UNM: Standardization Office for the mechanical
engineering and rubber industries
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UNM, Union de Normalisation de la Mécanique, was approved
by the Ministry of Industry on September 24, 1984, as a Standardization
Office with a remit covering materials products and techniques
derived from mechanical engineering, metal working and elastomer
processing industries(excluding tires); welding and related
applications.
UNM's scope was widened on September 5th , 2002, by the Ministry
of Industry, to include the standardization of products manufactured
by the elastomer working industry (excluding tires).
A non-profit-making association, UNM takes part, within its
terms of reference, in standard development and prepares the
French, European and International standards which give access
to the above industries' markets. Therefore, in its field,
UNM is the gateway to European and International standardization
work for French companies and other key players in standardization.
UNM does not prepare standards for its own needs; it provides
support to experts who take part in the work of its committees.
Within the standardization committees, the experts bring their
experience, wishes, and needs, and therefore contribute to
the development of normative documents which are intended for
them. The standardization office only provides its knowledge
of standardization, and the necessary logistics, and ensures
that normative documents are published for the benefit of the
experts (manufacturers, authorities, research, safety, certification
organisations…).
UNM manages a collection of approximately 4000 French standards.
The publication and distribution of the standards prepared
by UNM are ensured by AFNOR. UNM produces about 275 standards
per year, i.e.12% of the French annual production published
by AFNOR, and is therefore one of the largest sectorial French
standardization offices.
UNM subscribes to the French standardizing strategy which
aims at building up the most complete collection of French
standards in order to make available for the French-speaking
community all the European standards in the form of French
standards, and to ensure that the collection of ISO standards
is available in the French version.
Therefore, the purpose of UNM is to develop and to promote
standardization in all its forms in the mechanical engineering
and rubber industries, mainly in order to improve the quality
and safety of materials, products and technologies of these
industries, and to support the economic development of companies
in this sector.
The main role of UNM is to prepare and carry out the standardization
program required by its members according to their standardizing
strategy. At national level, UNM has to manage the preparation
of draft standards within its standardization committees, on
the basis of preliminary drafts provided by experts. At European
and international levels, UNM has to prepare the French position
within the relevant standardization committee(s) and then give
support to the French delegates. UNM regularly provides adequate
information on the standardizing procedures and techniques
to the French delegates, CEN or ISO working groups convenors
and Chairmen of technical committees.
Lastly, UNM provides its customers with information on the
French, foreign, European, international standards within its
scope, as well as on the procedures of the various standardization
authorities. UNM is pursuing a policy of quality improvement
of its services, in order to increase its relevance on the
market. Such an objective implies, in particular, a better
understanding of its partners' needs and increased participation
of the industry, customers and other stakeholders.
More than 30 persons are daily at the service of stakeholders
in the mechanical engineering and rubber industries; work is
carried out within 5 technical departments called sectors;
each sector is in charge of a specific technical field which
includes a number of standardization committees.
UNM became, in November 2003, the first standardization
office certified ISO 9001: 2000. The quality approach was
led in UNM like a real company project, centered around
the quality of the services offered, and intended to increase
the satisfaction of its customers.
This certification has been confirmed in 2006 |
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