APM Hexseal carries an extensive line of silicone sealing boots that pass rigorous third-party testing, many of which have obtained Underwriter Laboratories (UL) certification. Since 1947, we have produced more than 50 million boots and proudly designed and manufactured sealing solutions at our facility in New Jersey.
When it comes to compliance, APM Hexseal adheres to many international and domestic regulatory requirements that exist, guaranteeing safe and high performing products to our more than 200,000 valued customers.
The most common regulatory compliance agencies we deal with include:
- Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS): Confirmation that hard to dispose of and hazardous materials such as lead, hexavalent chromium, mercury, and cadmium are limited to the maximum allowable amount.
- Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH): Environmental legislation developed in the European Union to ensure all manufacturers register any exported chemical substances used in consumer products, demonstrating their effect on human health.
- Proposition 65: The California legislation requires all businesses to put warnings on products that may cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm after significant chemical exposure.
- DODD-Frank Act: Enacted in 2010, the legislation seeks to control the use of conflict minerals. Manufacturers must disclose their use of tantalum, tin, gold, or tungsten as “necessary to the functionality or production of a product.”
- Toxic Substance and Control Act: Provides the Environmental Protection Agency authority to oversee the record-keeping and testing requirements of all chemical substances or mixtures used in manufacturing.
- POPs: Restricts or bans the production of “Persistent Organic Pollutants” that pose a significant risk to health and the environment. Worldwide regulations are in place through the Stockholm Convention and the Aarhus Protocol.
We are ISO 9001:2015 certified, ensuring all our products and services meet safety and efficiency guidelines.
Industry Compliance Requirements
APM Hexseal serves a broad array of industries, including mil-aero, medical, agriculture, marine, energy generation and electronics. Each of these requires strict adherence to RoHS, REACH, and Proposition 65. Other industries have varying regulatory requirements and we do our best to accommodate all that we can.
For APM Hexseal, the RoHS and REACH regulatory compliance requirements are critical because of the specific materials we regularly handle. For example, lead is a byproduct of some metals we use for parts manufacturing. Even though its content is miniscule in the end product, we must declare its presence, in our final product, as a hazardous substance.
There are some exemptions in the electronics sector, but the restricted substance list detailed in REACH is extensive. The most recent list contained chemical substances found in rubber production, so we have gone back to our supply chain to ensure that we remain in compliance with all current applicable regulations.
Compliance Trends Over the Years
Compliance trends over the past few years have remained gained momentum. The health and safety of both humans and the environment have come to the forefront of manufacturing and continue to be a focus when considering manufacturability of our products.
More recent legislation, such as the Toxic Substance and Control Act, helps to monitor chemical use. We have also seen stricter enforcement of drinking water regulations to protect citizens from unsafe materials.
As a global economy, we are seeing a conscious shift towards health and safety regulations in handling materials and user safety. Both customers and manufacturers will enjoy positive results from these changes.
Proactive Compliance with APM Hexseal
Our corporate strategy is shifting toward a more proactive stance regarding compliance. APM Hexseal actively seeks out regulatory requirements to see how they apply to our products. We are continuously asking ourselves if we are doing enough and what we can do better.
We also look at compliance from a marketing standpoint and try to remain ahead of emerging trends or existing problems, so our customers are getting what they need before telling us they need it and that we keep our customers informed of what we are doing to improve our processes and products.
Customer Satisfaction and Compliance
Some customers request basic information, while others require very detailed material disclosures, including information about proprietary blends and components of every substance. Each customer is unique in what they need to fulfill their individual regulatory requirements and we do our best to answer each request with the most detailed information available. It is important to us to respond to compliance requests in a timely and concise manner so that our customers can meet their obligations to their customers. At APM Hexseal, we do our best to be forthcoming and take all requests on a case-by-case basis to ensure customer satisfaction.
APM Hexseal is Committed to Quality and Compliance
For more than 70 years, APM Hexseal has been proudly manufacturing our products in America. We strive to produce innovative products with a dedication to superior quality. Our continuous quest for improvement is encompassed in our company motto, Ever Better.
APM Hexseal can provide sealing solutions to meet your business needs, with unrivaled technical support availability, an international distribution network, a first-rate machine shop, and a brilliant engineering team. Contact us today for more information. Ask the Experts at APM Hexseal.