New Certification Program to Verify Quality and Safety of Aftermarket Automotive Parts

(NSF International: Ann Arbor, MI) -- Concerns regarding consumer safety and compromised automobile crashworthiness continue to center on the use of certain aftermarket structural parts. NSF International recently announced the launch of a new Automotive Parts Certification Program to address these concerns. The one-of-a-kind program verifies the quality and performance of aftermarket auto parts via testing and inspections.

The NSF Automotive Parts Certification Program offers independent, third-party certification of steel bumpers, step bumpers, absorbers, reinforcement bars, and brackets to ensure that high-quality aftermarket safety parts are available. NSF International’s certification criteria require the highest level of performance in terms of form, fit, and function, as well as the production facility’s quality systems.

The certification program was developed to counter the growing concerns that lower quality parts were being used in the automotive repair industry. Certification from an accredited third-party, such as NSF International, helps ensure that an aftermarket auto part meets rigid quality, safety, and performance standards.

Reflexxion Automotive and Production Bumper Stamping Inc. (PBSI), which manufactures Diamond Standard brand parts, are the first companies to participate in NSF International’s Automotive Parts Certification Program. The certification program includes:

• On-site inspection and approval of the manufacturing facilities’ production and quality system
• In-plant part quality assurance requirements
• Rigorous part testing to ensure the highest levels of performance
• Comparison to original-equipment parts across dimensional and material attributes
• Ongoing monitoring of certified parts through quarterly facility audits
• Random, in-market part testing
• An ongoing process for monitoring and taking action regarding customer complaints
• A traceability requirement that allows for an effective recall process
• Automotive parts that complete the requirements of this NSF certification program will bear the NSF mark

“The events of the last few weeks concerning crash related safety parts illustrate the glaring need for certification to assure the consumer, collision repair shop, independent distributor, and insurance industry that the parts utilized for the repairs of a vehicle maintain the integrity of the original collision management system,” says Michael O’Neal of Diamond Standard Parts. “NSF International’s 65-year history of certification, testing, and inspections coupled with its extensive automotive industry experience, provides the confidence that the collision repair industry can rely on.”

“When any collision repair professional or insurance company sees the NSF mark on an automotive part, they can be confident that the part meets the industry’s highest standards,” says Bob Frayer, director of NSF International's engineering laboratories. “NSF certification also allows manufacturers to demonstrate their commitment to product quality and safety.”

Manufacturers of parts seeking information on NSF International’s Automotive Parts Certification Program can visit www.nsf.org/media/enews/automotive_landing.asp.

For information on Diamond Standard brand parts, please visit www.diamondstandardparts.com.

About The Author

NSF International

NSF International, the parent company of NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR), is an independent public health and safety organization that certifies products and writes standards for food, water, and consumer goods to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment. Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting public health and safety worldwide. NSF-ISR performs audits and provides management systems registration for clients throughout the world. NSF-ISR is accredited by ANAB, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for various programs as well as recognized by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) to provide ISO/TS 16949 registrations.