In 2019, a big wholesaler of outdoor tools in Germany hired a Hong Kong trading company. Through them, they hope to find suppliers of 2.6 meters telescopic ladders with EN131 certification. Chinese ladder factories like to make certificates for 3.8 meters telescopic ladder. Only few factories make a special effort to make certificates for 2.6 meters. So there were very few qualified suppliers.
That order is also a rush order for the German company. The demand of the terminal is fleeting, and the opportunity will not always be there waiting for you.
The certificate is like a hurdle, stuck out a lot of orders and opportunities. Most sellers actually don’t know more things behind the certificate. Just because require it will be more trouble-free. So here, I want to talk to all you about what EN131 means for purchasers.
Is EN131 A Must?
It is not a must for wholesalers. Because EN131 is not a mandatory certificate. The laws of European countries don’t require selling ladders must bring an EN131 certificate. It is just a guideline for ladder manufacturers, not a mandatory law.
Well-known e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and eBay don’t require you to have a certificate to upload your products.
Many organizations are currently calling for the government to step in and regulate. Holding vendors and online platforms accountable. To ensure that the products they sell are compliant and safe to use.
If these calls come true in the future and certificates become mandatory. We’ll be sure to keep you informed to avoid losses.
Who Needs EN131？
The first thing we need to know is that EN131 is the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) harmonized standard for portable steps and ladders. So wholesales in countries outside the European region do not need to have EN131.
Brandsellers
Those who pay the most attention to the certificate are undoubtedly well-known ladder brand companies. They are loved by consumers for the quality of their ladders. To maintain the reputation of their brand, they value ladder quality and all the authoritative certificates.
If you want to build your own brand, using certificates to endorse the quality of your products is an excellent choice.
Supermarkets
Offline supermarkets in Europe have more stringent requirements. They are facing direct consumers. And in case of quality problems, the after-sales service of supermarkets will be more troublesome.
For large companies like supermarkets, purchasing is more cautious. For them, EN131 is a must.
Why Should We Pay Attention To EN131？
Responsibility
Ladders are a special commodity because working at height is naturally hazardous. Every 11 minutes in the UK, one person goes to A&E with a ladder injury.
To value EN131 is to appreciate ladder quality. As those who sell ladders directly to consumers, we should be more considerate of our consumers and be a responsible company.
Consumer trust
Consumers don’t understand professional things. You say how expensive and good materials are used in the product and how good the quality is. Consumers won’t easily believe it until they use it themselves.
When you have a traceable and authoritative certificate to endorse the quality of the ladder. It is at least able to dispel consumers’ doubts about the quality of your products and win their trust.
How To Get EN131？
The easiest way is to ask the manufacturer. A good ladder manufacturer will be able to provide you with a full EN31 certificate.
But if the manufacturer doesn’t have a certificate, how do you get EN131?
There are two options:
- Ask the ladder factory to make samples according to the certificate requirements. And then send them for testing.
The advantage is high efficiency, in about 1 month you can get the certificate.
The disadvantage is that some factories will ask you to share the cost or bear all the costs. And this certificate does not belong to you exclusively. The factory can also send it to others later because the certificate is granted to the factory.
- Ask the factory to make samples according to the certificate requirements. And then send them to you, and you contact the third-party organization for testing.
The advantage is that this EN131 certificate belongs to you completely.
The disadvantage is that the sample should be completed at once. If the first sample fails. You still need to customize the second one and then send it to you again. The final time to get the certificate is not sure, and the cost may be higher than the first option.
All in all, EN131 is not a must for selling ladders, but if we want to go far, then one day, we are going to need it.
Gokulad is a China ladder manufacturer with quality certificates such as EN131, ANSI, AS/NZS, etc. If you want to do ladder business easily, we will be your best partner.
