New World-Class OnSpeX Consumer Product Evaluation Facility Opens in Cleveland

OnSpeX, a division of CSA Group and a global provider of consumer product performance evaluation, inspections and advisory services for retailers, today opened a new 25,000 square foot state-of-the-art testing facility* in Cleveland.

The new facility is one of the most comprehensive hardline product evaluation facilities in North America and serves as the global headquarters for the OnSpeX international network of consumer product evaluation facilities located in Atlanta, Georgia; Toronto, Canada; and Shanghai and Shenzhen, China.

OnSpeX’s Cleveland facility specializes in performance evaluations of mechanical, plumbing, electrical and gas products. The lab also performs product comparison tests and verifications of stated claims by manufacturers. Additionally, OnSpeX is equipped and certified to test to International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) requirements. This lab specifically tests a product’s shipping durability for distribution through today’s global supply chain.

“Consumers are demanding reliable and trustworthy products from manufacturers and retailers whether the goods are sourced locally or globally,” said Randall W. Luecke, president of OnSpeX and CSA International. “This increased demand has lead to a substantial rise in the need for experienced product comparison and evaluation service providers. By opening this new world-class facility in Cleveland, OnSpeX is able to provide retailers with exceptional quality and timely service that will serve their hardline product evaluation needs in the United States and internationally.”

OnSpeX’s new facility is uniquely set up to test both domestic and globally sourced products and coordinates services needed to evaluate products manufactured in China. The lab is also designed to meet the complex evaluation needs of the increasing number of multi-functional products on the market.

“If you look around the home and garden hardline retail chains, you will notice that many of today’s at-home products serve more than one purpose. For example, a gas grill may also come with accessories including sinks, refrigerators and even lights,” says Susan Dempsey, vice president and general manager of OnSpeX. “Additionally, consumers and retailers are demanding innovation to include energy efficiency in the products and services they sell or provide. The breadth of OnSpeX’s expertise crosses these multifaceted evaluation requirements. Our testing labs are fully equipped to meet today’s innovative, energy efficient and multifunctional products,” adds Dempsey.

Some of the more notable labs and tests featured at the Cleveland facility include:

• Analytical Testing – metallurgical testing and materials analyses
• Corrosion Chamber – tests the effects of salt, fog and humidity on products
• Consumables, Hand Tool and Abrasive Products Test Capabilities – tests the wear, abrasive effectiveness, uniformity, durability and comparative performance of boring devices (e.g. metal drill bits, wood paddle bits, etc.) and saw blades (e.g., masonry, wood, etc.)
• Cookware Performance Testing – tests cookware coating and durability
• Packaging Performance Testing – evaluates a product’s shipping durability for distribution through today’s global supply chain
• Electrical Lab – tests standard electrical performance criteria, cordless tool battery performance, electrical product efficiency and verification of generator performance
• Environmental Conditioning – tests the durability of products in various humidity levels and temperature ranges
• Gas Lab – analyzes and quantifies combustion exhaust gases generated from cooking and heating appliances (e.g. nitrous oxides and carbon monoxide generated by gas grills and hot water heaters)
• Materials and Physical Properties Analysis – tests product properties and manufacturer’s claims including durability and material strength (e.g. hand tools, electrical tapes, duct tape, packaging tape, etc.)
• Motor, Engine, Power Tool and Utility Vehicle Testing Capabilities – tests to determine power, torque, RPM, efficiency, reliability, endurance of internal combustion engines and electric motors as well as products using these machines
• Paint Application Products Lab – tests paint brushes, rollers, pads, crush forces, ferrule integrity and fabric pull
• Plumbing and Fluid Dynamics Lab – verifies the performance of plumbing fixtures, sinks, toilets, bath tubs (standard and jetted), valves, mixing valves, backflow preventers, RV equipment and load testing
• Rainroom – verifies water resistance claims in products in simulated pouring rain
• UV Chamber – tests the effects of ultraviolet exposure on products
• Wind Tunnel – tests the ability of products to perform in and withstand various wind conditions (e. g. flame control for outdoor cooking products, outdoor decorative gas lighting or torches, and wind resistance and stability of outdoor sporting equipment)

The OnSpeX Cleveland lab is located at 8503 East Pleasant Valley Road. For more information about OnSpeX, visit www.OnSpeX.com.

* Facility photos available upon request

About OnSpeX

OnSpeX is a provider of consumer product evaluation, inspections and advisory services for retailers and manufacturers. With locations in Cleveland, Toronto, Atlanta, Shanghai and Shenzhen, OnSpeX is a division of CSA Group, which also includes: Canadian Standards Association, a leading solutions-based standards organization, providing standards development, application products, training and advisory services; and CSA International, which provides testing and certification services for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas and a variety of other products. For more information, visit www.OnSpeX.com.