Reaccreditation of LIXIL’s global development laboratory in Hemer

• The LIXIL laboratory in Hemer is the first development laboratory in the sanitary industry to be successfully reaccredited by the DAkkS, the German Accreditation Body, for the testing of fittings

• Test procedures are performed according to international standards

• LIXIL also opens the independent laboratory to other companies if needed

Düsseldorf, May 25, 2022 – One year after its successful initial accreditation by DAkkS, the independent German Accreditation Body, the Hemer-based development laboratory of LIXIL, a manufacturer of pioneering water and housing products, was re-accredited in April according to the international DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard (1). This once again confirms the proven expertise of the development laboratory, which is also the origin of the globally available bathroom and kitchen solutions of the brand GROHE.

Accreditation reduces the time between product development and market launch, as product releases are carried out and approved by the company's own laboratory in accordance with independent test procedures.

Accreditation as a quality mark of independent laboratory expertise

"For a laboratory and its employees, accreditation is a special achievement, as it is also a confirmation of their expertise and experience. Within the company, we work like an external, independent testing laboratory that carries out tests and approvals independently. With this accreditation, we can not only test our own products but also offer product tests for other companies that do not have such know-how themselves," says Mark Bobzien, responsible for validations at the LIXIL laboratory.

Laboratory work is carried out according to international standards and completely independently. This guarantees worldwide recognition and ensures that the testing requirements for fittings, some of which differ internationally, are met.

Fast and efficient testing with benefits for customers

With the help of the independent development laboratory, LIXIL can test its own products more quickly. In this way, customers also benefit from the confirmation of expertise associated with reaccreditation. In times of an order boom, new product launches can be brought to market more quickly in the future. Since its initial accreditation last year, the laboratory has already tested around 90 individual products.

"The reaccreditation by DAkkS is a special award that makes us proud. With 13 internationally recognized test procedures for fittings, our laboratory covers a wide range of product properties, which we subject to a very thorough inspection for our customers. The laboratory in Hemer is a fundamental building block for LIXIL's innovative strength," says Matthias Nauß, Leader Experimental Laboratory and Prototyping.

Product testing focuses on product life cycle, product safety and quality, comfort, and industry standards, among other things. For example, the service life of fittings is tested, and acoustic tests and release tests, known as leachings, are carried out.

GROHE products in demand worldwide

GROHE products are in demand worldwide. It is therefore important that the development and manufacture of the products meet all internationally required standards, which can vary depending on the country and region. Accreditation is useful in this context because the German Accreditation Body is a full member of the European Cooperation for Accreditation (EA), the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) as well as a signatory of the multilateral agreements for mutual recognition (MLA/ MRA) of these organizations. As a result, the accreditation of the LIXIL laboratory has a global scope.

Laboratory produces excellent technologies

The research and development work in the Hemer laboratory is paying off: GROHE was honored twice this year with the German Innovation Award in the category "Excellence in Business to Consumer" as "Winner" for the GROHE Eurosmart 2-in-1 hybrid faucet, as well as SafetyStop technology. The "Winner" category recognizes innovations that advance the industry through their originality, implementation and effectiveness.

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