that awarding products UL certificates does not equate to government approval. Only federal and state bodies can actually approve a product to be sold for a commercial market.

However, the prestige of the company has not only made a lot of products easier to test and get approved in a number of countries, it has also made it easier for UL-certified products to penetrate the global market, since the organization is known for the high standards of its scientific research and the rigor of its product testing.

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